Placing Mint Set coins into Graded Holders: Good or Bad?

Should I break out these coins from their original Mint blister packs and place them into Third Party Graded (TPG) holders?

Inside the original packaging, the coins may tone poorly, corrode, or even suffer from surface damage due to the breakdown of the blister packs' plastic composition over time. The blister packs are hard plastic, not supple (PVC) plastic. However, if kept in stable environmental conditions the coins might hold up just fine inside the blister pack, with the added benefit that the coins would remain inside the original packaging and possibly(?) be more valuable in the future due to the "original packaging" phenomenon among collectors.

What to do? Hmmm.

 

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I personally would pay more for original mint packaging as they often get thrown out. Of course, one can start the argument of the case of "buy the coin, not the plastic" but to the right people, they are worth something.

Let's taken an example. It took me more than 5 years to hunt down all of the Soviet silver coins in the original mint packaging - and that's only 12 in the entire collection (!!!) (excluding the 28 silver Olympics coin set)

 

Unless the coins will grade at least MS68, it would be a waste of money submitting them. I've kept (US) Mint coins in their original cello for 20 years or more, and as long as you maintain a stable environment, you should have no reason to worry.

Chris

 

I'm pretty indifferent. With few exceptions, "mint sets" and "proof sets" aren't generally anything special in my eyes. The only time I really think about OGP adding value is with commemoratives.

 

That's an interesting angle...

Why aren't mint/proof sets in OPG not important in your estimation? Just because of historical price curves over time? And what's your experience with commemoratives in OGP?

 

Leaving them in their original container I think will increase their price should you decide to sell them. I dont know alot about original coin packaging cocerning coins but I collect alot of items or as my wife says "junk" but ther have been times that the box was worth more than the item it once contained. I have coins that are packaged and reading the info or just having it somehow completes and complements the coins. Sorry type to long, I guess I took the long way around the barn to give an opinion.

 

I'm pretty much in agreement with you. If you look at the historical prices for (US) Mint Sets, most of them are selling for less than the original price when they were sold by the Mint.

For me, another fallacy about the (US) Mint Sets, is the fact that you're supposed to find the higher grades in them. I've actually had better success getting MS68's from Mint bags, and the bags are much cheaper than the Mint Sets.

Chris

 

Once again, I am in agreement with Chris. We have both been around long enough to know that modern mint and proof sets do not generally hold any value and with only a few exceptions. Their prices today after holding on to them for many years in OGP makes one want to cringe. I long ago gave up buying multiple sets and only buy one of each to break out for the Dansco albums to keep them up to date. The end of the current ATB series is the end of my buying these sets from the Mint. The only set that has held up at all is the 1999 silver set which is currently at around $85.00, but did make it up to $300.00 and then crashed. The 2012 silver set is way overpriced and I predict this too will eventually burn down in the next couple of years. Buying any sets on the secondary market instead of the Mint almost guarantees they have been cherry picked for MS70's, so I would not recommend that either. JMHO. As an aside, I am only referring to mint & proof sets, not commemorative or special issue sets.

 

But, Tommy, what if the Mint decides to start a "State Capitol Quarters" set?

Chris

 

NOT happening. I'd rather spend my money visiting them in person.

 

No, I think the upcoming series is going to be the "U.S. Counties;" a coin for every county in the USA.

 

Nice graphic at the top.

Personally OGP does nothing for me, but to each his own.

 

They wouldn't do that. There are just too many counties, and the Mint needs to limit the number of years for production to fewer than 15-20. Otherwise, many of the subscribers might die before it is finished.

Chris

 

I've been burned too many times on mint packaging. A lot of it isn't stable and sometimes coins go into it that aren't stable.

I usually prefer to get it out and stabilize it but sometimes it takes a long time to do it.

 

A lot of moderns wouldn't exist at all if not for mint sets. If all the mint sets go bad (like 1975 Japan or 1969 US) then the coins will be very elusive.

 

Sorry to break it to you, but...



Sorry, I didn't mean to say "quarters." I meant to say "pennies".

See the full article here:http://www.theonion.com/article/us-mint-gears-up-to-issue-commemorative-county-pen-1326

 

@mlov43

Good one!

Chris

 

Nice find, lmao.

 

The thing is that OGP for a mint set is usually just some cellophane and a paper envelope. I don't really see the envelope as all that special, and the cellophane will eventually become brittle and degrade.

With (classic) commemoratives, the holders add collectibility because 99% of them were discarded. They also tended to produce some neat toning.

For more modern issues, I'm less enthusiastic about OGP (though I do like to have it). If it's something like this:

then I definitely want it. It all just depends.

 

I guess there will have to be a "special" mint set for Louisiana...as they have Parishes and not counties.