US Coins

Mint to issue 2020-W Jefferson 5-cent coins as annual set premiums

By Paul Gilkes , Coin World

Published: Jan 10, 2020, 11 AM

Three 2019-W Lincoln cents were issued as premiums with three of the year's annual sets. In 2020, three 2020-W Jefferson 5-cent coins will be issued in the same manner.

Original images courtesy of United States Mint.

Three 2020 annual sets sold by the U.S. Mint — the Proof set, Silver Proof set and Uncirculated Coin set — will be accompanied by a 2020-W Jefferson 5-cent coin with one of three different finishes.

The offering of premium coins continues a program first introduced in 1996 with the 1996-W Roosevelt dime offered with that year’s Uncirculated Coin set, and the 2019-W Lincoln cents accompanying three of the 2019 annual sets.

U.S. Mint customers who order the 10-coin 2020-S Proof set that goes on sale Feb. 27 will also receive in the shipment a Proof 2020-W Jefferson 5-cent coin. The release of the 2020-S Proof set will coincide with the Feb. 27 to 29 American Numismatic Association National Money Show in Atlanta. The Mint will offer the sets at its booth at the show.

Each 2020-S Silver Proof set ordered will be accompanied by a Reverse Proof 2020-W Jefferson 5-cent coin, and each 2020 Uncirculated Coin set ordered will be accompanied by a 2020-W Jefferson 5-cent coin with the same finish as the regular coins in the set.

The Mint has not yet announced specific release dates for the Silver Proof set or 20-coin Uncirculated Coin set.

According to U.S. Mint officials, steps are being taken with its order fulfillment contractor in Memphis, Tennessee, PFS Web, to ensure that bonus coins are packaged properly to guard against damage in transit. Many of the Proof, Reverse Proof and Uncirculated 2019-W Lincoln cents shipped as bonuses with the 2019 annual sets were received damaged because of improper packaging.

Damage to the bonus coins resulted in many Mint customers returning the damaged coins at the Mint’s expense. Customers had to return the entire coin set plus the damaged coin to get their new bonus cent and a new set.

Mint officials announced Jan. 9 that the Mint plans to release specific numismatic products at shows the Mint attends, where it has a booth. At the Jan. 9 to 12 Florida United Numismatists convention in Orlando, the Mint launched sales for the Proof 2020-W American Eagle silver dollar.

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