Product Details

(1) pack per order. Special Mint Sets (SMS) were produced by the U.S. Mint from 1965 to 1967 in place of standard proof sets to alleviate a nationwide coin shortage. These 5-coin sets, minted in San Francisco with a unique satin-like finish, feature the cent, nickel, dime, quarter, and half-dollar, usually packaged in plastic. Purpose: Created to provide high-quality coins for collectors while normal proof production was suspended, as a shortage was blamed on speculators. Finish: These coins have a distinct satin or "special" finish—brighter than circulation coins but lacking the full mirrored surface of true proofs. Mint Marks: Unlike regular coins, 1965–1967 SMS coins generally do not have mint marks. Mintage: The 1965 set had a mintage of roughly 2.36 million. Composition: These sets included the first copper-nickel clad quarters and dimes, and Kennedy half-dollars, which contained only 40% silver.