Proof Sets of 1979 and 1981

Based On Examination Of Many Coins And Speculation On Procedures Followed By The United States Mint

There was only one mintmark master hub use in minting the 1979 and 1981 proof sets.  Has the US Mint stated otherwise? NO.  The only true source of data is in the coins themselves.  Many 1979 working dies were pressed from a faulty hub producing embarrassing MM globs. As these dies were replaced a cleaner MM appeared.  Many sets contain both clear and gobbed mintmarks.  Nothing can be determined from a MM that is globbed.  But those that are clear or filled show about the same attributes as the "type 1" and "type 2" proof coins of 1981.  These mintmarks indicate nothing but different degrees of perfection in hub and die manufacture.  The 1979 proof set should have only a "clear s" or "filled s" designation.  Most coin encyclopedias and price guides agree with this.

The 1980 proof sets were minted with an entirely different MM and the year ended well.

But 1981 must have been a busy year for the US Mint.  The Lincoln Cent, the most famous and most minted coin in world history, was undergoing a change.  The conversion was from bronze to copper plated zink and would not be completed until late in 1982.

In view of this Mint officials, in order to save time, decided to use the same master hub from 1979.  The 1981 year thus began with a MM very similar to 1979.  As worn dies were replaced with dies of lesser quality it was 1979 all over again and all due to faulty hubs and working dies.  Complaints about ugly mintmarks and shoddy production methods must have been embarrassing as in 1979.  Those receiving early sets with clean mintmarks may have lucked out with the prize sets of the whole year.  These are the sets often falsely touted as "type 2".  The early sets of the year were designated "clear s" and those following as "filled s".

To fix the problem, unlike 1979, it was decided to produce new hubs and working dies under improved quality control.  Now, in the final quarter of the year, a "brand new" MM appeared.  The new MM dies were first used on the cent, nickel, dime and finally the $1 SBA at the very end of the year.  This explains why some sets may have one or more coins with different mintmarks.  Keen eyed dealers and collectors spotted the new MM at once.  Someone designated these coins as "type 2" and the earlier coins of the year as "type 1".

This truly beautifull MM appearing in the latter half 1981 was the same MM intended for the current year and the 1979 proof set two years before.  Faulty hub and die manufacture, as in 1979, had produced what seemed like a mix of different mintmarks. The 1981 year ended with coins designated as clear s, filled s, type 1 and type 2.  From this came the confusion manifesting itself in todays buy and sell overreach.

A 1981 "type 2" proof set is defined as having all six coins with the "type 2" mintmark.  The number of sets left on the coin market is extremely small if present at all.  How many sets have been torn down to extract the $1 SBA?  How many have been lost or destroyed in other ways?  How many are held by mint set collectors?  How many are held by speculators?  No one can answer these questions including the big question - how many ever existed in the first place?

Those who once considered this as trivia have now joined with cherry picking speculators who see the ever growing price swing between the two types.  The 1981 "type 1" set with a clear or filled mintmark is worth about 10 bucks - original sale price was $11.00 (over 4 million sets were sold this year - second highest mintage in history behind 1976).  The genuine "type 2" set with box and coa is now priced at over $400.00 and continues to rise.  A set grading PR69DCAM will go for $600.00 or more.  PCGS has graded about 200 of these and about 25 as PR70DCAM (Trends - $1800.00).  These coins were cobbled together from many sets.

For years collectors have been paying premium prices for 1981 "type 1" coins or sets believing they were "type 2".  The "clear s" pitch is the big deceiver while "type 2" is headlined at the same time.  Any mention of a "clear s" mintmark is meaningless when referring to a "type 2" coin or set.  It is risky enough to buy or bid on an individual "type 2" coin especially the $1 SBA.  But doing the same on a set described as type 2 clear s (with box and coa) can be a bigger mistake at several hundred bucks.  Buyers and sellers who recognize the distinct differences in the two 1981 mintmarks are not hoodwinked.  The differences are easy to spot (see adjoining sketches and photos).  A 20 power hand held magnifier or table microscope set on 40 power is needed - 10 power or less is worthless.

Nothing can be determined from the "clear s" designation alone.  Any 1981 MM seen globbed or filled is a "type 1" - forget it.  Has anyone ever seen a filled "type 2"? probably not.  Minor anomalies exist.  The "type 2" may have a very slight horizontal flat on the bottom serif but never as obvious as the "type 1".  Some are found with a die break at the serif and joining the loop.  Weaker strikes on both types have resulted in a very thin clear mintmark growing thinner at the top loop.  .

In every case the configuration of the MM is all that matters.

Major Attributes Of Both 1981 Mintmarks

Type 1

#1--Bottom serif ending flat or nearly so, angled about 35 degrees and usually seen with sharp corners--top serif very similar to "type 2"

#2-- Relief outline ill defined,  rising to a more or less sharp ridge or ridges and branching off on bottom serif.

#3-- Field clear or filled inside loops and often showing a sand blast finish.

Type 2   

#1-- Both serifs identical,  gracefully rounded and noticeably swollen.

#2-- Relief sharply outlined, neatly formed and without ridges of  "type 1".

#3-- Field always clear inside loops and on the same level as background field.

R.D. Van Laningham

Indianapolis, Indiana

8-20-1987

      O, what a tangled web we weave,

when first we practice to deceive.

Sir Walter Scott