1956 Proof Set in a Box

I recently ran across a 1956 Proof Set in OGP similar to the pre-55 proof sets. Has anyone else seen this or know more about the mint packaging and if any 56 were packaged in the old style box?

 

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I've seen many in the old style boxes, I think 1956 may be the last year they used them but I'm not absolutely positive.

 

I think they stopped box sets in 1955 and 56.....above started the flat cardboard sets pictures would help.

 

I thought 55 was the transition year where you can (and I have) a box and a flat pack.

 

1955 was the official end to the box sets. But did some get produced "unofficially" in 56?

 

I have never seen a 1956 Proof set in a box. I strongly suspect that this has been manufactured outside of the mint for collector consumption. Believe it or not, there are fake grey Proof set boxes. I have one of them.

The mint switched over from the boxes in mid 1955. The coins in those boxes were housed in plastic sleeves, that were a bit cloudy, which tended to cause the coins to get unattractive toning. That change, to the plastic sleeves, happened in mid 1954. If the set you have has coins in cellophane, it is definitely not from the mint.

 

Thanks. I'd be curious what you think of this offering. I'd like to collect these sets in the OGP and figure this 56 version is post-mint construction as you suggest but I'm trying to learn more about how to spot fakes. How did you ID your fake?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1848195988...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

Thats definitely not an original, the box is wrong and the grey tap,basically the date 1956 looks like it was done yesterday.Im not seeing extreme rusting around the staples and the plastic stuff looks to new so does the tissue paper.

 

Here is a photo of a 1951 box Proof set.



I don't have a 1955 box set to show you, but if I did, the sleeves would be cloudy, and the words "1955 Proof set" are printed on top of the box. That was the only year that the mint printed the year of the set on the box. All of the other years are plain.

The set that was sold on eBay is not original. The sleeves are not right, and the box appears to be one of the fakes.

 

That's what I thought but i've not seen enough of these in person to know for sure (just lots of images on eBay). This is all very helpful. Thank you. I have a 1954 and 1955 unopened. I'm confident they are original at least the 1954 for sure based on what I know of the seller. I'll have to share some pics when if and when I open them up.

 

Thank you! I have 55 with the big stamp that is unopened. I'll post a pic when I open it!
FYI: no one bid on that 56 box set! I emailed the seller asking what he knew about it. He says he bought a bunch of the box sets from someone else on eBay. Sketchy...

 

I agree. 99.99 % SURE IT IS F A K E. Usually the staples have a bit of rust on them, these appear not to have any rust.
SUGGEST you avoid.
stay safe.

 

It's not even packaged correctly, fake in my opinion. Be safe not sorry, pass!

 

"All of the 1956 Proof Sets were originally issued in the new “flat packs”. This simplified style of packaging had been introduced in the middle of the prior year to replace the previous boxed sets"

source: proof set guide .com

 

Here is a 1956 Proof set in the original mint envelope. The issue price was $2.10.



Here is a 1955 Flat Pack set. Some 1955 sets do not have the mint foil in the sixth pocket.

 

That was a lot of money back then.

 

The price didn't increase until 1965 when the Special Mint Sets were priced at $4.00. There was only one 40% silver coin in that 1965 set.

 

it did contain 91 cents though for $2.10, now a days it contains $2.16 and costs $32.00...... heck of a markup in my opinion even for the better packaging and everything else they are tagging on to it.

I'd gladly take the old packaging style if they sold the proof set for $5.02 and in line with what they used to charge for it.

 

I use that web site all the time. It's a great resource. I figured the 56 in a box I saw is a fake but thought maybe some "old school" mint employee cranked out a few in the box in 1956 and they escaped into the wild. Doesn't sound like anyone has encountered that. Stranger shenanigans have gone on at the mint over the years I'm sure.

 

Beautiful coins. I managed to find one of the old Whitman "Modern Proof Set Collection" albums on eBay (after missing out on two others) to display 1955 thru 1961 flat sets (including both 60s). I've got 6 out of 8 so far. It's nice to be able to look at them from time to time album style. I am also hoping to collect the flat pack series unopened as well - 3 to go there.