I just got from my great-aunt a 1974 and 1971 uncirculated set. The coins have been stored in a kind of plastic, which has caused the coins to have a PVC-like residue. My question is whether or not I should take the coins out of the plastic they came in or leave them in their original packaging.(Cleaning is out of the question.) Any thoughts?
I can only assume since you say it was a plastic and it appears that the coins have a PVC residue that this case is not original mint packaging. But I am wondering if that is so - can you post a pic of the set ? The coins in original mint pakaging can and do tone - this is not uncommon. But they do not suffer from PVC damage because the mint never used PVC products. Now if the coins are in original packaging - you have nothing to worry about, you can leave them there. But they may continue to tone and probably will. But if the coins are NOT in original packaging - it may indeed be PVC residue. If it is - the coins need to be removed and they need to be cleaned to remove the PVC. Otherwise the coins will be ruined if they have not already.
They have an S mintmark, so they are from San Francisco, but it doesn't matter. Thanks for the help. Owen
owen it does matter - if that package you posted has coins all with an S mint mark - it's not a mint set. It's a Proof set. No wait - it can't be. The Proof sets came in hard packages. Please check that mint mark again.
I think you'll find that is a Denver set - but it has two Lincoln cents. One of them will have an S mint mark, the other cent a D. All the other coins will have, or should have a D as well. You see - the ony S coin struck in '71 or '74 was the cent - other than the Proofs. That's why the package has 2 Lincoln cents in it.
I have 5 uncirculated sets from both '71 and '74. From 1971, 1 set has 2 half dollars(no mintmark), 2 quarters(no mintmark), 2 dimes(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 nickels(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 3 pennies(1 S mintmark, 1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), and a token that says"Uncirculated Mint Set; Bureau of the Mint". The 2nd mint set has 2 half dollars(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 quarters(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 dimes(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 nickels(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 3 pennies(1 S mintmark, 1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), and a token that reads "Uncirculated Mint Set; Bureau of the Mint". The third set form 1971 is the same as the second. The fourth set from 1971 is the same as the second and third. The fifth set from 1971 is the same as the last three. I also have 5 uncirculated sets from 1974. All 5 sets contain 2 dollars(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 half dollars(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 quarters(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 dimes(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), 2 nickels(1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark), and 3 pennies(1 S mintmark, 1 D mintmark, 1 no mintmark). Whew! Hope that helps. Owen
The coins without maint marks, are from the Philadelphia mint. Also coins in a cello with a red stripe are from the Denver Mint and with a blue stripe are from the Philadelphia Mint.
