U.S. Mint's 1975 Proof and Mint Sets Dubbed 'The Lost Year' Due to Bicentennial Coin Inclusion
The 1975 Proof and Mint Sets from the U.S. Mint are uniquely referred to as 'The Lost Year' because they are the only sets in their series to feature two different dates within each set. This unusual situation arose because no Eisenhower Dollars, Kennedy Half Dollars, or Washington Quarters were dated 1975. Instead, the coins included in these sets were the 1776-1976 Bicentennial issues. The creation of these special dual-sided Bicentennial coins took precedence over the regular 1975 mintage year, necessitating their early inclusion in the annual Proof and Mint Sets. Each set includes a San Francisco-struck 1975 Proof Set with a Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, and 1976-dated Washington Quarter, Kennedy Half Dollar, and Eisenhower Dollar, alongside a matching U.S. Mint Set containing the same coins in regular strikes from the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. Each duo contains 18 coins in their original government packaging.
