Last year the United States Mint decided to do something they had not done before. With the monotonous tendency of the annual coin sets that are released each year, they decided to shake things up when it came to the 2019 Clad Proof Set, 2019 Silver Proof Set, and the 2019 Uncirculated (Mint) Coin Set.
What did they do exactly? Well, they added a coin. It is as simple as that really. What was considered to be a bonus coin to show appreciation for their customers, the Mint decided that an extra 2019 Lincoln Cent was necessary for each set. Sounds pretty mundane, right? Well, they also added a “W” mintmark on the obverse representing West Point and released them in three special finishes in conjunction with each set’s release.
First up was the 10-Coin Clad Proof set as it contained a Proof version of the 2019-W Lincoln Cent and was the unofficial 11th coin in the annual set. The 10-Coin Silver Proof Set contained a Reverse Proof version of the 2019-W penny while the 20-Coin Mint set contained an Uncirculated version. The three special edition Lincoln cents were well received throughout the year and may have contributed to the Mint’s furthered plans of the idea for 2020 and beyond.
With the 2020 Clad Proof set up first on the Mint’s production schedule in late February, they now plan on following the same pattern as 2019 except they will feature the Jefferson Nickel. Release dates for both the Silver Proof Set and Uncirculated Coin Set have not been released, but the Clad Proof Set will contain an “extra” Jefferson Nickel in a Proof condition.
While last year’s bonus pennies received their fair share of praise, there were also concerns over how they were packaged. As they arrived in the United States Mint clear plastic wrap, the coins had issues of being slightly damaged. This caused returns for the Mint and an additional loss. They have plans in place to combat that particular issue in 2020 as steps have been taken to prevent future damage for the three special edition Jefferson nickels.