US Mint 2011 Silver Product Release Schedule

The United States Mint has provided a glimpse into its entire new year line-up with the release of a preliminary numismatic 2011 product schedule. Notable in the 50-plus items listed are several of direct interest to collectors of silver coins.

First among the silver product offerings is the release of the 2011 Silver Proof Set on January 25. This sets contains proof quality samples representative of the fourteen 2011 circulating coins of the United States. Each is struck at the US Mint’s facility in San Francisco with half of them composed of 90% silver. The silver coins include the Kennedy Half Dollar, the Roosevelt Dime and the five 2011 releases of the America the Beautiful Quarters®. A total of 1.338 ounces of the precious metal is included in the set.

Next on the product release schedule are the two commemorative coins. This includes the Army Silver Dollar for release on January 31 and the Medal of Honor Silver Dollar for release on February 25. Both of these will be struck to the standard specifications for modern commemorative silver coins and have maximum mintages of 500,000 each.

The end of March will find the US Mint offering the 2011 Quarters Silver Proof Set. It contains just the five quarter-dollars that were already issued as part of the larger US Mint Silver Proof Set on January 25th. This includes the five quarters honoring:

• Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania
• Glacier National Park in Montana
• Olympic National Park in Washington
• Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi and
• Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Oklahoma

All five coins are produced at the San Francisco Mint to proof quality from 90% silver for a total of 0.904 ounces.

Notably absent of release dates in the schedule are last year’s 2010 America the Beautiful Silver Uncirculated Coins. The US Mint indicated that it would issue them during the first quarter of this year. The 2011 America the Beautiful Silver Uncirculated Coins are also listed on the US Mint’s schedule with "TBA" release dates.

Closing out the product schedule are numismatic versions of the American Silver Eagle. No specific dates are given, but the US Mint has indicated that the proof version will be issued by July 6. Also on the schedule, but given a "TBD" release date, is the uncirculated version. Collectors will recall that those have not been sold since 2008. The US Mint cancelled their production during the last two years as a direct response to the intense demand placed on the bullion coins. Their inclusion on the product schedule as well as a change in law offers collectors hope that they will actually return to the Mint’s product line-up.

US Mint Silver Product Schedule

Shown below is the complete US Mint Schedule as it currently stands. Silver product items are in bold.

 

The US Mint points out that its schedule "list will be updated as products are added and/or on-sale dates change" so refer to the website at http://catalog.usmint.gov/ for the most recent updates.