2016 ATB Quarters Silver Proof Set Release… Last 90% Silver Edition?

The United States Mint opens ordering at noon ET on Monday, March 7, for the 2016 America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set.

This product is made for collectors and includes the five 2016 quarters in 90% silver and 10% copper. The U.S. Mint now has the authority to strike 10c, 25c and 50c coins in higher silver purity, so this year may be the last for 90% silver quarters.

Altogether, the proof set has a total face value of $1.25. Obviously, it’s worth more — even aside from its numismatic value to collectors. With its 0.904 troy ounces of silver, the set’s melt value at this writing is about $14. That’s close to half its issue price ($31.95).

In some more details, the set’s five silver coins are struck at the U.S. Mint in San Francisco and bear an ‘S’ mint mark. Regular coins for circulation are minted in Denver and Philadelphia. The coins’ proof finish feature frosted designs against mirror-like backgrounds.

This year’s 25-cent coins have reverse designs emblematic of:

• Shawnee National Forest in Illinois
• Cumberland Gap National Historic Park in Kentucky:
• Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota
• Fort Moultrie at Fort Sumter National Monument in South Carolina

Obverses or heads sides of the silver coins share John Flanagan’s 1932 portrait of George Washington.

These 2016 coins represent the 31st through 35th in the U.S. Mint’s program of America the Beautiful Quarters. The series launched in 2010, and it offers five unique designs annually that honor a national site from the 50 states, the District of Columbia or one of the five US territories.

When released, order this collectible from the U.S. Mint’s online proof sets page or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).