Breaking open perfectly good proof sets

However, if you're removing the coins from the lens, why would it matter to keep the lens in perfect condition? I chuck them out, as the cost of listing them on eBay is not effective enough for the bother.

 

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I have done so as well. My only regret is that I forgot the danged 1964 Proof Kennedy when I started my Kennedy Dansco. I included all the proof coins from 1968 until now so to "make it right" I'd have to rebuild and move the entire collection one coin at a time.

 

LOL. I am guilty of that as well. Especially with the blank Dansco pages I bought for my German collection. I have had to move those dang coins so many times...

 

As I mentioned in previous posts I keep the case in the event I ever change my mind about how I like to store my collection. I may one day decide to put the coins back in their original cases, so I want to keep the cases in excellent condition. I may never do that, but the option is there. It would be gone if the cases were damaged while opening them.

 

You guys would cringe if you saw how I opened most of the proof sets. Lets just say, a Dremel was involved. No, I never hit a coin or damaged any.

 

As a side note, and this is aimed at new collectors, back in the day, I made a commitment to purchase at least three of each US Mint Proof and Uncirculated coin sets. It was a collection goal which I stuck too.

Today, I look at the amount of space that such a collection takes up. I think back on the personal stress about safe gurading the collection. Safety Deposit boxes are out of the question since all these sets would easily consume 3 Large Boxes (10x10) at $200 ea per year.

I also look at the ready availability of virtually every set and they are as common as wild flowers. Should I ever need a particular set, its just a question of finding the right price.

As such, having a collection this large just doesn't make any sense to me. Especially after seeing that the prices I paid are more than likely the MOST each set will ever be worth.

On eBay, I recently sold an entire run of US Mint Sets (1965 through 2010) for $293 in open bidding.

A run of Proof Sets from 1965 through 2006 recently sold for $237.51.

I can guarantee you that I paid way more than that for each of those sales.

Now, if folks want to collect a run of proof sets, understand that it's not a profitable venture and understand that as you get deeper into collecting, your priorities may possibly change. I know that mine have and I look back at all the advice I've ever read and wonder why I just did not understand it the way I do today.

As for "original" packaging, proof sets or coins from 100 years ago may command a certain premium for original packaging because folsk didn't set them aside. Today, its uncommon to find a proof set WITHOUT its original packaging so I doubt that the originality of the packaging will have anything to do with the value of sets saved over the next 50 years when some of you collectors will be thinking of selling out and retiring.

Come to think it, nice original 1968-S Proof sets in the original unopened US Mint shipping boxes can be had for as little ar $25 each so there has been little upward movement in the past 43 years.

Why?

Simple, they made 3,041,506 of them whereas they only made 51,386 proof sets for 1950!

 

Ha, I've done some pretty risky things with a dremel tool as well. Never risked a proof set though.

 

I at one time wanted to get proof sets from every year, but decided against it. After looking at the redbook prices for proofs I realized that it wasn't profitable even though I didn't start collecting as a business and never plan on selling any coins I have ever purchased, but having peace of mind that I would turn a profit if I had to sell in desperation doesn't hurt. I do collect proof sets of the state quarters and now the national parks but I go for the silver proof sets so they may actually increase in monetary value. I do the presidential dollars too, not sure why as I know they won't ever be worth more than I paid for them either, but I like them and they don't break the bank.

Another thing I notice, and maybe this is a little vein, but I like to show my collection off. Most people I know know nothing about collecting coins. WHen I show my collection to a novice they are much more fascinated by my older coins. My Morgans, my Indian Heads, my Mercury Dimes etc. And I only have mostly low grades of those coins, but I find novices find low grade coins that are over 100 years old much more interesting than shiny proofs that are only a few decades old. Honestly I do as well. There is something nostalgic about seeing an old date on a coin, no matter what condition it is in.