I'm new to collecting and have a question. I have all four of the Ike $ listed above. Is there more or less value by removing them from the mint "blue" cello packaging. I'm primarily a UNC silver bullion collector and generally store all my coins in Air-tites because I like the protection and display qualities. So I'm considering storing the Ikes in airtite also. Any suggestions? I have several Panda's that I will not remove from the double packaging they are shipped in for fear of somehow affecting resale values.
Wellllll - here we go again. How much is packaging worth ? There is no definitive answer to this question. To some folks it isn't worth spit. To others - it is EVERYTHING ! It just depends on who is buying the coin. I spent many years as a collector of original Proof & Mint sets. And if it wasn't in original packaging - I wouldn't even look at the set. But that was me. I could tell you hundreds other collectors who removed the coins from the package the day they got them. Some placed them in albums - some placed them in 2x2's and some placed them in Capital holders. Today - original sets do sell for premiums just because only a few exist any longer. And every day the number grows smaller. So what's the best to do ? I'm afraid only you can decide that.
If you are buying Ikes at bullion value, then I guess it doesn’t matter. But, if you are paying any sort of premium, then I say leave them in the mint’s packaging. The situation is simple: any Ike in mint wrap COULD be removed, but any Ike out of mint wrap can never be put back in. So, if it is in, it can stay in or come out. If it is out, it can never go back in. The one exception for myself would be if I had an outstanding example that I wanted to have graded and slabbed, or if I was specifically building a set that I wanted to display together. But even there, I would know that I was slicing some value off by removing them.
I agree wth JBK. If you are hoping to retain the highest value possible, I would leave them in the original packaging, unless there is one that is really outstanding and should be graded. As time goes by, more and more people are removing these dollars from their original packaging, making the originals more and more scarce. Who knows, the number may be cut in half in the next 5-10 years, at which point the ones in the original packaging may skyrocket in value. I would leave them in their original packaging and take that chance.
