Abraham Lincoln Presidential Dollar

Today, the 2010 Presidential Dollar Proof Set that I ordered from the US Mint arrived, providing the first view of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Dollar in hand.

I don't typically order the separate Presidential Dollar Proof Set. I usually wait for the full annual proof set to be released, which provides a better value. However, this year I decided to order the set to get an earlier look at the Lincoln Presidential Dollar. I think that many people had the same idea.

As mentioned in the Coin Update weekly sales report, the 2010 Presidential Dollar Proof Set sold 224,426 units in the debut sales period from February 11 to February 14, 2010. This is almost triple the number of 2009 Presidential Dollar Proof Sets that were sold during the opening sales period. Last year's set sold 82,168 units in the period from February 10 to February 16, 2009.

Many people called 2009 "the year of Lincoln", but there will be plenty of Lincoln related coins and products available this year as well.

The next product should be the 2010 Lincoln Cent Two Roll Set, expected to be released during the month of March. The 2010 Presidential Dollar Uncirculated Set will follow in April. This set will contain the satin finish versions of the 2010-P and 2010-D Lincoln Presidential Dollar.

The full annual clad Proof Set, Silver Proof Set, and Uncirculated Mint Sets will be released during the July/August/September period. These sets will debut the 2010-S Proof Lincoln Cent and 2010-P and 2010-D satin finish Lincoln Cents, along with the proof and satin finish versions of the Lincoln Dollar, previously released in the component Presidential Dollar Sets.

The release of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Dollar for circulation is currently scheduled for November 18, 2010. On this date, the US Mint would begin sales of 25-coin rolls of the circulation strike versions of the coins. I also anticipate that the Mint will host a launch ceremony around this date, with a coin exchange available following.

In the month of December, the Mary Todd Lincoln First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal will be released. Other Lincoln products to be released in December will include the 2010 First Spouse Four Medal Set, containing the Mary Todd Lincoln Medal, and the Abraham Lincoln Dollar Coin Cover. Lastly, the Lincoln Presidential Dollar and First Spouse Medal Set is also expected around this time, although the product doesn't currently appear on the schedule.

It will be interesting to see how the US Mint treats the release of some individual Lincoln products. For example, the Presidential Dollar First Day Coin Covers have recently had production limits of 40,000, which would be an easy sell out. Will the Mint raise production for the Lincoln release or perhaps impose a low household limit?
On a final and related note, another coin featuring Abraham Lincoln arrived in my mail box today. It is a 75 pesetas coin issued by Equatorial Guinea in 1970 with a portrait of Lincoln. My Standard Catalog of World Coins says that the coin contains .4818 oz silver and had a mintage of 4,390. The portrait bears a strong similarity to the 2010 Lincoln Presidential Dollar. Both appear to be based on the same photograph that can be found here.