Four new collectible coins debut today from the United States Mint with their trademarked 2022 American Innovation $1 Coin Reverse Proof Set™ available at noon ET.
Priced at $28, all four dollars appear together in one protective lens and honor American innovation and ingenuity from the states of Rhode Island, Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Each features the unique reverse proof finish noted for its frosted backgrounds and brilliant, mirror-like relief elements — the opposite of standard proof coins.
The four coins of the set are for 2022 only and celebrate:
- 2022 Rhode Island Innovation $1 Coin – Nathanael Herreshoff’s Reliance Yacht
- 2022 Vermont Innovation $1 Coin – Snowboarding
- 2022 Kentucky Innovation $1 Coin – Bluegrass music
- 2022 Tennessee Innovation $1 Coin– Rural electrification by the Tennessee Valley Authority
Designs emblematic of the above listed themes are found on coin reverses (tails side). A likeness of the Statue of Liberty is shared across the coins’ obverses (heads side).
Rolls and bags of individual uncirculated Innovation dollars were released in intervals throughout the year. In addition, the standard proof set of 2022 dollars launched in August.
This regular proof set is still available for $24. It has sales nearing 67,500.
Ordering and Limits
The 2022 American Innovation Reverse Proof Set may be ordered beginning at Noon ET via the Mint’s online store for Innovation products.
This set has a mintage of 50,000, like last year’s set which eventually sold out at pricing of $28.
About American Innovation $1 Coins
The set’s four 2022 dollars are fifth year issues in the U.S. Mint’s innovation series. Each honors American ingenuity and trailblazing efforts with one theme chosen from each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories.
A single coin was released in the program in 2018 with a reverse design inscribed with AMERICAN INNOVATORS and George Washington’s signature (who signed the first U.S. Patent). That coin was followed at a rate of four per year honoring innovation in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Georgia in 2019; Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland and South Carolina in 2020; and New Hampshire, Virginia, New York and North Carolina in 2021.
The program is scheduled to conclude in 2032 at which time fifty-seven coins will have been issued — the introductory 2018 coin, 50 state coins, the D.C. coin and the five U.S. territory coins.
so at the moment, the Mint indicates 16,851 sets are available. A few weeks ago the figure under subscription was only a couple of 1000. So suddenly the number dramatically increased? I’m guessing the figure that used to show under subscription now represents 75% of the total sets to be issued (or some such figure). Back a month ago the 2023 Morgan dollars listed as available suddenly dropped by around 25% overnight. I find it hard to believe they sold that many in one day, so I think they adjusted the numbers to reflect the amount available under subscription rather… Read more »
Tom, it is not unusual for the number of available units of any particular Mint product to appear to be flexible at best and cryptic at worst; it can be confusing.
Maybe the Mint is on to us checking the amounts available and has adjusted accordingly. Just an opinion.
I hadn’t even considered that, Antonio, but as we know from our years of experience with the Mint that is certainly not out of the realm of possibility.
More “junk” from the US MINT, Keep Running FORREST>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I’m not sure it’s altogether fair and just to call the American Innovation coin series junk, sam “I am” tweedy, but with ten more years of releases of these golden ducats to go and some of us collectors here already well into our seventies, actuarially speaking this might not be the best of sets to count on completing.
Since these aren’t circulating coins, unlike the initial Presidential and Native American dollars, and they aren’t bullion coins, is there really a reasonable market for them? Just my opinion. The reason why I never got into collecting them. Perhaps junk is too strong a word, maybe something else would be a better description. I remember when Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Dollars were referred to by some people as “Carter quarters”.
They could be 4 corner paper weights. What is a Carter? My first president was a puppet in a Phil Collins MTV video.
President James “Jimmy” Earl Carter. These coins (SBA) were minted while he was president. When Ronald Reagan became president, they were discontinued and only available in mint and proof sets for the final year of their issue (1981).
The first president of my lifetime was Harry S. Truman, while the first chief executive I was actually aware was Dwight D. Eisenhower.
I’m right behind you. My first president was Ike.
I liked Ike.
I was trying to be generous by focusing on the unescapable limits of human life expectancy rather than the possible pointlessness of the whole American Innovation Coin Series. I most certainly do see your point, Antonio, that these ducats may just be functioning as a sort of better-than-nothing but still entirely gratuitous “filler” for the Mint.
Agree Antonio, if these were circulating coins an interest and following would follow.
The Susan B. Anthony dollars at least had the hoped-for practical purpose of supplanting the fragile paper dollar bill; these American Innovation dollars can’t lay claim to even that level of efficacy.
For decades the US Government has been trying to figure out an acceptable way to extend the life of the paper bills. Coins were a novel way for a fix but the consumer just wasn’t interested. Other countries are including plastic in their paper currency to extend paper currencies service time and durability. Wondering when the US will try this? And will the US consumer accept it?
Canada and Mexico have discontinued issuing paper currency and use a polymer material.
Someday someone at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing will look around and notice the whole world leaving paper money behind.
And UK & EU I believe too Antonio. Poland & Russia use / testing polymer coins as well.
Might as well just make coin chips for use on the subway casino.
If for some reason one kicks the proverbial bucket before finishing all 10 years, does it really matter? Whatever comes after our journey to border patrol to speak to homeland security agent by the name of Saint Peter begins will not change a thing. You can’t take your coins with you and you can’t have the remaining subscription forwarded to heaven or He77. Also, what did st Pete do to be outside the gate with no time off ever. (I never read or heard about him being relieved of duty, and it’d suck to be the guy that did get… Read more »
You have an unrivareled sense of humor and wit. I am very jealous. Sir Kaiser, it seems you have a worthy competitor.
Sorry for the misspelled unrivaled……………………..
As Henry Ford II was known to say, “Never complain, never explain.”
As you may have noticed, Coinman, there have been instances where both Antonio and Dazed and Coinfused have run circles around me by way of superior levity. As they say, every dog has his day. Woof woof.
I may not have a dog in this fight.
Which serves to put a dent in the contention that it’s a dog’s world.
Possibly a dog eat dog world? Or to put it another way, how’s the rat race? The rats are winning.
Regarding the position of the rat population versus that of the human race, Antonio, from personal experience I might contend that the rodents don’t always come out on top. The same chemical, warfarin, that is used for their extermination in rat poisons was one of the essential ingredients employed to save my life by way of thinning my blood enough to be able to flow past my then 95% blocked coronary artery when I had my 1995 heart attack. As is so often the case, one man’s floor is another man’s (rat’s?) ceiling.
Sometimes, Dazed and Coinfused, what one says and what one really means are not actually running on the same track. I think the limited time argument was a good way for me to justify (to myself, first and foremost) dropping the continuation of the American Innovation collection, and it worked!
Besides, if you really want the set, you can currently buy on ebay for $42 plus shipping instead of the Mint’s $28 and free shipping if you subscribe. or but them individual for about $16 a piece, which is close to $64 for the whole set. go and figure. I like the on that was $42 and change now reduced to $40 as a special.
If I am unsuccessful, Tom, in getting a particular item from the Mint, the story of that acquisition ends then and there. Case closed.
Agree. I did purchase my home state coin – Maryland. Guess it’s popular b/c of the space-minded folks and that NASA’s main facility is in Maryland.
Will be my only purchase unless there’s some stellar design; sailboat or snowboarder aren’t that attractive. Keep up the good work States on designating what makes you innovative 😉
The Hubble Telescope, Chris Terp, impacted astronomy in a way I had never seen before in my well over sixty years as a dedicated armchair space traveler.
Kentucky & Tennessee should gone to fisticuffs to produce an innovative bourbon coin 😉
And here all along I thought Kentucky invented college basketball.
Well it all started with whiskey.
Exactly. Like Napa Valley and Sonoma for California wine.
This set is inaccurate. I don’t see on any of the inventions a made in China tag
This reminisces back to the time when things bought in the U.S. were made in U.S.A.
Makes me think of the post-WWII years when Japanese products sold in the United States were all thought of as junk because they were made mostly of scrap (“recycled” wasn’t a concept yet then) metal. How times have changed!
I remember when Made in Japan meant cheap junk.
Exactly. Now people swear by those reliable Japanese automobiles.
I like my Infinity.
And I adore my Yaris.
I purchased the “First” of these when they were first released. None after. I must admit that I am surprised that there are only 9,400 remaining. Good show.
Christopher Williams,
One of the things that always intrigues me about the reception that assorted Mint fare receives is that while some folks might rather vociferously declare an item to be a total waste of time and money there are always others who look at that identical product believing it to be the greatest thing to come along since the invention of sliced bread.
Agreed. I would probably subscribe to a mint fare whereas on one side it says in God we trust, and on the other side it says… but elections, eh not so much. Have maybe the Cumberland gap on one side and Stacy Abrams on the other, or have a great lakes as a 5 coin series, with Kerri lake and rikki lake (I can’t think of any other lake, we’ll the land o lakes Indian woman, but I think she’s already under a non compete clause for the indian ballet coin, perhaps Justin Timberlake but seems a bridge too far,… Read more »
I loved the fact, Dazed and Coinfused, that you somehow managed to work Operation Market Garden into your already highly imaginative and extremely amusing exposition on two-faced lake coins. Incidentally, there also happens to have been a Veronica Lake, and of course, Lake Wobegon.
My opinion in the case of the Playboy centerfold coins? It wouldn’t merely be the ducats themselves experiencing extensive polishing, if you get my drift.
Wouldn’t the 1916 and 1917 (Type I) Standing Liberty Quarters qualify for that one?
For those who perceive the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue to be the absolute pinnacle of erotica, then yes.
I’m not familiar with that but then I live in southern California, not far from the beach, so seeing women in swimsuits in a magazine vs seeing them at the beach doesn’t interest me much.
Living amidst that bountiful vision of Americana must require a very sturdy wheelbarrow to keep your tongue from dragging on the ground.
Same here. One and done.
Succinct, REB, and understandable.
I like the series. I do not like the 4 coin package. I prefer the single coin package with the informational tidbits. It was going to look good as a library Now the collection looks weird and cheap . 4 coin slabs look cheap and all educational use is out the window.
Shep III,
That happens to be one of the principal reasons for my discontinuing the further collecting of the American Innovation dollar series. The original single coin Reverse Proof presentation/packaging was both extremely attractive and extraordinarily informative, while the revised annual four-pack offers neither of those superlatives.
Kaiser,
I would be happy to pay the 12 per coin for some display value. The new packaging goes against everything this set was to represent. A snowboard or video game package would have been cool . This is just another boring annual proof set now . The collection looks incomplete and stupid now . Time to box it up and display something new .
It seems, Shep III, that your spot on point regarding the contrasting attributes of these competing presentations hearkens back to the old tried and true saying that “you get what you pay for.”
Isn’t the packaging similar to the packaging for uncirculated coins?
I don’t think, Antonio, that either the point of contention or the basis of comparison here is the packing and or presentation of the American Innovation Reverse Proofs versus that of any other of the multiple coin encapsulations such as the Mint’s Annual Proof and Silver Proof Sets, for example, but rather the American Innovation Reverse Proofs as compared to the manner in which those coins themselves had been packaged in their previous format, which is to say only one coin per (illustrated and descriptive) display case in a holder.
They need a series of coins with the drink each state is famous/known for. I believe those would sell well for the Mint. It could be the U.S. Mint julep series. 🙂
“U.S. Mint julep.” Absolutely priceless and brilliant, Antonio!