I've seen that coin dealers selling graded & slabbed US Mint silver dollar proofs are all listed as PF69 or PF70. Is it safe to say all proofs bought directly from the US Mint are PF69 or PF70? I'm satisfied with keeping the coins in the Mint packaging and don't feel compelled to have them graded & slabbed. For sets, I much prefer US Mint display packaging. Thanks.
63 ? That is low....every now and then there's a glitch. Most modern coins today are 68-70 direct from the Mint.
Minting methods have improved and the grades are higher but to say that they are 69 or 70’s is s bad way to look at it.
The position of an awful lot of my collection is extremely uncertain - but that makes sense, because its velocity is almost exactly zero right now. Maybe the uncertainty will get high enough that some of the coins will start fusing. I could use some double-denomination errors. (Guess it would be too much to hope for four beat-up Morgans to fuse into a Stella...)
Most modern Mint Proof sets will grade 68, 69, or 70 IMHO. The real question is: Does it add value to have them graded? I really don't think so, but that's just me.
Having collected such for many years, I have found the grade and quality (for the most part) to be quite superb. I leave 'em be and never send them in for grading, subscribing to the axiom ya want it graded? Buy it graded.......
I've sent a few recent proofs in to ANACS and most of them come back 69 to 70, sometimes a 68, so the Mint's quality control is generally pretty good these days. Worst I ever got on a reasonably modern proof was PF-63 on a World War II half dollar (sealing on the capsules seemed particularly bad for the World War II halves and dollars, for some reason). So ALL 69 and 70? No. But pretty close to most I'd say, going back to the 1990's. And almost always at least a 68 going back that far.
It all depends upon the period. If you are talking about the 1990s and up, than yes, most of them are going to be PR-68 to 70. The older stuff is another matter. Most every piece from the 1950s and '60s will be PR-65 unless it's been cut out of mint holder, poorly stored, messed with or a combination of the two. They can also go bad in the holder if they are not properly stored (no attics or garages) or the holder had a hole in it. If you go back to 1936 - '42, PR-65 and 66 is the about the best you can find with some exceptions. Almost nothing will grade PR-68 or higher. Coins that get those grades are very unsual. Registry set collectors pay ridiculous prices for them, even if they don't make the grade.
Here's my Semi-Q proof ASE submission. Poor quality control? 2026-W $1 Silver Eagle w/ Liberty Bell 250 Privy First Strike, DCAM PR63DC USA 2026-W $1 Silver Eagle w/ Liberty Bell 250 Privy First Strike, DCAM PR65DC USA 2026-W $1 Silver Eagle w/ Liberty Bell 250 Privy First Strike, DCAM PR69DC USA 2026-W $1 Silver Eagle w/ Liberty Bell 250 Privy First Strike, DCAM PR69DC USA 2026-W $1 Silver Eagle w/ Liberty Bell 250 Privy First Strike, DCAM PR67DC USA
