Mintages and Issue Limits

One of the main factors that influences how collectable a coin is, is how many were made in the first place. This is what is known as a coin’s Mintage, or in the case of commemorative coins, its Maximum Coin Mintage. The smaller the mintage, the more collectable that coin is, which is what makes limited edition issues so highly coveted.

You may also come across terms such as Issue Limit, or Limited-Edition Presentation. Issue Limit is the same as Mintage; the maximum number of that coin that were made, or issued. Limited Edition Presentation (LEP) refers to the number of that coin presented in a particular format, for example across different sets or packaging types.

For instance, a coin could have a mintage of 1,000 and be sold either individually or in different sets. So you might be able to buy that single coin in a case, with an LEP of 700; the same coin packaged with a limited-edition stamp set with an LEP of 200; and a three-coin set where it is grouped with two other similar coins, with an LEP of 100. In this example the 1,000 Mintage or Issue Limit of that coin is available across three separate Limited-Edition Presentations.