Older Proof Coins

How were proof coins packaged and/or delivered in the 19th century?

 

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Seems there were none in the 19th century with first mint production in 1936. At first the coins were ordered and bought separately, but later offered in tissue paper and in cardboard box set. I have a 1955 set in some safe.Much of the product suffered badly as appearance protection was not really known nor practiced.

 

I own several late-1800s proofs. Maybe my question wasn’t worded correctly. How were these proof coins packaged (if that was the case) and how were they delivered to customers?

 

There certainly were proof coins minted in the 19th century. I don't know how they were packaged but I recall something about brown coin envelopes. They were ordered by letter directly to the mint and probably mailed as well (I don't know how else they would have done it). From the late 1800s mint records it seems they were produced in sets of dollars, halves, quarters, and dimes; at least the quantities produced in a given month were all equal (50, 100, etc). Nickels and cents were also produced in equal numbers, but more than the silver coins. Proof runs were done quarterly in March, June, September and December. Sample mint record here https://archive.org/details/Rg104entry271vol5/page/n21/mode/2up - in this case 50 silver and 200 nickel/cent proofs were coined in September 1897. Any time the "number of pieces" doesn't end in 000, it's the number of proofs. TMI, I know...

 

If you have the time, you might get a chance to watch Rick's TV show. Sometimes, there are 3 programs at the same time. I don't buy from him, but there is a lot of educational content. I've seen it sometimes where they show how the early sets are shipped. The coins are in a clear set, each with its own section, and the placed in a manilla folder. He likes to show how coins are damaged in those bags.

 

I believe they were sold in velvet presentation cases.

 

Mailed in envelopes with the coins wrapped in tissue. Remember there weren't the same mail destroying sorting machines then as there are now.

 

Yes, they were wrapped in tissue paper until the 1936 issues, which were paced in celluloid sleeves and then wrapped in tissue paper. It’s the reason why so many older, prior to 1936 Proof coins have blue toning.

 

I can’t get enough of that King of Siam Proof set. If I had won the Power Ball drawing, I would have started making offers to the current owner.

 

That was why I selected that photo.... That's one of those things like the 1913 V-Nickel. Or even some of your early dimes and half dimes..... A humble collector like myself will use any and every opportunity to gawk at them!

 

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

This would be another consideration...

 

Old money is magnificent.

Rick L.

 

As Messydesk said they were wrapped in tissue paper and shipped to the buy by mail. If you bought a complete set you COULD have them shipped in a holder such as in shown for the King of Siam set, but those holders were custom made and the buyer had to pay for the holder to be made. (they were made by a local Philadelphia business) Such sets are extremely rare. John J Pitman had at least two of them, possibly three (The buyer of the complete 1843 set removed the three gold coins had them slabbed and sold them off so that set is no longer complete) , and there are at least a couple of sets in Museum collections. I believe the ANS has two possibly three of them.

Except for the fact the color is off I thing the pictures 1868 set is one of the five sets made all struck in aluminum At least two of those sets survived in the original holders but one of those has had the coins removed and slabbed.

Same here, and if I got it I would crack them all out of the slabs they are currently in and put them back in the holder where they belong. (The image shown above is photoshopped. The coins were all removed from the holder and slabbed several years before the gold presidential medal was added to the set. The medal was not with the set when it turned up in London in 1962.)

 

That soxs

 

Is that a real 1804 dollar?

 

Who’s the guy

 

Yes, when Edmund Roberts embarked on his diplomatic mission in 1835 he carried four sets of proof coins as part of the inventory of gifts to be presented to the Muscat of Oman, The King of Siam, and the emperors of Cochin-China and Japan. The sets contained a set of proof coins of 1834, and proof 1804 Dollar and Eagle as that was the last year the record showed that was the last year those denominations were struck.

After visiting Oman and Siam, Roberts fell ill and died. The last two sets were returned to the US. The Oman set, or at least most of it turn up in the Watters collection in the early 20th century as individual pieces. The King of Siam set turned up nearly intact (missing the gold presidential medal) in London in 1962 in the estate of a descendent of Anna Leonowens (The real Anna from the story of "Anna and the King of Siam" fame.)

 

Yes, I like the way you think.