The US Mint announced on Monday (10th November) that it is undertaking a review of its product portfolio to decipher which numismatic offerings to focus on in the coming year.

In a move designed to offer the most popular items to collectors, 550 individual coin and medal products - including those made in platinum - were evaluated and only around 200 will remain for 2009.

Among the buyers' favourite products are the annual US Mint Proof Sets, which are now set to be available earlier in the calendar year in 2010 as the Mint has less to manufacture.

Mint Director Ed Moy said: "We are responding to the collector community which has spoken loudly and clearly.

"Customers have told us there are just too many products. We agree, and it's time the United States Mint trims down and concentrates on the products our customers love most."

All fractional denominations, the four-coin set and the one ounce coin from the Mint's American Platinum Eagle Uncirculated Coins collection will be discontinued.

In addition, the fractional American Platinum Eagle Proof half-ounce, quarter-ounce and tenth-ounce coins, plus the four-coin set, will no longer be manufactured.



Source:

United States Mint Embarks on Major Update of Its Numismatic Product Portfolio (10/11/08)
http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=press_release&ID=955

U.S. Mint Makes Drastic Cuts to Its Collector Gold & Platinum Coin Offerings (11/11/08)
http://seekingalpha.com/article/105329-u-s-mint-makes-drastic-cuts-to-its-collector-gold-platinum-coin-offerings