kwn68 wrote:Hey thanks for the help guys.. one more thing.. any reason to keep S mints seperate?
I keep all the Memorial S mints as they were only made 68-74 with a S mint mark (lower mintages hard to find) after that if you find one it a proof. Cents have been made for general circulation in San Francisco in other years but by law no mint marks were used on US coins from 65-67 and after 74 they were minted in San Francisco with out a mint mark for general circulation.
From--
http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/collectors_corner/index.cfm?action=mint_marksThe "S" Mint mark was used on San Francisco coins until 1955, when production there was suspended. Operations were resumed in 1965, but on a limited basis. A supplemental coinage of cents for circulation was produced from 1968 through 1974; nickels were struck in 1968, 1969 and 1970. All bore the letter "S," as did a coinage of dimes in 1975. Cents were manufactured at San Francisco for general circulation, as well as the West Point Bullion Depository, under auxiliary authority of the Congress in the early 1980's. However, in order to assure maximum circulation of this small production, no mint marks were used.
And--
The coinage Act of 1965 prohibited the use of mint marks for a period of five years. This, together with the date freeze, eliminated distinguishing features on our coins which could tend to cause their removal from circulation during a critical period when the Mint was striving to build up coin inventories. No mint marks appear on coins dated 1965, 1966 and 1967. Congressional authorization permitted resumption of the practice in 1968, at which time the mint marks, usually positioned on the reverse of the coins prior to 1968, were permanently relocated to the obverse side.
My thoughts on the coin act of 1965
removal from circulation during a critical period when the Mint was striving to build up coin inventories
As you know is 1965 is when clad coins came out and they knew the silver coin would be pulled and with no mint mark less clad coins would be pulled by coin collectors.