I have just sent back my 4th (yes, 4th!) boxed '52 proof set for the same reasons as the other 3 and would like opinions if anyone else out there is experiencing what I have. Maybe I'm a stickler or something (almost 48 yrs collecting), but when I get a boxed set I examine each coin the same way as if they were in single holders- by tilting and slowly moving to examine for those dreadful hairlines from wiping. In each case it's the same coins wiped - the half and the quarter and besides the wiping you can see the "white" on the hi-relief areas that represents friction or wear from the wiping. They all have staples that were obviously restapled very expertly in order to avoid detection, but the staples are the square/aluminum colored later ones and the packets show no signs of the restapling which leads me to believe that possibly the packets are "repros"?? If so they are real good. My gut feeling is that the dealers or even collectors are pulling out the "cherries" to be slabbed for hi grades and inserting these lesser quality wiped coins. btw: check out my Barber dime set I have posted for sale on Coin Talk
I suspect that with the premium on cameo coins, etc., above average original proof sets will be difficult to come by. Probably most out there in the original packaging have long since been picked over. Dan
