Should I keep mint and proof sets in mint packaging?

[melmcbee]

I have some mint and proof sets in the cellophane and envelopes and the proof sets in the cellophane and purple boxes. I also have some Prestige sets in the velvet cases and box. These range in date from the 60's through the 90's. I have heard differing opinions about how they are more valuable in the mint's original packaging but some believe you should put them in different holders. What is everyone's opinion? If you think they should be put in other holders would you please tell me what kind are the best. I really would appreciate any suggestions that anyone has. Thanks in advance.

[cpm9ball]

Hi, Mel!

 

Keeping them in their original packaging or re-holdering them is more a matter of personal preference than anything. You must weigh the pros and cons as they would apply to your collecting objectives.

 

Some people may feel that keeping them in the original packaging is better because they have a 5-cent card (COA), a 10-cent cardboard box or a $2 velvet case that goes with a coin or set. Are they worth more because of this? That's debatable. If you look at some of the individual values, you might find instances where the value of a single coin is 10x or 20x the value of the set.

 

If one of your collections was Kennedy halves and a particular Mint Set had just the coin you've been trying to find....What should you do? Personally, I don't care for the flimsy protection the cellophane offers, anyway. For me, it would be a no-brainer.

 

Should you crack your Proof Sets and have them graded and slabbed? I really like the Multi-Coin Holders that NGC is offering, now. They're perfect for Mint Sets, Proof Sets, etc. But, that's just my opinioin. What about warranty? The Mint offers you a full money-back guarantee for 30 days (In your case, it expired long before you ever obtained the sets.) while NGC offers a lifetime warranty. Which would you prefer?

 

If it seems like I'm asking you more questions and giving you fewer answers, it's because every collector has their own set of variables. Are you collecting for personal enjoyment? Is it a business? Or, both? The important thing is that you must establish your own, unique set of goals, determine your needs to accomplish those goals, and set the best course to fulfill those needs.

 

I have just two more things for you to keep in mind, Mel..........................

 

First, you've heard this said over and over again on these boards................ the coin.......not the plastic!

 

Second..................... HAVE FUN!

 

Chris

[kryptonitecomics]

I keep them in the original packaging myself.....but if the packaging is starting to degrade or you see the signs of PVC on a coin then I would remove them.

 

Most of my sets are from the 60's so it's a tough call but as previously stated it depends on what your goal is.....if you plan to keep the coins in your collection then for preservation sake it is probably a good idea to remove them from the original packaging. If you are looking to hold the sets for an upswing in the market and then sell....well then original is best.

[cladking]

These sets were made in the millions and will be around for hundreds of years. There is simply no compelling reason to keep them intact unless this is the way you desire to collect them. The wholesale value of most sets is lower than the total wholesale value of the coins in that set so there's an immediate monetary profit for breaking them up. The late date sets do carry a premium so these are best left intact unless you desire to display the coins in some other way. The premiums on late date sets can be substantial.

 

There are lots of good reasons to bust these sets and the best is that they do not offer ideal protection for the coins. In fact they will destroy some coins like the 1968 cents. All Philly issues still in the plastic appear to be totally ruined or have small carbon spots now. There are many others that are not far behind.

[EZ_E]

Melanie,

 

Hello there my little rookie, coin-collecting buddy!

 

Everyone of the above posts have merit. Personally I feel that if you are collecting proof or mint sets then they should remain in the original packaging unless the coins are going bad. Oh, BTW, that is an idea for a new reality TV show: When Good Coins Go Bad!

 

I did have a complete run of proof sets from 1955 to date but I found that I did not like the eye-appeal of the 1955-1964 sets so I sold them. I now house my collection of 1968 to date proof sets in Eagle albums.

 

Eagle Albums for Proof and Mint Sets

 

I find that this is ideal for me and provides a nice presentation of one's collection.

 

If most people have the attitude that it is OK to break the sets then can you imagine how scarce the sets may become in the original packaging? So, unless you are looking to make a profit, form a set of an individual coin series, make proof rolls or to protect the coins themselves then I would leave them alone.

 

Chris mentioned the option of the NGC multi-coin holders. Yea, that sounds good but are you willing to pay $100-$150 to encapsulate a $6 proof set? I can understand hand selecting PQ coins from the '50's and early '60's and doing this but not on the 1968 to present sets. The 1999 silver proof set is now the most expensive set of the modern era but I still don't justify the cost for a multi-coin holder for this set.

 

Anyway, just my not so humble opinion...

[cpm9ball]

I'm glad you qualified your statements, Victor, because I've never known you to be humble on these boards!

 

C H R I S

 

Sit on him, Caleb!

[Hoot]

Like cladking, I've found that most coins, especially from the pre-1992 sets, have the tendency to get spotty or hazy with time. The plastics they used and the plasticizers added to their cellophane very often have had detrimental effect upon the coins. I'd rather get them out of those older holders if I think the coins are nice. Keep a close eye on all of your sets. Stored in the right conditions, they may last in good shape for years, but it's unlikely. You should learn how to dip hazy or spotty coins and learn the cautions in doing so.

 

Intercept Shield makes nice 2x2 plastic holders, Coin World makes nice do-it-yourself slabs, and Capital Plastics makes some very nice multi-coin holders. And there's always albums to stuff.

 

Hoot

[EZ_E]

Mel, check out this thread.

[melmcbee]

Thanks to everyone so very much. As always I can find a wealth of valuable information here. Chris, when I originally bought the sets, especially the Prestige sets, I wanted to collect them for myself. I don't ever see myself selling any coin that I have purchased. I love them all. I am getting concerned for the haziness that some seem to have. However, now my collecting taste have changed and I prefer older coins. But I don't want these coins to become damaged due to my ignorance. Hoot, I think I will research some threads here on dipping so if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. Victor, I have always believed like you that the original mint packaging is what made these coins special. Shane, I am not sure if any of these coins have any pvc damage but I am getting concerned so if you know any threads or sites that I should visit to learn more about it please let me know. Clad King, I am getting these sets together to store in a safe deposit box so now I am wondering if I should go ahead and switch their holders before hand.

Anyway thanks again.... ya'll are really the best.

[cladking]

It's a tough call. I keep the best several of every date in a safety deposit box and watch them like a hawk. Unfortunately they can go very quickly. It broke my heart when the nicest ten '69-D's turned suddenly about three years ago. Every single clad coin just got ugly (destroyed). Most of the cents and nickels survived and a few of the silver halfs.

 

'68, '69, '75, '78 and '84 sets are some of the most fragile. In proof sets there's not as much variation but '84 stands out a little.

[EZ_E]

I remember as a kid in 1975, I got the proof set and the cent already had a carbon spot on the obverse.

 

Was the plastic less inert at that time, has the composition changed over the years or what???

 

The modern proof sets are much easier to open now and are not ultasonically sealed. So, it would appear to me that the modern sets should turn much quicker since the atmosphere could react much easier with the coins.

 

So, anyway, what gives?

[cladking]

I remember as a kid in 1975, I got the proof set and the cent already had a carbon spot on the obverse.

 

Was the plastic less inert at that time, has the composition changed over the years or what???

 

The modern proof sets are much easier to open now and are not ultasonically sealed. So, it would appear to me that the modern sets should turn much quicker since the atmosphere could react much easier with the coins.

 

So, anyway, what gives?

 

It probably has more to do with planchet and coin handling than with the packaging itself. The earlier mint set packaging was four layers with a soft inside layer on both sides of the coin but I believe all the '85 and later sets are two layers. The inserts for the proof sets has varied over the years more than any other part of the packaging and the older ones may prove to be a problem. More recent dates are plastic and probably inert but in the long term these, too, may break down.

[Oldtrader3]

As was mentioned in a different post, the pre-1965 sets were packaged in Cellophane and cardboard. Cellophane (Cellulose Acetate) is great material for clarity but it allows too much gas exchange. Many of the silver coins toned a dull lusterless grey or mottled color that detracts from their sales appeal. Many of these coins also developed some haze on their surfaces. If they were my sets, I would put them in a more inert holder.