Breaking open perfectly good proof sets

Yay or nay?

My husband is breaking one open right now. That horrible sound of plastic cracking is like nails on a chalkboard!

It makes me sad



By the way, is there an easy way to do this?

 

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I do it to all my proof sets. I prefer to put them in either intercept shield 2x2s or some other type of hard plastic case. I like each coin in its own case though. I also like to have my coins boxed by denomination. I put all my cents in one storage box, all my dimes in another, all my quarters in another and so on. That's just how I like it. I know that I will never sell my coins in my life time so I don't care about the resell value of them not being in US mint holder. That's just how I prefer to store my coins though. They're mine, I paid for them, so I don't really care what others say about me cracking the mint cases. To each their own though.

I use an XACTO blade to pry along the edge of the case. Usually you can open them without harming the case at all so if you ever want to put the coins back in you can.

EDIT: and make sure you pry all four corners loose then lift the top straigt up. If you pry only two corners then lift the top back like its a box top you will usually crack the other two corners. Pry all four loose until you can lift it straight off. You shouldn't be hearing plastic cracking at all!

 

I personally don't but know some people do.

 

Well, if the silver ones get melted, it shouldn't make any difference on the Clad it will just make them scarcer even though we will still have millions upon millions of useless sets from 1972 or 1982.

 

I do it to all of them.

 

Opening a proof set

Here's how I do it. And if you ever want to put them back in the original box you can because it is completely undamaged if you do it carefully and will snap back tight enough so you can't even tell it was ever opened.



Start with one corner.

Work your way around. Don't force the blade, you're not cutting you are gently prying the plastic apart at the seam.

Get all four corners apart and lift striaght up. SOmetimes this is a little tricky because when you pry the two up on one side, it forces the corners on the other side back in place. You just have to keep working it back and force. Be careful and try to lift it up as straight as possible or you will crack one or more the corners on the case.

And the coins are free!


PS: you should probably wear cotton or latex gloves while doing this just in case you accidentally touch a coin. Also wear a mask over your mouth and nose so you don't get moisture on the coins while you're breathing. It was irresponsible for me not to, I usually do especially with my silver proofs.

 

I put them back in the case. Can you tell this case was ever opened? Well the photo is a little blurry but trust me, you can't tell that this case was opened and resealed.

 

A lot of collectors are looking for high-grade proofs for their Registry sets. Some of them will just submit the unopened set and let the grading service open it (NGC does not charge for this service, but I'm not sure about PCGS). If the other coins receive respectable grades, they oftentimes sell them on eBay to recover some of the expenses. Other collectors might not want the added expense of certifying the unwanted coins, so they will just crack the case themselves and submit only the coins they want. What they do with the raw proofs is anybody's guess.

NOTE: If you are going to use latex gloves to handle (especially) proof coins, make sure the gloves are the type that DO NOT have powder on them. Some are coated with powder inside to make it easier to slip them on and some of this powder invariably transfers to the outside of the gloves.

Chris

 

I noticed that some coins in the proof sets are better than the others. The proof set I used for the photos above was such a case. Check out how nice the cameo is on Fillmore and Buchanan vs. the cameo (or lack there of) on Pierce and Lincoln. These are from the same proof set! So yeah, the difference in the quality of cameo from the same set is yet another reason to crack them open. The photos are scanned and are so blurry because the were in the plastic so they weren't flat in the scanner leaving a blur. Any dust specks are from the scanner bed or the outside of the case. The point is you do get much different quality coins in the same set. Even with the blur I think the difference in cameo is pretty obvious.



And yes, make sure if you buy latex gloves they say powder free on the box, excellent point.

 

Thanks for the great photos and instructions claycad. I have been wanting to open some of my proof sets for a while now, but was always afraid I would damage the coins in the process. I plan on placing the coins in individual holders.

GatewayCoinGuy

 

I buy two proof and one uncirculated Mint set(s) annually. One proof set is for breaking open and placing in 2x2s, same with the uncirculated set.

The second proof set remains intact.

 

Excellent information everyone! And thanks for the pictures~

The set he was mutilitating open was a 1974 proof set. He needed the coins to fill spots in his book. I'm not sure it opened like the case in the pictures.

 

Great Information/Pictures Clay! Thank You!
Steve

 

Thanks for the info. Though the older cases wont open quite so easily. I am putting together MS/Proof Dansco albums hence my cracking these open. Got those sets really cheap at the show for this specific purpose.

 

Just an FYI, I wouldn't, nor have a need to, go the hobby knife route to open the cases. I just hold the sides of the lens, and give a good twist to pop the seal on the edge.

 

Another FYI

Proof Sets from 1968 - 1974 were "sealed" around the outside edge and the ONLY way to open them is by force.

Proof Sets from 1975 - 1982 were not only sealed around the outside edges but also around each coin and these are really difficult to open.

Proof Sets from 1983 - 1998 were sealed around the outside edge and the ONLY way to open them is by force.

Proof Sets from 1999 - date are not sealed at all and require little effort to open.

 

I just wanted to say that I have opened every proof set from 1965-2010 and put them in Danscos. Not that anyone cares! Carry on...

 

I've tried gently twisting the cases and I have cracked the corners anytime I have tried it. Sure, that'll work fine if I don't care about damaging the case, but I want to keep the case in perfect condition. Perhaps some people can twist them without breaking the case, but I have never done it without causing at least a tiny crack in one or more of the corners. I have never once caused damage to a case using an xacto blade. It certainly is possible if you're reckless with it, but I'll take my chances with a hobby knife over twisting the case anyway.

 

I care

 

I had helped a friend of a friend sell off her Dad's coin collection a couple of years ago. I wish I had the cash back then to buy her "common" silver. Well, anyway she gave my son and myself several coins that he and I liked for helping her. One item she gave me was a 1959 mint set. In looking at it and talking to people here I found that the set had a 1959P Type "B" reverse Washington Quarter. Then a friendly guy told me to check the Half Dollar. It was a Type II Benny. I put the set up for sale but no takers so I.... cut the set up and sent the quarter and half in to get slabbed. I hope to sell off the half as I do not collect those but want to keep the quarter. I hope I did the right thing.