Busy Schedule for U.S. Mint in 2009

The U.S. Mint has a busy year planned for coin collectors in 2009! We will have a record number of new U.S. coins going into circulation this year, including the four new Lincoln Cent designs, four Presidential Dollars, the newly-redesigned Sacagawea Dollar (Agriculture) reverse, and six Territory Quarters. This is in addition to the standard nickels, dimes, and half dollars the Mint produces. The 2009 Uncirculated Mint Set will contain a whopping 36 coins!

As if all of the new circulating coins weren't enough to keep the Mint (and coin collectors) busy, we'll also have two new commemorative coins, the Lincoln Silver Dollar, and the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar. And who can forget the long-awaited and very exciting 2009 Ultra-High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle? That one's coming fast, if it stays on schedule - it's due to be released on Jan. 22. With all the problems the Mint had getting gold and silver coin blanks last year, a delay on this coin wouldn't be a surprise.

With such a busy coin product pipeline, the Mint hasn't wasted any time turning on the spigot. On Jan. 2, the Agriculture Sacagawea Dollar went on sale through the Direct Ship Program. The Direct Ship Program has been an astounding success; after restocking the warehouse with millions of additional 2007 and 2008 Presidential Dollars, all have sold out again except Madison as of this writing. (If you're not familiar with Direct Ship, my article about the Direct Ship Program will tell you how to get the coins at an effective cost below face value.)

If you like to be the first to have cool new things to show off at work, the U.S. Mint has helped by putting the six-coin Territories and D.C. Quarters Proof Set on sale already. Buy two sets, one to save and one to use for showing off. Open the plastic case by pulling it apart (they're not sealed so that they can be opened easily) and then extract the coins and put them in 2x2's or individually in little Ziploc baggies. Show them to your pals at work and tell them that you got these coins months ahead of when the general public will see most of them in circulation (which is 100% true!) When they marvel at how you must have some serious clout to get coins ahead of everyone else, just smile and say that you're a numismatist.*

U.S. Mint Product Schedule Through Spring 2009

1/5/2009 United States Mint 2009 District of Columbia & U.S. Territories Quarters Proof Set™
1/15/2009 Native American $1 Coin Rolls
1/22/2009 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin
1/22/2009 Kennedy Half-Dollar Bag and Two-Roll Set
1/26/2009 District of Columbia Bags and Two-Roll Sets
2/10/2009 2009 United States Mint Presidential $1 Coin Proof Set™
2/12/2009 Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Silver Dollar
2/19/2009 William Henry Harrison $1 Coin Rolls
3/26/2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar
Spring District of Columbia Official First Day Coin Cover
Spring First Spouse Series One-Half Ounce Gold Proof Coin – Anna Harrison
Spring First Spouse Series One-Half Ounce Gold Uncirculated Coin – Anna Harrison
Spring Anna Harrison Bronze Medal 1 5/16"
Spring United States Mint 2009 District of Columbia & U.S. Territories Quarters Silver Proof Set™
Spring 2009 Presidential $1 Coin Uncirculated Set (P&D)
Spring William Henry Harrison $1 Coin Cover
Spring United States Mint Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse Medal Set™ - William Henry Harrison
Spring Puerto Rico Bags and Two-Roll Sets
Spring 2009 United States Mint Proof Set®
Spring Puerto Rico First Day Coin Cover
Spring John Tyler $1 Coin Rolls
Spring Guam Bags and Two-Roll Sets
Spring 2009 United States Mint Silver Proof Set™

Updates to the U.S. Mint Product Schedule can be found on the U.S. Mint Web site, which was the source of the list above.

Which U.S. Mint products do you intend to buy this year? Why? Share your opinions in the Comments section below.

*(The reason you want to remove the coins from the Proof Set packaging is because the "wow" factor is much higher without the dead giveaway as to how you got the coins.)