1966 Proof Bahamas $2 Flamingos - The Only Actual Proof Known

A recent score on eBay, somehow I managed to locate an entire actual PROOF Bahamas 1966 9 coin set. Why do I say that when anybody can Google search "Bahamas Proof 1966 2 Dollar Coin", and a bunch will show up but they actually are NOT proofs but rather simply ordinary currency coins that have been stashed into boxed sets that are sometimes referred to as "Specimen Sets" or "Proof Sets" but are nothing other than as I've stated?
Now for probably 25 years I have patrolled the internet and especially eBay for either British later pre-decimal silver and copper (with a couple of the smaller golds thrown in). As readers will recall there used to be MUCH better material on eBay, a source that has nearly dried up more recently. As these have run out, I have turned to also to coins of the British Caribbean both before and after independence. And these I look for with near religious fervor on eBay with scant but occasionally remarkable results to the tune of about once or twice per year. I also check many of the auctions (also with few results).

Well, about 6 months ago I found an interesting Bahamas set on eBay that somehow looked different (on eBay UK). It was a 1966 Bahamas Set, and of most unusual appearance. All of the coin surfaces appeared highly reflective and not polished as best I could tell. Could these be proof coins? Well, I tried to research these in proof and could find NOTHING! Finally I found that the [British] Royal Collection has a set with none else to be found and NOT in any catalogue anywhere.

So I put out an offer for about L110 which with shipping came to about USD 190, and got the set. They arrived about a week later and opened the package with somewhat mixed though generally positive reaction.
Firstly I am sure that the coins are proof and many of cameo quality. This was good, but the bad was that the coins had near literally been tossed into one of the ubiquitous boxes like the common "Specimen" sets. These sets have felt liners with recesses somewhat fitted to the coins - the coins are not tightly fitted and there are no plastic packaging, so the coins bang about quite a bit leaving really too many bag marks.
One of the more attractive and perhaps better than the pictures of the 2 Dollar coin below:



I had the coins finally after 3 1/2 months graded by PCGS and they graded between Proof 63 and Proof 66 with most being cameo.

Anyway, though I would just share a bit of the story with readers. BTW, these are NOT Franklin Mint coins but rather products of the Royal Mint and would be considered Record Proofs.

 

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Wow! Congrats on a tremendous score!