1988-S 1c-50c Proof Set, 5 Coins PR

Original Packaging: A two­-­piece, transparent plastic casing with frosted borders held a purple fiberboard insert containing holes for the coins. This was slipped into a purple cardboard box upon which the words “United States Mint Proof Set • 1988” were printed in silver script.

Commentary: After the excitement of the 1987 limited edition half dollars, the sales of Proof sets settled down a bit in 1988.

As the 1980s progressed, the Mint accelerated its program of reducing the relief of circulating coins. Of course, these changes are evident in the Proofs, too, since the same master hubs produced dies for both issues. The half dollar, in particular, is noticeably different from 1987 to 1988. The changes made to its obverse are fairly subtle, but its reverse is in distinctly lower relief.

Unrelated to this change is a doubled­-­die obverse variety for the 1988­-­S Proof half dollar. Very slight, its doubling affects the word trust.

As with all Proof coins of the 1980s, the 1988 Proofs were made with deeply frosted legends and devices. While some of this frostiness may have eroded a bit as the dies wore, accounting for the simply “cameo” listings found among the certified population, lightly frosted coins were now the exception.

Source: Whitman