Unopened Proof sets?

[CoinCurious]

I am hooked on purchasing Unopened Proof sets. Im not sure why I like it so much. I just put in a bid on Ebay for a beautiful USmint package containing 5 1974 proof sets and another bid for 1961, 1962, 1963 & 1964 unopened proof sets.

I have probably purchased over 30 unopened proof sets off of Ebay so far. All of them have been 1959-1963 I love that Silver Franklin. I open every one as if I were a kid opening a Christmas present. So far I havent found any wonderful cameo coins and have only sent one Franklin in to NGC (graded PF 66). I have spent between $10-$15 on each proof set. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about purchasing Unopened Proof sets off of Ebay?

[Dwaine]

I am the same way, hoping to find some gems with toning but no luck. Sometimes I wonder if some of the older ones have been searched through and then resealed in some manner.

[ziggy29]

My only thought is...don't overpay and don't get your hopes up. In general, "sealed" packages of old sets is a racket, especially on eBay. Many have been picked through and the "junk" resealed in envelopes.

 

I'd personally be surprised if 10% of the "sealed" old sets really were sealed and never opened and inspected. (That refers to decades-old sets primarily, not current Mint offerings, most of which are still sealed when offered.)

[Lem]

Yes I also did, just to see what I would get. Bought sealed proof sets 56, 59, and two 62's and the final outcome, I probably spent more than they are actually worth. I haven't bought any since, but it sure felt like christmas to me, sometimes I think the feeling was worth the price!.

[bsshog40]

I agree with Ziggy. I really don't believe in the ole "Unopened" solicitation term myself. I bout a 64' opened set and found an accented hair kennedy in it. I think if someone thinks there is the chance for something really valuable in a certain set, it will be opened, checked and then re-sealed. The only times you will get something rare is if the seller is unaware of certain varieties. IMO

[WoodenJefferson]

New envelopes for $1.49

 

What is bad, most have been previously searched or looked at and then resealed in a replacement envelope and put up for auction as un-opened. By doing so, the truth is stretched a wee bit, because the envelope the proof set now resides in, has been and is still in an "un-opened" condition.

 

Ah-ha

 

A little research can go a long way.

[djdilliodon]

I buy them all the time and yes it is super addictive! I have found many high grade coins and cameo and possible ultra cameo coins. My last one was 5 washington quarters which to me all look ultra cameo. I sent them to NGC and im just waiting now. Honestly ive tried to pick through them without removing them from the plastics and it is very hard. You really cant tell what the coin is like till you remove them from that plastic. I only buy them in big lots and only pay redbook value or less. If it goes higher i pass on them. I also only buy the ones that are silver this way if the set isnt good i can also sell them for melt and at least get something back. Here is a pic of the 5 1961 washingtons i pulled from the last 18 sets i bought. One coin is a normal proof the rest you can see the difference

 

 

[MorganMan]

So, you gonna bid on that "unopened" 1955 proof set hoping for a cameo?

 

May wanna look here first....

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/1955-U-S-Proof-Set-Envelope-NO-COINS_W0QQitemZ110155871324QQihZ001QQcategoryZ41111QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

MM

[Dcoin]

I asked a similar question a couple of months ago and the general consensus is that there is no definitive way of telling which are truly unopened. I asked a dealer friend and he said that some ‘artists’ are able to take out individual coins and reseal the plastic.

 

All that said, I also share your addiction!

 

[djdilliodon]

Im sure some or maybe even most are resealed but as long as you dont pay a premium for them and its fun why not. I never expect to find anything good, though imo i have but if you buy them soley thinking your gonna get that magical franklin half your mostly likely wasting your time.

[bsshog40]

I would agree, if you don't over-pay, they are worth a shot. I wouldn't pay high dollars for hopes tho'.

[djdilliodon]

I got my 24 1961 sets i ordered today! Ill make a post with the results shortly.

[CoinCurious]

I was told once that you can tell that a coin is cameo before you ever remove it from the plastic. I havent been able to see that for myself being I have never gotten a cameo coin. I still remember how shocked I was the first time I removed a proof franklin from the plastic. I had no idea that the plastic could hide how nice the coin actually was. Which is why I love opening the sets so much first you get to open the envelope. And then you get to free the coins from that plastic. Ahhhh I love it. With that being said, if anyone has a pic of a cameo coin in the plastic and then out of the plastic I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT!!!!! And although those proof sets my not be truly Unopened at $10-$15 I cant imagine I will ever stop its just to much fun. But this comes from someone who went to the bank today and got $20 worth of lincoln cents just to look through. Everytime I find one 1968 and older i get tickled.

[bsshog40]

Hey CC, you going to the bank and getting excited over lincolns reminded me of going to dairy queen (hamburger stand for those not in Texas), got 4 pennies back with my change, 2 were wheaties, 1954 and 1944.

[ibyandsellsmith]

I'm a sucker for unopened rolls, you just never know if there telling the truth.

[CoinCurious]

A gentlemen at a grocery store, stopped me as I was heading out the other day to let me know that he recieved a V nickel that morning. In 2007? I was tempted to quit my job and apply as a cashier.

 

 

Hmm, guess If i do I will apply to Dairy Queen as well.

[djdilliodon]

I got 24 1961 proof sets today that are suppose to be unopened. I just got done looking them over. On the quarters you can kind of tell if it will be a cameo + or not through the plastics but it is very difficult on the franklins. Well after looking through them all, i got a total of 9 frosty franklins and even more on the quarters! 1 nickel is also frosty but none on the dimes or pennies. I have yet to hit a cameo + penny All the frosty cameo franklins are good enough to send in for grading and about 3 id say have a big shot at ultra cameo! The quarters i wont send since ive gotten those before so ill just sell those off raw. Out of all the 1961 proof sets ive bought this was by far the best lot ive seen. Normally none of the halves come out frosty at all. If you just buy one set at a time chances are you wont get a cameo + coin. When i did that i never got one. When i started buying them in lots of 9 sets or more is when i started hitting some cameo + coins. Either way though it is 100% pure fun and i cant wait for the next batch . Next i think is the 1950's sets

[bsshog40]

Good finds. If you go down to the 50's , those may be a bit higher priced than the 61's were. Good luck!

[djdilliodon]

depending on the year alot more . Also alot harder to get anything frosty

[CoinCurious]

Im still hoping someone has a cameo pic, still in the plastic. PLLLZZZZZ

[Revenant]

I was told once that you can tell that a coin is cameo before you ever remove it from the plastic. I havent been able to see that for myself being I have never gotten a cameo coin. I still remember how shocked I was the first time I removed a proof franklin from the plastic. I had no idea that the plastic could hide how nice the coin actually was. Which is why I love opening the sets so much first you get to open the envelope. And then you get to free the coins from that plastic. Ahhhh I love it. With that being said, if anyone has a pic of a cameo coin in the plastic and then out of the plastic I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT!!!!! And although those proof sets my not be truly Unopened at $10-$15 I cant imagine I will ever stop its just to much fun. But this comes from someone who went to the bank today and got $20 worth of lincoln cents just to look through. Everytime I find one 1968 and older i get tickled.

 

I have you beat there. Sometimes during vacations, I'll go down to the bank get a $25 box of pennies and go through them, take out anything from the 60's and older and then go back to the bank and get another box. I've done this with over 40,000 pennies. Things I've found out: There is at least 1-5 Wheat cents in every box of 2500, even in Texas there's usually at least 1 Canadian cents in every box (I've found one from 1950 and several from the 60s), and you'll usually find a pre-1940 cent or two in every other box, usually.

 

Once this summer, I found an old looking handwrapped roll that had "47" written next to the "50c" on the roll. It only had 47 cents in it... 47 wheat cents. I'll be telling that story for years.

[djdilliodon]

Im still hoping someone has a cameo pic, still in the plastic. PLLLZZZZZ

 

I dont have any pics in the plastics but i can take a pic of one that came out of the plastics from the sets i got today

[CoinCurious]

Im still hoping someone has a cameo pic, still in the plastic. PLLLZZZZZ

 

I dont have any pics in the plastics but i can take a pic of one that came out of the plastics from the sets i got today

 

 

If you still have the plastic can u slip it back in and take a pic too?

[djdilliodon]

sure will do give me a couple minutes. Ill do normal pics first. here is just one random of the 9 i selected. All look at least this good or better. Im not the best pic taker

 

 

[djdilliodon]

Now same coin in plastic. I cant tell with the halves but you can kind of tell when you look at the quarters. In the plastic they almost look like MS coins!

 

 

[CoinCurious]

Wow thats amazing. I cant tell that the coin in the plastic is cameo at all. ty so much for the pic.

[djdilliodon]

No problem. Now if i can only find 24 1959 sets and pull 9 halves like the ones in the 1961 sets .

[CoinCurious]

I hope everyone that purchases these proof sets sees the photos you have taken.

I am still amazed. I have 10 more sets still in the plastic but due to your photos I dont think they will survive the day. I knew the coins always looked better after removing them from the plastic ( I repeat myself alot, I cant help it, ). But I didnt realize a cameo coin could be hid in there so well. Again thx for the photo. But all you did was make my unopened proof set addiction even worse.

[djdilliodon]

When you find a cameo + coin youll see your addiction really get worse . Just in 1961 sets ive had 50 of them already! I think for that year i got as good as im going to. I have to take a short break from buying them cause i have alot of coins being graded but once i get them back ill be on the hunt again!

[MorganMan]

Seeing those photos, I have a question. I noticed the franklin has some dust particles on it, especially on the obverse. The question is, what do you do to remove this, and how do you store the proofs until grading? It seems that dust in a vinyl flip would be a disaster....

 

MM