Does anyone else collect Modern Mint Sets?

There are several reasons why I collect them, but my thought is that with the current low value (and interest) and high attrition rate, that they may become more desirable.

It also gives me a complete set of clad coins in BU condition.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Yes. I collect mint sets and find them fascinating. Every once in a while you'll find a set that's all Gems. This couldn't happen by chance because the odds against it are overwhelming but apparently these got helped for some reason or other. Indeed, I have a 1968 Philly set that isn't just all Gem but each are PL as well.

Over the years I've saved out the nicest ten or fifteen sets of each date that I've seen.

I believe these are mostly tarnished now despite sitting in safety deposit boxes all these years so I'll slowly be pulling them out and busting them up to clean. I'm still perfecting my cleaning technique so it may be a while.

 

You need to share your clad cleaning technique... please PM me

 

I can't vouch for how stable this is but I can get ~94% of the bad dates clean. Ones that are far gone and have "porous" surfaces like the '69-P quarters often are are more problematical.

I start simple with a mixture of 91% isopropyl alcohol and acetone. The acetone isn't real important for most dates. Just a little is plenty. Don't use any water at all. After a few days rinse the coins in warm water and separate out the ones that are still bad. Be sure to dry with a good towel or dry with acetone.

Save the alcohol as it can be used a few times before being demoted to an alcohol rinse.

The bads coin need a quick dunk in warm amonia (~120 degrees). Avoid breathing fumes so cover it between dips. Rinse these in water dip then in an alcohol dip and finally in running warm water. Dry.

I'm storing them in plastic tubes now and the Gems in 1 1/2 x 1 1/2's or flips.

After the second use the alcohol doesn't seem to be good for much. It works for killing fungus so I use it for that. It would make good fuel but the vapors are probably harmful. This process has been evolving. The resultant is probably stable and is not degraded from what it was before the tarnish... ...I hope.