Share your mint set horror story..... Surfing around eBay one day a couple years ago I came across an auction offering 20 uncirculated Jefferson nickels in their original mint cellophane. The coins were all from the 70s and 80s. The bidding was at $2 & shipping was a buck-fifty. Since I had previously bought a few 'alleged' uncirculated singles which were mostly doctored AUs, I just didn't see how I could go wrong buying mint set coins. I thought 20 cents each for garanteed uncs was a fair price so I bid $2.50. I won the auction feeling certain that the US MINT would not let me down. Heck I thought I might even find a couple with full steps. Most of you probably already know whats coming next. All were uncirculated, thats for sure, but none had full steps. Most had no steps at all. The lowest uncirculated grade is MS60, sometimes called just BU. I had to invent a new mint state grade to describe these coins. Some were MS59, some were MS55, a couple were MS49. I examined the edges of the cellophane to see if someone had opened them up and substituted junk for the original coins and resealed them but this was not the case. The moral of this story is something you have all heard before, "Buy the coin, not the holder." I was lucky this time, it cost me only $4. SHARE YOUR STORY and pictures. You may help some beginner avoid this errer that most of us have probably made. Here is one coin from a sealed mint cellophane. There are no holes in the wrapper, the scratches are not from staples. Thats another horror story for later. This coin is still sealed in the cello...
The cello-paks offer about as much protection for the coins as a kleenex would as a substitute for a flak jacket. Chris
I doubt that is post mint damage. That is the kind of junk the mint once put in mint sets and sometimes still does.
I have seen those types of deals offered on ebay many times. Like 20 LMC in mint cello. These lots are around in all denominations. I have always theorized that they are left overs from people who buy mint sets in bulk at auction or estate sales, and "crack out" the good stuff. They then sell off whatever is left on the bay to recoup funds from their original purchase.
unc Mint set junk Thanks for your reply, Kevo. I believe you hit the nail on the head. And it's not just mint set leftovers. The same applies for proof singles in mint cello and sets in orig Mint plastic. Even TPG holders do not garantee coins without problems. Tx.
