2017-02-15 Wed

The first U.S. commemorative released after the 1950s is the 1982 George Washington half-dollar. Due to 28-year long gap, a lot needed to be done for marketing these coins.

A lot of paper orders for Proof and Mint sets were to be attended. Over two years, the processes improved with telephone ordering and the better management of human packaging and shipping processes, as additional commemorative programs were introduced.

U.S. Mint entered the bullion coin market in 1986 with the production of gold and silver American Eagles. After entering the Domestic market, international markets were explored as well. Budgets were not approved on a timely basis also they were not adequate. Many competitor federal mints became self-governing, government-owned corporations in the late 1980s and some were even privatized. The Mint had to work with the changing market conditions and adopt more businesslike operation. Some suggested that it should be privatised and become market responsive.

In 1991, reforms were introduced in operations with a revolving Numismatic Enterprise Fund to help raise required funds without fiscal year limitation.