Coin collectors are enjoying many surprises from the United States Mint in 2017, as officials honor the Mint's 225th anniversary with a variety of special releases. The first was the 2017-P Lincoln cents, a one-year only modification that places the "P" mintmark of Philadelphia on the one-cent coin for the first time. Later came the first numismatic interpretation of Miss Liberty as an African American woman. Now, coin collectors have another special bonus: the 2017-S Enhanced Uncirculated Set.
The 10-coin set was released by the U.S. Mint on August 1, 2017 for $29.95. The Enhanced Uncirculated Set, which honors the U.S. Mint's 225th anniversary, features the following coins: 2017-S Lincoln cent, Jefferson nickel, Roosevelt dime, America the Beautiful quarters (Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa, Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in District of Columbia, Ozark National Scenic Riverways Site in Missouri, Ellis Island National Monument/Statue of Liberty in New Jersey, and George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Indiana), Kennedy half dollar, and Native American (Sequoyah from Cherokee Nation) dollar. Each coin bears an "S" mintmark from the San Francisco Mint, where the 10 special-finish coins were minted. The coins are packaged in two hard, plastic lenses similar to the packaging employed by the Mint for proof coins; the five quarters are mounted in one case and the rest of the coins are in the packaged together in the other.
The special mint set is ideal for coin collectors who enjoy pursuing modern U.S. coins, as well as hobbyists who specifically collect uncirculated sets. There is a maximum mintage of 225,000 sets, which is tens of thousands of sets fewer than the normal output of uncirculated sets by the U.S. Mint. As of this writing, there is no household ordering limit on the enhanced uncirculated sets, which means those who want to stock up on these sets should have no issue in doing so; this is ideal for coin dealers who wish to have plenty of these special mint sets on hand in their inventories.
Some collectors may wonder if coin sets like these make good long-term investments. There is no way to know whether or not the 2017-S Enhanced Uncirculated Sets will increase in value as time goes by. However, it's a safe bet that they will be in demand over the long haul because they contain special S-mint coins that aren't usually offered with other products, and certainly not be found in pocket change. They are perfect keepsakes for hobbyists who enjoy collecting modern United States coinage, and this set contains 10 special-edition "S" mint coins that belong in any United States coin collection.