I'm trying to figure out what the earliest year is that the USSR produced a proof-like mint set, but I'm coming up empty on trying to find an authoritative list of mint sets. It seems clear to me the proof-like mint sets were issued regularly from 1974-1991. 1961-1973 though is a bit fuzzy. I've seen some examples of what says they are proof-like mint sets, but they are packaged in a different format and I'm not entirely certain they aren't aftermarket assembled sets. I've definitely seen official circulating commemorative mint sets in those years, but I'm trying to find a proof-like mint set list that covers the regular circulating issues. Does anyone have a list of USSR mint/proof-like mint sets, or can anyone explain to me what's going on with the sets of 1961-1973?
The 1960's sets were in an annoying plio-film holder that oft separated and cause the coins to tarnish-corrode. The later ie 1970s sets were in a hard plastic case but they were NOT sonically sealed and tarnish, corrosion were still factors with them. They were sold through Mezhnumizmatika which was a joint Bank of Foreign Trade of the USSR and West German venture. I will have to dig some sets out to look at them, but the later 1970s and early 1980s sets were distributed by a US coin dealer who sold them through mail order. A note on the hard plastic sets, during the 1970's most were in a red holder, but a few were made in black and or blue holders the latter of which are quite rare. The red holdered ones were for the common western peasants, but the black or blue were given as presentation pieces to the better than the average equal of equals in the apparatchiki.
The cellophane mint sets are definitely an official mint product from Leningrad mint. Some more information here http://gxseries.com/numis/sovietset/sovietset.htm Prices are a bit outdated but otherwise relevant to the discussion
This is great, thank you. So based on the info here, it looks like 1974 was the first official proof-like set. I have seen coins earlier than 1974 listed as proof-like. Would you say those are actually proof-like business strikes, and not from the special "polished" sets?
The timing of proof like is somewhat confusing. The quality of the earlier mint set in particular before 1970s are better described as business strike UNC. Quality in the hard plastic set is more proof like but was only more distinct in late 1970s. I have to pull out the mint sets to revisit.
