I have a few uncirculated coin packages and was wondering if opening them would increase or decrease the value... I would look it up in my book but I can’t find anything on it... do you guys have any opinions? BTW, I already opened one
I like to keep mint sets together. It prevents accidental damage and I rather like my coins in recognizable sets whenever possible. I think if your goal is to market the coins, you may realize a slight premium by marketing them individually, but not enough to merit the trouble.
Keep them in the original packages, most folks [to my knowledge] would prefer it in the original packaging. Plus it proves that the coins are uncirculated.
I also keep mine in the original government package. If you do break it open for an individual coin you will never make enough off the rest of the coins to pay for the shipping/handling and hassle. Hardly anyone will pay up for modern coins unless they are slabbed and graded.
I like to keep mint sets and proof sets in the original holder, unless I'm adding them to an Album. Even though the values in the guides may total more for the individual pieces, in reality, it is a lot more difficult to sell all of them individually than it is to sell a set. Many collectors (me included) prefer buying an original set. That being said, if there is something wrong with the packaging and a coin(s) is getting environmental damage, then it's probably best to remove them. Other than that, I keep them as is.
I don't open them unless the coins look like there are some "terminal" problems going on. I would not buy a mint set in non-original packaging as anyone can mix and match.
I haven't been collecting as long as you, Mountain Man, but I've been collecting mint sets for about 35 years and I totally agree, if its in Mint Packaging, leave it in mint packaging.
Here is one I would probably never cut out. A mint error (struck through bust) in OGP. Others I have. Just depends on the coin and the situation. Most are best left as is, but never say never! This second one I did cut out. I would have never gotten the pictures or been able to enjoy the coin as much in the OGP without cutting it out. Also now in an airtite and better protected. Plus I have the pic to show it as I originally picked it up.
That Nickel - the one with 2 pictures - is so interesting. What happened with it to make it look that way? Where did you find it? In a roll or in pocket change?
It is a proof coin from the original government package (OGP), bottom photo. That year 1960 is known to have the OGP tone the nickels blue and then it has gold toning on the bust as well. No one is quite certain why the coins tone but certain years seem to be more susceptible than other years. Pretty cool, I think. Pretty amazing that that coin was in that package for almost 60 years before I cut it out! I bought it a year or two ago for pretty cheap. Have to find the package as I think the other 4 coins may be still in the package.
That is very cool! I've seen circulating coins at times with blue hues and have wondered how that happened.
There's a broad range of years, from the late 50's to the mid 60's for the most part, where the Proof nickels are commonly found with pretty toning of various colors. It's so common that they even have a special name for that toning - it's usually referred to as neon toning. And this neon toning didn't occur with any of the other coins in the same exact set/package - it only happened with the nickels from that period. And it typically didn't happen with the nickels of any other time period - just that specific date range. Now somebody's gonna ask - why ? Well, there's been all kinds of speculation but no definitive answer that I have ever heard of. But something about the nickels from that period, or something that was in the air during that period, was shall we say - unique.