Possibly my best Mint Set pick ever - NT PICS!

[xJack]

First off, I love buying and picking Proof and Mint Sets. It's too much fun - there are so many fresh sets out there that no one even looks at.

 

Normally I look for and pull many, many, many Type 2 SBA's. However, I recently picked a 1971 no-S Nickel. A couple weeks ago a 52 Proof Superbird flew out of a set that I acquired.

 

Anyway, I don't want to brag, I just wanted to share a lovely coin that more or less got me started on picking Mint sets in addition to the normal Proof stuff.

 

Here's a coin I plucked from a 1958 Mint Set, I fell in love with it as soon as I saw the set - NGC liked it too! MS-66 FBL* Star

 

I've had it awhile, but just found it after moving and took a couple of quick shots.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

[bsshog40]

Very nice Frankie jack! (thumbs u

[rrantique]

Nice Franklin Jack and a great shot as well.

[jesbroken]

Nice Frankie, Jack. You might want to use some Flitz metal polish on those hairline scratches on your holder. I've used it on my cell phone screen, headlight covers(along with Mothers). Works like a charm on plastic. Great hobby.

[SkyMan]

Very nice looking '58-D! Congratulations!!! Classic colors for the year/mm.

[123cents]

Very nice Franklin.

[Dwaine]

Very nice. Did you pull that from an unopened mint set?

[xJack]

Very nice. Did you pull that from an unopened mint set?

 

No - it was in a group of a half-dozen 1950's mint sets in a coin shop rotator case.

 

I looked them all over and then asked how much for all of them.

 

His response... "Whatever Greysheet Bid is right now".

 

I made out pretty well on the rest of them, I think I holdered two or three of each denomination. All the slabs were sold awhile ago, the unworthy coins filed into BU rolls. I kept this coin for obvious reasons.

 

I've never had good luck with unopened sets, so I tend to check out sets that are "laying" around. The quality is all across the board, but it's fun and a peach comes through once in awhile!

[MikeInFL]

Gorgeous! Reminds me of a certain mint-set quarter I saw somewhere...Mike

[JRocco]

Nice coin (thumbs u

 

Now this one is the REAL DEAL and the clues are all over the coin.

 

Beautiful

[harvey8542]

Wow great coin xJack nice find.

[dleonard-3]

I'm new to this "toned" coin stuff and I have a little question about this particular coin. I like the colors, but what is all that black in the obverse field on either side of Franklins head? Cabon? Corrosion?

[CarolinaCollector]

Love that Frankie! Nice find.

[xJack]

It is hard black toning. (carbon spots as they're generally called)

 

They're not as obvious in person, the camera tends to accent them a little more.

 

They aren't jet black like most spots - they're more of a dark brown.

 

I personally don't think they detact, but I'm a bit biased.

[Lem]

Not to repeat what everyone else has said but, very, very nice Franklin you got there xJack!

[rbrown4]

I totally agree with the others, a very nice Frankie indeed. Great find.

 

Rey

[cladking]

The no-S nickel is really remarkable.

 

I love the mint and proof sets as well. What many people don't understand is that large percentages of these still haven't been looked at at all. Even those which have been scoured by multiple collectors will often contain varieties that weren't recognized by the previous searchers. If they don't hav a lot of experience they can miss important gems as well just becaue they haven't noticed how tough they are in nice shape. You might think a nice MS-65 '79-D cent is a common coin and pass right by but it's not. You'll be lucky to find one in 200 mint sets.

 

The reason these sets are usually not picked over is that what you see on the market is much more like a river than a lake. These aren't sets that have pooled and been fished extensively, these sets flow from the original purchaser to the big wholesalers who cut them up. This means the available supply is forever renewing itself.

 

Another thing that people don't seem to understand with these sets is that they are virtually the ENTIRE supply of many of the moderns. There has been a steady flow from purchasers for a very long time but it can't last forever. Already we're starting to see some of the earlier date mint sets like the '69 not in sufficient supply for the retail mint set buyers. When you consider how very few retail buyers there are it shows that the river is turning into a trickle. When it's dried up there is no more supply. That not only means no more ga ga grades but no more MS-60's either.

[xJack]

Cladking you make an excellent point.

 

Proof and Mint sets aren't like the thousands of BU Morgan Rolls out there. Most dealers and all of the supply houses have no interest in them other than to turn them for the 3%-5%-10% profit. I don't blame them, it gets monotonous processing the same "widgets" day in and day out.

 

That leaves the fun to those who still take the time to pick up a $7 Proof set and carry it home to their reference materials, only to find a gem once in awhile.

 

It's certainly not the Comstock Lode, but as I learn what to look for, it gets a lot easier to find quality in someone elses junk. I find that lately I have to spend less time on the ladder to get a peach or two in my basket. As for the no-S nickel, a nice gentleman from Europe bought it from me on eBay (NGC 68CAM) and enabled me to fill a type set slot I really wanted to fill.

 

Thanks for the compliments on my coin everyone - It fills the Franklin slot nicely!