The quickest way to render a beautiful 1961 US Proof set, worthless . . . . !

I actually like the idea and would love to have one for my office desk. Nice gift to a coin collector, especially if it comes from a family member. I hope you’re going to keep it.

 

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Of course I am! It came from my daughter.

 

I inherited this, it now sets on my desk. Diamond shaped.

 

I received one as my CT Secret Santa gift in 2018...

 

The floor looks like epoxy, with a special finish that’s created by adding a fine, metallic pigment to the surface before it cures, then spreading it with a solvent (usually alcohol).

 

It may or may not be repairable, depending on how deep the yellowing is. After some years of UV and/or ozone exposure, many older plastics will begin to yellow and even craze (exhibit small, hairline-cracks) at the surface. Modern plastics tend to have additives that will inhibit this effect. If the damaged material can be removed, you will have temporarily solved the problem. My guess is that there may be something you could coat it with after restoration to prevent further damage, however I’m not aware of anything right off.
FWIW, I bought a 1952 proof set encased in a damaged acrylic block on eBay a few years ago for a few bucks above spot. With gloves and a hammer, I managed to free all of the coins and only damaged the nickel in the process. After a soak in solvent to remove the excess plastic and a purchasing a replacement 1952 proof nickel, I made out ok by relisting it on eBay. It wasn’t really worth the effort though.

 

I’m not sure why but I really like the stupid things. Just had to put up a new shelf

 

That actually makes a very handsome display. You even have a couple of Lucite entombed Morgan’s!

 

I remember a craft/hobby store I frequented in my teenage years sold supplies for making Lucite casts -- molds, cans of monomer, and bottles of catalyst. I thought about making some things with it, but the materials were too expensive.

(I was surprised to see that the catalyst was an organic peroxide, I think benzoyl peroxide. I'd just learned about organic peroxides, and how unstable they were -- they have a nasty habit of exploding when concentrated. It was only a year or two later that benzoyl peroxide hit the market as an over-the-counter acne treatment.)

 

And it does a bang up job of striping the color out of towels and carpets too when the teens wipe it off their face or spill it.

 

Yep, I remember having quite a few T-shirts with bleached-out necks. Getting old is no picnic, but youth wasn't all sunshine and puppies either, was it?

 

YIKES!

I think I bought this entombed quarter for $2

 

I've bought a couple over the years.
Here's one I bought at the Philly mint, it's been the same temp since I purchased it.