I just bought the 1970-1981 mint sets from mintproducts.com. Ive noticed half the sets are perfectly UNC with luster like they were just minted. And others are toned dark and pretty much look terrible (cartwheel is visible / and they are still in mint wrappers). Why is this if they are all in mint wrappers. Should I sendd back the ones that are toned? or is it hit/miss with older mint sets?
That's par for the course with most sites selling these mint sets, but not typical of mintproducts.com though. I would contact them and see if you can return/exchange the ones you do not like. If they won't do that, return the lot. TC
It is because mint wrappers are not airtight and coins can and will tone even in mint packaging. For that matter coins can and will tone in any kind of coin holder, including slabs.
Here are some pics: Here are some of the coins. On the Eisenhower it almost looks like there is a fingerprint on the left side, yet its in the mint wrapping?
in the 1976 mint set they are pverall a little darker and not as lustrous. the penny here has some nice toning (almost like wood/rainbow) and is more shiny than the picture shows. does anyone know about this? This Eisenhower has some spots and the kennedy seems to have a whiteish blotch in the hair. For the 1980 set shown it almost seems like a white corrosion/toning? Thanks for the help. Sorry for all the pictures.
Which would have happened during packaging. As I remember, the uncirculated sets back in the 70s, contained business strikes that went right into the cellowraps for those sets.
I agree with everyone else. I own every UNC set made going back to 1959. Some seem to fair better than others, but as time goes by I agree they all will achieve some toning regardless. However, I think that the quality of packaging may have some affect on how quickly they will tone, but's that's just my opinion.
Depending on how they are stored coins can tone even in government packaging. and mint set coins can have fingerprints on them.
