1964 Proof Set (BUY)
Face Value: $0.91
Original Issue Price: $2.10
Mintage: 3,950,762
The 1964 Proof Set was important for a number of reasons. It reached a new all time high mintage for the proof set with 3,950,762 sets sold. This remained the high mark for several years until the Bicentennial Proof Set of 1976. The sets contained the last regular issue 90% silver coins. The following year, the silver would be eliminated from the quarter and dime, and reduced to 40% for the half dollar. Lastly, this year represented the first year of issue for the Kennedy Half Dollar. This was a hugely popular issue with the public, who was still grieving the loss of the President.
Each set contained five coins in total, including the Kennedy Half Dollar, Washington Quarter, Roosevelt Dime, Jefferson Nickel, and Lincoln Cent. The sets were sold at $2.10 each from the US Mint. Published order limits were in place, and some of these were only partially filled, as the popularity of the set forced the US Mint to curtail bulk orders.
An interesting variety exists within the 1964 Proof Set. Some Kennedy Halves can be found with "Accented Hair" with more heavily defined hair lines on Kennedy. These examples sell for a large premium to the regular hair variety.
The sets were packaged in the flat pack style of packaging for the last time. When the US Mint revived the proof set in 1968, a new rigid plastic holder and box was used. The flat pack consisted of the coins sealed within a plastic cellophane and placed within a Treasury Department envelope. The coins were further protected by two cardboard inserts.
