So I was reading a few threads about coin sets being broken up - obviously it has happened a few times Dude: Wow grandma a birthday gift thanks!!! Grandma: Hope you like it. *Dude rips present up and finds mint set - gets terribly upset to find out less than it has less than 5 dollars in face value in them" Dude: Thanks... (geez she doesn't have to be so stingy- what can I do with $1.91?!?!?!?!) A few hours later dude spends them. And there is someone in this forum that had a boy spend a $100 platinum coin. Platinum value alone is already very high... I guess that's where you gotta thank these people at times
More common than many think. I used to and still do give proof and uncirc sets for Christmas. The people that get them are now old enough to know what they are but way, way back they didn't realize that they were anything special. Luckily thier parents did and they were all saved otherwise as mentioned, they would have gone for candy, gum balls, etc.
As a kid, my grandfather spent an indian head on a gumball back in the day, and when his mom found out, she made him start collecting coins. Look what he has now, an 1888 $20 Gold Liberty Proof!
As a kid my parents gave me my allowance in Silver Dollars. Naturally I spent them. However, this was back in the 1940's so a Silver Dollar was a dollar. So I did what any kid would do with a dollar, spend it. Why would any kid think that someday they would be worth more than what was stated on the coin. We also spent Silver Halves, Silver Dimes, etc. They were just money.
I have run into a few proofs searching 1/2 dollar rolls, so someone must be breaking up sets unless a few slip out of the mint.
back in the late 60's early 70's, grandpal ran a snoe cone truck through the town. my mom helped him out and said they used to get silver dollars, franklins, mercury dimes, and indian head cents almost everyday. back then they didn't think of it as being worth anything but face. my grandpal did set aside a 1895 no joke morgan dollar he got while on that route. i don't know if it has a mintmark, but its a 1895.
I have 7 nephews. Three by one brother and wife and four by another brother and wife. Years ago I gave them all proof sets of their birth year. Thay all still have them and the oldest is now 30. None have turned into collectors. They have them because their parents stressed that they were a special gift from the uncle that lives for coins.
