Well I know that many collectors will say that the packaging on old proof sets are safe. And many say that you should keep them in the packaging. Well the other day I was looking at a 1964 Proof set in its packaging and noticed something. Sorry for the blurry pictures but I'm trying to focus on the spots. You can clearly see something growing on the Nickel. And on the Dime there seems to be PVC damage. I'm going to dip these in acetone and see if they come off.
Storage, storage, storage........ I've got originally packaged proof sets going back to 1954 and they all look great. How's that happen? It's all in the way you store your sets. Mine have resided in a metal file cabinet in a low humidity environment for many years now and look as nice as the day I set them in that enclosure.
i have to agree with green on this one. the original mint packaging is not completely airtite just like the coin slabs arent. and they are just as suceptable to problems as any other coin you have
Original Mint Packaging doesn't mean a whole lot and folks really need to understand this. Having the original packaging for the set which was given to the King of Siam is one thing, having a 1964 Proof set in the original mint packaging is something completely different. Even original box sets from the 50's are susceptible to damaging the coins if stroed improperly. Any type of moisture will rust out the staple allowing the coin packages to float freely and ultimately damage the coins. For the OP's coins, dip em in E-Z-Est and forget the acetone. Once they're made right, put em in a Dansco or in 2x2's. Im not seeing any DCAM's here so they're pretty much considered common coins. Not trying to dismiss your concerns but both pieces are easily replaceable for just a couple of bucks. And thats the Truth.
1971 P Roosevelt dime in mint cello bought on ebay shows dull blemishes just above "In God we trust" and on the hair above the ears which could be clearly seen through the PVC. On removing the coin it looked even worse. Maybe it's caused by the PVC being in contact with the coin under pressure. Possibly the coin has been stacked with a weight of coins above it. I'd say that just because a coin is sealed in mint packaging doesn't mean that it's not damaged. Incidentally, I don't return bad coins to American sellers because the cost of air-mail postage is a lot more than I would get back in a refund. I just have a zero tolerance policy and add the seller to my black list regardless of past history with the seller. As far as I'm concerned the seller has either wrongly described the coin or has failed to check it before despatch and it's been done once so will be done again!
So what is it then? Most descriptions say "packaging" while wikipedia says "soft plastic". Since the packaging is referred to as "cello" maybe it's cellophane which makes sense I suppose. But it looks like PVC to me. But whatever, what is clear in the case of my 1971 P Roosevelt dime is that the plastic packaging most likely at some point stuck to the coin and then later the coin was freed and that's what the marks are.
I'd like to know, too! But from what I understand, toning can begin from the moment the coin is struck, so you can't always blame it on packaging. Milk spots are another example. In another thread, THE mod recommended trying MS70 and didn't mention ez-est, for my particular proof set problems. Also said acetone wouldn't touch it.
the easy way to tell if plastic contains pvc is to smell it. if it smells like a shower curtain it has pvc. mint and proof sets do not contain pvc as far as i know. the soft packs are made of the same thing our mylar flips have in them cody
You are not wrong. There has never been any US Mint packaging that contained any PVC. The older Mint and Proof sets were packaged in pliofilm.
I think this is the most likely cause. The thin plastic doesn't take mechanical abuse well. It doesn't tear or slip wide open, but when the rims of coins on top of each other ( in the film) are pressed together, microscopic holes can appear and allow exchange of gases.Sometimes in storage, there may be some folding or crimping of the edges that can lead to defects. Stored in a sealed container or safe near PVC products could lead to problems.
I got the set mainly for the Kennedy Half which is toned. It was never my intention to cut open the package, But when I noticed the green stuff I cut the soft pack open.
My shower curtains are made of polyester but I take your point. btw required sniffing might be album pages for coin holders / flips and the binder
