Well, they looked so good I had to show them off.... This set was built out of rolls that I went through for a couple of months. After exhausting the normal dates, I filled the rest with AU-BU examples from shows (mostly from the 50% off bins). Building this set was a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to cherry picking BU examples when I can to bump up the grades for some of the coins. After a purchase yesterday, I lack only three silver proofs to make the entire run complete.
From what I know, if you are careful and center the coin in the holder to make sure the plastic slide does not touch the coin when it is moved, it isn't a bad way to hold them. If that plastic slip ever touches the coin, however, bye bye proof!
Well, beware having clad proofs in an album. About 22 years ago, I bought a then-complete set of clad Roosevelt proofs, put them in a Whitman Classic album, and they toned to a hideous gray-black color. Hopefully you will have a better experience with what appears to be a Dansco album.
That 'tis my hope. But if I see any signs of that starting, out they come. Maybe in a few years more products that are more conducive to album type storage will emerge.
I've heard good things about the Intercept Shield albums -- you might want to try that if you start another set with clad proofs.
Personally, I recommend the Capital Plastics holders. They are a little pricy but display the coins well. Check out their offerings at http://www.capitalcollectorsplastics.com/.
Another strategy is to keep the coin in an Air-Tite holder, which is then placed in an Air-Tite album. Coins can be examined in the album, or taken out (still in their holders) for inspection. The spaces are not identified, which has the advantage of not predetermining which dates/mints/varieties constitute your set, and you can appreciate what you have rather than depricate those empty holes. More can be found at http://www.airtiteholders.com/. A good dealer for these is http://www.jpscorner.com/.
Very nice. I am 1 coin away from filling my Rosey Circulation set. Still looking for the '50 s. I've also started filling in my Mercs.
Thanks for the comments! Dockwalliper, I am trying to consider where to go next. There were some of the 50s that I ended up having to get from a show. Unfortunately, I am fighting the money/collecting conundrum. So many coins, so little cash!
Man, that's a great collection, cris. Thanks for sharing it with us. I really like those Dansco albums. Gives you a great way to view your intire collection at a glance. Never had any problems with mine. I just push the coins all the way down, and then only slide the top window, when I need to make a change. (Of course all my coins are for my personal enjoyment, and not intended as an investment, and are not for sale) Oh yeah, I'd love to see that just completed Jefferson nickel set sometime.
These proofs are not very expensive, if I recall correctly. I have a slabbed Proof-70 that cost me about $10, I think. So, if a bit of damage occurs, the world is not less well off. The proofs are common enough to go around. Also, it is true that no matter what happens to a proof, it remains a proof. You might have an impaired proof, but it is always a proof by its nature. You do, however, inevitably damage the proof by doing anything collector-like to it. Honest. Nice set, though. I built my Mercury Dimes the same way. A dealer let me go through bags of Mercs and then I bought the tougher dates over the counter in the grades I needed for an attractive set. It was a good feeling. Congratulations!
