Coins - 1991 Mint Set

On a blue rag-paper design, the 1991 mint set shows the obverse images of the ten coins and the two mint tokens on the front of the envelope from the Denver and Philadelphia mints. The colorful blue envelope, appearing to have scraps of cloth woven into its design, holds the uncirculated coins and tokens in their protective pliofilm sleeves. Each sleeve holds a mint token and a set of uncirculated coins including the Kennedy half dollar, Washington quarter, Roosevelt dime, Jefferson nickel and Lincoln penny in the 1991 annual mint set.

On the bottom of the 1991 mint set, images of the mint tokens and the five coins organized by size line up across the envelope with the Philadelphia coins in front and the Denver coins behind. Centered at the top, the mint set is identified by "The United States Mint 1991 Uncirculated Coin Set" over the Treasury Department's black and white seal. Below the seal in smaller letters is the added information, "With D And P Mint Marks."   

1991 Mint Set Package

On the back of the envelope, the colorful rag design shows on the paper without any  additional identifying marks or text.

Inside the 1991 mint set package, the contents included the uncirculated coins and mint tokens in two pliofilm sleeves, an insert providing information about the set and a reorder form on a separate blue and white card.

1991 Mint Set Uncirculated Coins

Five uncirculated coins and one mint token are included in each of the pliofilm sleeves. The left, red-edged pliofilm sleeve holds the coins minted in Denver and the "D" mint token. On the right, the dark blue-edged pliofilm holds the five coins from the Philadelphia mint with their corresponding "P" mint token.

In the red-edged pliofilm, the obverse of the mint's "D" token for Denver shows "Uncirculated" and "Denver" around the rim with "D" in the middle. 

In the Philadelphia pliofilm, the mint's "P" token for uncirculated coins shows "Uncirculated" and "Philadelphia" with "P" in the middle.

The pliofilm sleeves each contain six separately sealed compartments that keep the coins and mint tokens protected from scratches. Though sealed, the individual compartments allow the coins to move freely.  

Turning the pliofilm sleeves over, the reverse images on the coins and tokens can be viewed through the clear protective film.

Both of the identifying tokens have the same reverse image which includes the US Mint seal.

1991 Mint Set Insert and Certificate of Authenticity

Both colorful and simple, the front of the insert in the 1991 mint set shows a hand on the lower right carefully holding a 1991 "P" nickel by the edge between thumb and forefinger. In the upper left, the insert is titled, "The 1991 U.S. Mint Uncirculated Coin Set" on the blue rag-design background.

Inside the insert in the 1991 mint set, the message was shorter and simpler though no less important than earlier years. The US Mint also re-used the coin pictures from the front of the mint set's envelope. The commentary in the insert alerts the collector that the US Mint is the "Nation's official Mint" and provides a brief introduction to the uncirculated coins in the mint set.

The back of the folded insert shows the "Specifications — 1991 U.S. Mint Uncirculated Coin Set" which includes the artists, the size, the metals and the weight of the five uncirculated coins in the mint set. 

The blue and white reorder form on a separate card included in the mint set made it easy for collectors or gift recipients to order more mint sets. (Note: this card is no longer valid, but it helps cushion the coins in the envelope.)

The opposite side of the card advises how to complete the order form and where to send the form and the payment for the mint sets. 

Larger images of the 1991 mint set insert show the contents of the insert and the coin specifications with more detail.

1991 Mint Set Coins and Metals

The coins of the 1991 Mint Set contained the following metals:

Penny: copper-plated zinc, 2.5% copper; 97.5% zinc
Nickel: 25% nickel; 75% copper
Dime: 91.67% copper; 8.33% nickel
Quarter: 91.67% copper; 8.33% nickel
Half Dollar: 91.67% copper; 8.33% nickel

Click on Mint Set Population to view the contents of the sets through the years. Take a look at the overall Mint Set page to see how the mint set values compare among the sets across the years.

1991 Mint Set Year - News about Coins and the US Mint

(note: the below links to newspapers open in a new window)

Coins  
The New York Times - Apr 14, 1991
Sometimes the US Mints strikes coins for reasons other than coinage circulation. In 1945 and 1947, The US Mint produced gold coins for the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco) for their payment of oil royalties to the Saudi Government. Earlier, Aramco had paid with American currency, but the Saudi Government insisted the company change their payment into gold. 91,120 large gold disks were minted showing an eagle image.

Mint Condition
The Harper Herald - Apr 30, 1991
The Mint began in 1792 as "Ye Olde Mint" which Congress changed in 1873 to "Bureau of the Mint." Then in 1984, the name changed to "U.S. Mint." Initially, the mint was housed in an old whiskey distillery in Philadelphia. Though other locations existed through the years, today's U.S. Mint has locations in Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, West Point and Fort Knox.

Coalition urges trying another dollar coin 
Sun Journal - Jun 25, 1991
Even though half of the 857 million Susan B. Anthony dollars remain in the US Mint and Federal Reserve Bank vaults, Congressmen want to introduce another dollar coin, golden in color and slightly larger than the quarter, into circulation. This time, the proposed legislation includes the stipulation that the paper dollar will be removed from circulation within six months after the dollar coin goes into circulation.

World Cup financing poses problem 
Herald-Journal - Jul 20, 1991
Soccer enthusiasts won the international battle for the US to host the 1994 World Cup games. Now the issue is how to pay for all of the associated costs. Soccer supporters testified in front of Congress asking for the Mint to produce and sell commemorative coins with a portion of the proceeds applied to help pay the $200-$250 million cost of running the games.

West Point's mint is rich in coins 
Hudson Valley Morning News - Jul 21, 1991
The West Point, NY mint produces gold and silver coins, however the location also stores more than 58 million fine troy ounces of gold and more than 7.6 billion fine troy ounces of silver. West Point became a mint by an act of Congress signed on March 31, 1988. The West Point facility mints the American Eagle series of coins and many of the commemorative coins produced by the US Mint.

Eva Bertrand Adams, 80, Chief Of U.S. Mint for Most of 1960's 
The New York Times - Aug 27, 1991
The daughter of a gold miner, a teacher, a Senator's principal aide and the Director of the Mint for eight years died at 80 years of age of natural causes.

Artist picked for commemorative Columbus medal 
The News - Dec 1, 1991
Elizabeth Jones, former chief engraver of the US Mint, has been chosen to design the medals for the United States Christopher Columbus Commemorative program. Her designs, the first since leaving the mint in 1990, will be based on "500 years of discovery." The medals will be struck and made available by the American Founders Mint by August 1992 in seven different sizes and in a variety of metals.

US Mint defends deals with a firm linked to fugitive 
Reading Eagle - Dec 5, 1991
Officials of the US Mint testified in front of a House subcommittee defending their purchase of $25 million in copper, zinc and nickel from a company that may be indirectly owned by a fugitive commodities trader. The mint's chief counsel wrote to the Justice Department asking for guidance about the company. When the mint did not receive a response, the went ahead with the low bidder purchase. The mint's legal counsel noted that in an evidentiary hearing, hearsay and newspaper articles will not suffice.

The 1991 Mint Set Year included news of a new dollar coin different from the unaccepted Susan B. Anthony dollar coin design.