Can someone talk some sense into me before I buy an "unopened" proof set?

I'm talking about the sets from the '50s and '60s in "original" mint envelops. Envelopes that could have been purchased online and sealed yesterday.

They're probably worth as much as "unsearched" wheat cents or a lottery ticket for yesterday's drawing.

Right?

Thank you.

 

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The mint never sealed those envelopes. It's most likely (99.999%) they have been searched.

 

Don't buy it if it's more than $30.

 

Yup.

They were not sealed at the mint, so if they are sealed now, you have conclusive proof they are not "as sent". Could be they got wet and sealed themselves, could be somebody sealing them last week to sell as "sealed" sets.

 

It doesn't really apply to these sets because of the above comments, but a person doesn't need to be a genius to figure out how to open and reseal boxes/envelopes with little evidence.

 

I can only assume there are still some out there in their original shipping packaging, but as with true OBWs, is something best stumbled upon (in person and with a history) as opposed to just happening to find on the bay.

 

Ditto. I learned this the hard way.

 

我

 

ok... I need to say something here to set the record straight, because the misconception is growing and left unfettered, mis-information will continue to spread.

The envelopes that contain proof sets prior to 1965 were not sealed when they were shipped from the US Mint

EXCEPT those that have the mailing address on the envelope.

Yes, that's right! It means that 95% of the sets were mailed in an open envelope that can be searched without having to open the envelope permanently.

The other small percentage were shipped in that envelope and if still sealed ARE sealed and unsearched.

The difference and the easy tell is the sealed mailing envelope (complete with postmark), but only those that come complete with a typed address on that envelope.

That is all...

 

I'll have to see if I can dig up the two "sealed" 1956 proof sets that I bought for [enough $ to be embarrassing] back when silver was high. Let's just say that, if someone (theoretically) had gone through open proof sets and put the less desirable ones up for auction after licking and sealing their envelopes -- well, if they had, these are exactly the sorts of sets I would've expected them to seal and pass off.

 

Good to know.

 

BUT, you should carefully check the alignment of the post mark to make sure it wasn't resealed. If the circles and letters don't PERFECTLY align...

 

The postmark is not on the side with the flap, it goes over the stamp, unless the envelope is metered, then it is not postmarked at all. Tampering with the seal will not alter the postmark.

 

More than likely. There probably is a very very small percentage that is legit from some small honest seller somewhere, but good luck trying to find that needle in a haystack

 

I have some unopened 50thru 70 mint and proof sets. My ma(Monica) bought them for the family and wrote are names on them. Never opened. Not sure how she got them in my crawl space. Found them last year putting xmas decoration away

 

Hey, I like dogs!

But why did the Mint seal some and not others?

 

That's been explained earlier in the thread.

 

I assume you are referring to post #9?

Okay. So that means only those sets mailed directly to a customer from the mint were sealed. Correct?