1983 no s dime proof set...Should I slab it?

[akent]

I was going through my old proof sets the other day and found of all things a 1983 proof set that has no S on the dime!

 

Should I keep it as a set, or have the set slabbed, or just the dime slabbed?

 

I was thinking I would perhaps sell this and invest in other things, since this is apparently valuable...

 

Thanks!

Kent

[cladking]

Unless the dime is quite choice it will usually bring its best price in the set. If you want to keep the coin then it depends primarily on how you want to display it. There are advantages to having it certified.

 

These are quite tough. Congratulations.

[Buffalo_Pete]

By all means slab it - the whole set.

 

It will only add to the value, and make it easier fot you to "unload" it.

 

Way to go!!!!!!!!!

[akent]

Well, this is no fun...

When I found this set, I just pulled it from the shoe boxes that I have had them in since they came from the mint. I was shocked to find this!

 

I just pulled the set out and took a closer look, and these coins have a bluish haze on them. Different lighting makes it stand out. The dime and quarter are the only obverse coins affected. They all have it on the reverse.

 

Unfortunately, my camera is bad for coin pictures, but I hope you can get an idea of what I am talking about...

 

What should I do? Is there a way to clean these up before slabbing? A pro somewhere? Or is that a big no-no? I have heard that cleaning is a bad thing..

 

This is really sad...

Here's a picture of the whole set obverse. You can see the quarter haze best, but you can also make out the dime haze...

Kent

[akent]

Here's a pic of the dime...I know it's hard to tell...

The spot in the middle of the haze is actually a spot without the haze...Note in this picture, the lower left around the 'in God we trust' haze is not noticeable...It depends on the viewing angle.

[akent]

Another view. In this one, you can really see the blue haze on the left...

[akent]

Here's the reverse of the set.. Here you can really see the blue haze on the half, dime and penny. The nickle and quarter also have some...

[akent]

Here's the reverse of the dime...

 

What say you masters of the coin world?

Thanks!

Kent

 

BTW: How do you post pictures into the post and not attachments?

[gmarguli]

Send the entire set to NCS with instructions to conserve the dime only (the other coins aren't worth much). Ask them to transfer the coin to NGC for grading after the conservation.

[IGWT]

Send the entire set to NCS with instructions to conserve the dime only (the other coins aren't worth much). Ask them to transfer the coin to NGC for grading after the conservation.

 

Ditto.

[akent]

Thank you Gmarguli and IGWT for the advice! I don't yet know what it takes to utilize the NCS service. I will look into that...

===

Does anyone know what causes this bizarre coin behaviour in the first place?

Kent

[Oldtrader3]

Are you a member of the NGC Collector's Society or the ANA? If so, you can download a NCS submission form on this site and submit directly. Click on NCS at the bottom of the main page and follow instructions.

[gmarguli]

There are no NCS forms online. He will need to call NCS and request one if he is a member.

[James_OldeTowne]

You may find this to be more valuable in the original set. Be careful whatever you decide to do!!

 

James

[akent]

I am not yet a member of the collector's club, but will be very soon.

===

James, why would you think that the set might be more valuable as is? To my obviously untrained eye, this set is fugly! I can't imagine anyone valueing it as is.

===

So, since the dime is the only thing apparently worth anything in this set, I plan on having NCS take a look as soon as I can, and make an assessment. I'm sure the blue stuff is minor, as it is not even visible at some angles with the naked eye and low lighting. At other angles and lighting, it's serious.

It also really bugs me!

I may have the whole set 'conserved' if I decide to keep it. My daughter really likes the idea of a rare set that we bought from the mint!

===

Just a note...I have been collecting coins for almost 50 years. Yep, I'm getting a little towards the old side.

I have proof and mint sets dating from when I was 5, in 1958. I went through all my folks change every day as a kid, and found some good stuff back then, including a 1909-S cent, a 1914-D, lots of dimes and quarters, etc.

My 13yo daughter has recently gotten the bug (I know, but I also have 3 grandkids!), and so we have been going through mountains of old coins that I have kept over the years! We have partially filled several albums, and she is really into it now! How fun! It sure brings back memories! My older daughters never got into it...

 

The problem is that my daughter is also now into paper. Ugh..

Kent

[michael]

Send the entire set to NCS with instructions to conserve the dime only (the other coins aren't worth much). Ask them to transfer the coin to NGC for grading after the conservation.

 

 

 

[Bruceswar]

what a great story... now to finish off the sets! Thats where the joy of coin collecting comes into play. And to top if off you have someone to share it with! I will also make 1 suggestion, you said you put them into Albums, well hopefully they are the ones where you can see both sides of the coin! It makes for a great display. Whitman and Dansco make good albums, but I am sure you already know this. But nice to hear a story such as yours.... makes you just like this great hobby even more.

[James_OldeTowne]

((( why would you think that the set might be more valuable as is? To my obviously untrained eye, this set is fugly! I can't imagine anyone valueing it as is. )))

 

There is a small, but growing segment of the market of collectors who demand coins as close to original as possible. In many cases, this include "in the original packaging". As an example, I get siginficantly more money for GSA dollars when they come with the original packaging, certificates, etc. Same for proof sets. Most folks like this, who will pay the extra for originality, can see past original toning, even if it is ugly. If you want to squeeze every possible dollar of value out of this set, it behooves you to at least try and sell it as-is - not to mention the savings in certification fees, etc.

 

James

[EZ_E]

If it were me, I'd just get the dime conserved and slabbed. Just keep in mind that if the toning was severe enough, the surface of the coin will not be flawless as from the mint. Instead, the surface metal will have been corroded and will not be as reflective as the rest of the proof fields. Thereby, severely lowering the grade. I had NCS conserve some coins nearly a year ago and they have not "turned". I feel that they excel in the conservation and preservation of proofs.

 

Eventhough there is merit in maintaining the original packaging, obviously, it is not ideal for storage. I have some proof sets which have done the same. The mint really needs to work on their packaging methods. The proof sets in the pre 1964 era are notorious for failing to preserve the coins. The same basically goes for post 1968 sets as well. The environment in which they are stored is the most vital factor in preserving your investment.

 

Boardsters, how have the new NGC slabs faired in preserving their contained coins?

[cladking]

((( why would you think that the set might be more valuable as is? To my obviously untrained eye, this set is fugly! I can't imagine anyone valueing it as is. )))

 

There is a small, but growing segment of the market of collectors who demand coins as close to original as possible. In many cases, this include "in the original packaging". As an example, I get siginficantly more money for GSA dollars when they come with the original packaging, certificates, etc. Same for proof sets. Most folks like this, who will pay the extra for originality, can see past original toning, even if it is ugly. If you want to squeeze every possible dollar of value out of this set, it behooves you to at least try and sell it as-is - not to mention the savings in certification fees, etc.

 

James

 

Exactly. You will get more for the set intact unless the dime is in the top twenty or thirty percent. The bid price is a reflection of the average quality of the bottom 3/4 of the dimes so selling it intact will probably get the best price.

 

The blue haze is very common on the proofs of this era so this alone may not have much impact on price.

[James_OldeTowne]

It is true that many proof coins develop haze from the mint packaging - but many many more do not develop haze, and I don't recall ever cutting out a proof coin that was permanently damaged from mint packaging, except in the case of milk spots. There is no solution for milk spots, but at least once they're there, they don't grow. I have recently cut out some proof coins from the early 1950s that are totally untoned and unhazed.

 

Also, it must be noted that whether anyone admits it or not, coins do haze in slabs. Plastic by its very nature is unstable, and will sooner or later leach something onto any metal it encloses.

 

It's a judgement call. I'm just suggesting that certification is not always the instant end-all solution!

 

James

[akent]

Thanks everyone for your comments! I really do appreciate it!

 

Since this set is already 22 years old, I would assume that the haze would not get any worse. It's probably been this way for a very long time.

 

Given that, I talked to my daughter, and we decided to keep the set as is for now.

She REALLY does not want to sell it!

===

What is also very interesting is that my brother and I bought sets back in 1983 on the same day, but two different orders. Mine has no S and his has the S!

 

Kent