Why is the 2004 U.S. Mint Set so much more expensive than other years?

Answer 1

The mint stopped selling them, at an early date in 2004.They just announced that they would take no more orders one day, without advance notice. So there are fewer of them. There are still lots out there and people are being greedy as always. The price has come down some. It may even drop more, if people stop buying them for a while. The proof set of 2004 has come down also. It is the supply and demand thing and greed factor. I condemn no one for making a fair profit, most dealers are this type, but if they have to buy high, they have to sell high. So basically it is the speculators and investors who hurt the hobby. They keep the younger people out of it, for it is too expensive.

Answer 2

The US postal service made so many more stamps. Greed may be a motivator. Most commemorative stamps find their way into the collections of philatelists, and are not used in the mail stream. So if a LOT of commems are produced, the PO gets a LOT of profit from us collectors. That is why I only collect used stamps. I choose not to give my dollars to a govt operation. If collectors changed their collecting habits and chose to stick to used US stamps, we would see a reduction in the quantity of new issues. Maybe!