I recently purchased an unopened 1962 proof set. The franklin coin has a defect on the reverse. Does this make the set less valuable? Thanks for any help anyone can give.
That is often referred to as a "burn spot." I collect Frankies, and that would make the coin far less desirable to me. I don't know how collectors of "toned" coins would feel however. If I were you, I would avoid so-called unopenend proof sets. The envelopes are incredibly easy to reproduce with an ink jet printer. Unless you can purchase an unopened package, complete with a dated postmark, I would avoid these altogether. This is a perfect method for the unscrupulous to dump bad coins.
Silver is a reactive metal. Sulfides in air to a whole host of enviromental gases along with humidity can cause these spots. Storage is the key...room temperature and low humidity are vital. There are a number of products available to help protect and present your coins safely.
It is not called a burn spot. It is just known as spotted. Common with the proof sets from the 50`s and 60`s. Spots are common to all the coins... Nickels, cents, and the silver coins.
The original Mint envelopes contained sulphur as well. If the coin wrapper had a micro hole in it the action of humidity can transmit sulphur ions into the breached packaging and contaminate the coins surface. That is one possibility....I am sure there are others...stay away from unopened envelope claims. RickieB
Beg to differ... many collectors DO refer to those as "burn" spots. Not because it was actually burned, but because it looks like it was. The reference differentiates this type of spot from other types of spotting.
I defer to those that know earlier proof sets. I have not heard the terminology "burned". I have always known these as "spotted", no matter how big the spot. Bruce
My understanding was that no sets were sealed when shipped rom the Mint. In any case, I say open it and make sure it is nice before buying. As far as I know, there are no great error varieties in these sets. The only surprise you will get from an unopened set is this sort of thing.
I was also fairly sure that none of the envelopes were sealed at the mint. My memory is a little foggy, but I was sure that my sets from the early sixties came in open brownish-yellow envelopes. I've seen some "unopened" sets offered in white envelopes that appear to have the mint lettering on them, but as I said in my previous post, these are so very easy to produce with a home computer.
I believe that they were issued unsealed, but the flaps were gummed. Over the years they got sealed up by humidity or moisture. Or, some unscrupulous dealers licked them shut to sell them as "unopened".
The fact that someone is selling an unopened package that to my knowledge was never sealed by the manufacturer "US Mint" is a red flag for a rip off, specially if they are advertising that you have a chance a getting something special because it is sealed or never been opened. Who in there right mind would give away an opportunity of having a rare coin by claiming they haven't inspected or searched their sales. "No one". If it's sounds to good to be true it probably is.
All of the proof sets from the fifties and sixties, that i have purchased from various dealers, looks like they were sealed at one time, and then cut open.
