Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;yarm, post: 144657, member: 5795&quot;]<b>Proof sets dismantled</b></p><p><br /></p><p>I, too, had quite a stash of proof sets from the 50&#039;s and early 60&#039;s that I could have simply sold off intact. I decided to have some fun and see what was in all those envelopes and Capital holders. The first few sets I opened from 1955 and 1956 certainly didn&#039;t look like &quot;matched sets&quot;!&nbsp; Two of the cents and one of the nickels were spotted and hazy while the other denominations looked fine (to the naked eye). The pre-55 sets in Capital holders were also a mixed bag. I seemed to have purchased a couple of sets more for the beautiful holders than beautiful coins. Nevertheless, some gorgeous coins did emerge as I went along. The packing had basically made it impossible to see the coins! Some had the potential for grading and sale (using 1/2 of the PCGS $ guide) but that assumed I was in the ballpark on my grading. My birthday gift during this process was a magnifying lamp which starkly revealed that some of the Capital coins had been brushed on the devices leaving hairlined areas. So where am I going with this:</p><p><br /></p><p>1) Some of the coiins have made and will make nice &quot;birth year&quot; gifts. I&#039;ve never been a big Franklin half fan, but they made a big hit with a few of my buddies even though they were PR65 at best! I&#039;m putting together nicely matched year sets for the same purpose.</p><p><br /></p><p>2) Some of the coins were sent off for grading. I have no use for 19 half dollars from 1956 but the little &quot;grading set&quot; of TPG coins I&#039;ve put together suggests that some of them will more than pay their way. </p><p><br /></p><p>3.) Many stunning coins are not worth paying for grading. Nevertheless, some of the toned and cameo coins are spectacular! I&#039;m assembling the best of the best of these into Capital holdiers just to have a run of beauties.</p><p><br /></p><p>4) Variations in Mint packaging over the years seems to have had an influence on the preservation of the sets. Some years just stunk (even though they were all kept in low humidity boxes over the years.) </p><p><br /></p><p>5) To fend off collectors who saw imperfections in their proof sets, the mint had issued various statements with their sets like &quot;Your proof set has been carefully inspected etc. etc.&quot; This is why I have retained and will cherish my mint packaged proof set with the spider in one of the compartments! </p><p><br /></p><p>6) I still can not distiguish PR67 from PR68 but I&#039;m pretty comfortable sorting things into the &quot;old&quot; subjective categories of Choice, Gem and Superb Gem. If there&#039;s something worth having graded, I&#039;ll let the pros sort out the number. </p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m glad I spent the time and effort to get to know what I had and learn a bit about the gradiing process.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in