Today, I just received the 1976 Bicentennial Silver Proof Set. It arrived with a plastic molding that fits the small case and has three cutouts big enough to fit the coins. What is the purpose of this? I've never seen it before and it struck me as odd. I also have a 1971 uncirculated Ike dollar that also came in a not standard packaging state, unlike my 1976 proof set that came in a single lens. Were these variant packages common during the time?
That's the way they came from the Mint, on the Bicentennial the coins go inside that booklet on the left side
This was the ONLY way the BiCentennial Proofs were packaged by the US Mint. The 1971-S Proof IKE Came in a Brown slip box with the large slab fitted into a faux red velvet holder. So did the 1972-S, 1973-S and 1974-S Proof IKE's. Most dealers and some collectors (me) discard the brown Box and its packaging and keep the slabs in a Storage box designed for proof sets. These boxes will hold 31 Slabs where as storage boxes for mint sets will hold about 32. Much more efficient than trying to store 30 Silver Proof IKE's with their Brown Box Packaging which would require a "tote" box typically used for storing Christmas Decorations. (I've got those too!) The 1971-S - 1974-S Silver Business Strike IKE's were shipped in Blue Envelopes. The Envelopes for 1971 came in two different types of blue envelope. One which was a deep blue with a glossy texture (these fall apart rather easily by the adhesive giving away where the folds form the envelope) and one with a bit of a lighter blue with a dull finish. Hence, Blue IKE's and Brown IKE's.
I work for USPS. It's a great organization but if I just received my order and it took that long to ship, I'd complain too.
Interesting. Thanks for answering. I added the coins to the booklet. I found it strange that it was shipped that way and not with the coins already in the book, but I'm happy with them regardless.
I have no idea why the US Mint did it this way! Maybe they were thinking that collectors might want to put the coins into a Dansco Type Album? But if that was the case, why they SEAL them in those little capsules. Those things damn near take a jack hammer to get the coins out!
They are glued shut around the entire circumference of the capsule. Similar to what they did for 1975 - 1982.
They aren't all glued closed. Back in 1976 when they came out there were warning t be careful sliding the Styrofoam insert out of the sleeve because the insert was often upside down and the shell tops would fall off and the coins would fall out on the floor. Thanks to warning my coins didn't fall to the floor, and the shell tops were loose.
