Unopened box of Proof Sets

The difference in value between 1979 Mint and Proof sets is so small, I'd just keep them and forget about it. If the OP benefits from finding a variety on the Mint sets, so be it; if they had been Proof sets and the OP found the scarce "S" variety, he wouldn't send them back, now would he?

My guess would be that the Seller saw the San Francisco return address and assumed they were Proof sets (I might have done the same thing), since Mint sets do not include San Francisco coins (for 1979 and other years). The entire difference in valuation is about $10, isn't it? Next pizza, OP, get a medium instead of an extra large, problem solved. Then send the Seller a polite note explaining, so he doesn't make the same mistake again...

 

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The seller could have made an honest mistake by looking at the San Francisco address on the box and assumed they were proofs. But there is this thing about truth in advertising. So they have a measure of responsibility to represent the item correctly. In this case the sellers item description included the word "Proofs" but the picture he used was of a box that the mint uses to ship uncirculated coins.

The flip side of the coin (no pun intended), some buyers could take advantage of the sellers ignorance and open the box knowing only uncirculated coins could have been inside and then file a claim against the seller.

Of course both parties have a responsibility to know what they're selling and what they're buying (caveat emptor). But because we can't read minds and hearts, I think the fair thing to do would be to say that both parties made an honest mistake and perhaps the seller could refund a portion of the price.

 

Bottom quote. I totally agree that you should not comb through the item. Either you take it or return it. I don't believe in first trying to profit off the mistake.

Top part. I guess you will have to agree to disagree with both myself, and the rest of America including the judicial codes.

Personally I believe either you get what you were promised or not. Next time you buy a washing machine I hope you already know all the specs so that you are not to blame for someone else's mistake or fraud.

 

And if I list a coin that's in a PCGS MS64 Slab yet swear that, IMO, the coin is an MS65?

What then?

The buyer should NOT search the coins and then return with an SNAD but should instead, inform the seller of what was in the box and ask the seller how s/he would like to handle the situation.

I LIKE TO LEARN and I would never, ever make a seller "pay" for my learning experience as there are as many dumb sellers out there as there are dumb buyers.

This CONSTANT double standard which flows from coin forums on how best to rip off the other guy really get under my skin as if that hadn't already been figured out.

If someone is going to take a gamble then they need to ACCEPT their losses along with their wins.

 

I would appreciate if you avoided name calling in your posts.

In any case, the item purchased was not what was advertised. If the seller claims they are selling something, they are obligated to sell such an item. It is not up to the buyer to determine if they are telling the truth, that is why we have regulations in place. Otherwise, I'd start selling empty boxes and claiming they're full of gold. If you do not know what you are selling, you should not sell it with a claim that it is something you haven't verified.

 

Wait... where did he name-call? What? Am I missing something?

 

The post was removed, and I deleted the name calling portion when I replied to it. Words including hypocrites and thieves were used.

 

It depends on how the coin is sold. If you list it as a pcgs ms 64, then the coin needs to be in a pcgs 64 holder. It should also be the exact same coin from the pictures used to sell the coin unless the seller notes this on their listing.

If you say IMO it is a 65 well everyone is entitled to their opinion and as long as the coin says pcgs 64 it doesn't matter.

We don't have to agree. We can agree to disagree. We live in America and are able to discuss and debate. We don't have to praise Kim Jong un and pledge our loyalty.

But just remember while you hold fast to your beliefs which is good, that the vast number of American citizens disagree with you to the point that laws are in place to stop people from acting as you believe acceptable.

 

Perhaps I should have been a tad clearer in my statement.

1. Send them back as "SNAD", or......

2. Keep them and check for the near date SBA.

Take it easy on your meds!

Chris

 

Here it is in all its glory!

Note that the "references" were to "coin forums" not any specific individual/people.

"Mob Mentality" where folks do not think for themselves yet rely upon the "mob" can and often are hypocritical.

 

A note to the seller informing him/her of what was received is always the first step in problem resolution.

But then, the OP never said there was a problem. The question was asked if anybody else had ever had that happen to them. Nobody really responded to that question but instead flew off into the file a SNAD claim but only after insuring that there aren't any great or presumed great rarities within the sets.

To me, that is taking advantage of a situation and the general feeling on coin forums is that folks should not "take advantage" of anybody. Be they buyers or sellers.

And that's all I'm gonna say.

 

Agreed wholeheartedly.

 

Depending on the what the OP paid for this, I'd probably keep the Mint Sets versus sending it all back as SNAD.

1979 proof sets are very common and easy to find and don't have much value if a non-variety set. Whereas a mint set has 12(?) uncirculated business strikes that gain "value" each year as the number of extant UNC'd 79s disappear.

But I prefer UNC 60s-70s business strikes over proofs anyhow, so I may be a little bias.

 

Wow. What a tough crowd.

I don't believe a buyer should be required or even expected know the difference in the type of boxes the US Mint used to ship coins 35 years ago. He's a coin collector, not a box collector. The burden in this case is entirely on the seller as they should know exactly what it is they're selling. If the buyer later learns that the box shown in the photo isn't the type that would have been used, then that's more evidence to support a claim.

Why not search the SBA's for a near date variety? The difference in value between five uncirculated sets and five proof sets is what, about $10? The value of an uncirculated and ungraded 1979 SBA near date is about $5. Even if he finds one, he still comes out behind. If he really feels conflicted, he can communicate with the seller. He could tell him that he would like a refund of $10, but if he finds a variety, then he'd be willing to deduct the value of the variety from the refund he's requesting.

To me, the hassle and cost of shipping involved with returning the sets is more significant than any of the price differences listed. Nextcoin might as well base his decision to keep or return the coins on all the information he has available to him and do whatever he has to do to make the best of this situation.

Now, if the seller listed 100 modern proof sets and the buyer received 100 silver proof sets, then the difference in value would be significant enough that it would present an ethical conflict if he chose to keep the coins without at least communicating with and offering to reimburse the seller.

As to the question posed by the OP, I have never purchased unopened Mint boxes from a third party, and I probably never will. I even passed on a good deal on a large auction of "sealed" envelope proof sets from 1960-1964 because the seller only offered a return if the envelopes remained sealed. It is my understanding that the US Mint did not seal the paper envelopes that contained these sets, so "sealed envelopes" is every bit as meaningful to me as "unsearched rolls".

Whichever path you choose to take, good luck to you Nextcoin.

 

Yeah, Dangerfield (Rodney) used to say that all the time. How the devil did washin' machines and Sears get in here?