So, this entry is going to lack the length and the narrative of many of my more recent posts and just be little, “Look what I got.” But… I snagged a 1980 Zimbabwean proof set, in the original Royal Mint Packaging.

Mike had asked me a few months back if I’d considered getting into proof coins as I was getting the first round of grades back and ramping up my purchases of raw mint state coins.

I’d initially just shrugged and said “Nah,” because I was focusing on the mint state / circulation strike examples, which seemed more appropriate for a hyperinflation themed set, and because I assumed the proof coins would be hard to find.

They’re not.

If you're interested in the 1980 sets anyway, they're quite easy to come by. Several sellers have had them listed on eBay for a while in the range of $40-45. Which isn’t terrible honestly, but also it felt a bit steep.

This set popped up and looked in good shape and after shipping it was only going to be $22 if no one bid against me on it - it was an auction and not a BIN like the $40-45 listings. But no one bid against me, so I brought it home for $22, which is a price I’m very happy with. $20 is good for a zero-guilt impulse purchase that doesn’t have to live up to anything or become anything.

I’m a little undecided on if this is going to stay in the original packaging or if I might send it in for grading one day to expand the work I’m doing in the Zimbabwean Registry - to have a proof set to go with the mint state type set. If I do break it out to submit, I may try to get another set to keep in the mint packaging. I'm also thinking I'd be tempted to get a 2nd set and submit two complete sets on different - but closely numbered - invoices and so I could cobble together the best set of the two and have them all numbered -001 to -006, like what I did with my Traveler's Cheque submission(s) on the PMG side. I like the look / feel of having the cert numbers go from -001 to -006 in a set. Although I suppose there could be a "Two, Four, Six, Eight..." joke in there...  So... Yeah. Maybe I need 3?  I'm not a hoarder though. I don't buy more for the sake of more.  Stop looking at me in that tone of voice.  

One thing that does give me pause on turning this into a registry project for now is that NGC has only one type of Zimbabwean proof set that includes the 1997 proof coins (only 2 years they made proof sets) and the S$10 NCLT coins from 1996.

I haven’t been able to find any 1997 proof sets - I would very much like to - and I don’t really want to get into those Silver NCLT coins, which people like to demand frankly silly prices for in most instances.

I’d probably be more inclined to submit a set for grading and making a registry set if I could have a complete set with just the 1980 proof set.  I’d probably be more inclined to submit if I could get a 1997 proof set or 3.

The current approach / category feels too cobbled together and the set feels like it’s trying to include too much and do too much - and too much of what it’s trying to do is stuff I can’t do!

I’m in no rush there though. For now, I saw something I wanted that fits with my current collecting interests at an attractive price and a got it. I'm also giving some thought to branching into Pre-1980, Rhodesian coins. But, unlike Zimbabwean coins, the older Rhodesian coins can get rather... expensive.