What,s the deal with these not being in demand? High pops? Also, how can one tell the difference in the silvers?
To give you something to read until the experts see this post I will tell you what little I know LOL!! Unless the mint set or proof set is specifically marked silver then the only other way I know is wih the "Ping test" (sound) or to weigh it. Some proofs were clad and some were silver clad. So looking for the "S" mint mark alone will not get it. Copper nickel weight 5.67 grams, Silver clad weight 5.75 grams.
Curiously they are in high demand! There are probably almost 15 million of these (quarters) still in original rolls, bags and sets. This is far higher than any other of the clad coins, yet an original roll commands more than most of the quarters of the era. It's the same with the half dollars and both of the Ikes though the type 1 Philly Ike is not overly common. The source of the demand is usually very unsophisticated. These are mostly beginning collectors and hoarders who just like the design or owning multiple examples of the coins. This huge demand pushes the price up to around $16/ roll at the wholesale level. Gems probably don't appear in the rolls yet they are "common" in mint sets. Over the years the mint set gems have gotten no more difficult to find. Many of the sets have been destroyed but the percentage containing gems has not substantially changed which indicates that there is little demand for pristine coins. Both '75 and '76 sets contain gems and the finest can be found in either date. Typical run of the mill gems are much easier to find in the '76 set. This becomes especially perplexing when one considers that this coin is needed to complete 20th century type sets.
Cladking... Don't you mean the one that are in high demand are the BU+ ones?? I find a lot through the year.... Speedy
It would seem as though if the high grade coins were in demand that the percentage of them in mint sets would always be going down as collectors removed the sets with nice coins in them. Sure, there is a some demand for the very high grades from registry set collectors, type collectors and some other collectors but this doesn't affect the typical gem or choice gem. Nice choice gems account for about 3% of the mint set coins now as well as twenty five years ago. By the same token if there wasn't a lot of demand for the extremely common BU rolls then the prices for these would be much lower than a 1977-D roll. Finding an original '77 or '74 roll can be extremely difficult since these weren't set aside and there are so many BU rolls of the bicentennials that you can easily find AU's in circulation from recently spent coins. Instead the price of the '76 rolls is higher than the others. Collectors should exercise some discretion when purchasing any coins and this is no less true for the very high grade bicentennial issues. While this issue wasn't extremely well made on average, the gems are relatively well made and numerous. Nice MS-65 and 66 examples can be found for very little premium if you keep your eyes open.
