Unopened proof sets

I would like some advice. As many of you know, there are so many of these ebay listing for "unopened " proof sets. Recently I bought a 1962. I opened it, and to my pleasant surprise, found a really nice set with a great cameo obverse Franklin half. I was hooked. The seller I purchased it from was sold out. I bought a different one from a different seller. I opened that one, and what did I find?? On the cellophane packaging was a sticker with ink writing on it, clearly put there by a shop owner, collecter, etc. After an angry email, the seller offered a full refund. Can anyone point me in a direction where I could possibly purchase some of these, and have them truly be unopened? Thanks.

 

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Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I could have sworn I've read there's no such thing as official "unopened" envelope proof sets. That is to say they were issued by the government in envelopes that weren't sealed. With this in mind, it is not so surprising you received one that had writing on the cellophane packaging.

 

http://www.usmint.gov

 

Not exactly true, A few years back I sold 20 unopened sets that were still in the original shipping box unopened. I sold them for a friend and the box went for $600. - Buyer never told me what he found inside. They were truly unopened sets!

 

The sets in that box may have become sealed due to humidity, but those envelopes were shipped by the mint unsealed.
The sets in that box may have never been searched, but when individual sets are sold, rest assured that they have been searched.

 

Wow. Thank you. I feel real dumb now. I got caught up in the excitement of finding treasure.

 

I have no idea if the sets in the box were sealed or not, just the otter box was sealed which prevented me from determining what the condition of the sets inside were. I have no doubt that the sets shipped unsealed and what ever happened during the 50 years in a closet - happened. Hope they were all cameo franklins with a ting of nice toning on the outer edges of the coins. That said, these sets were truly unsearched and no one can dispute that.

 

Wait. Are you telling me that a 1956 set purchased in 2015 shouldn't have an advert from 2010 inside the sealed envelope? Lol

 

The box like I sold is a one in a million find. The likelihood that you will find any unsearched sets is extremely unlikely.

 

Don't feel dumb.........we've all been through something like this and praise the Lord for this site of knowledgeable collectors.

 

And Darryl? Had that box been mine I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to tear into it.

 

I've been right where you are, Nathan.
I was taken in on a few of those.
(I won't say how many, but I did get lucky selling them when silver went over $40.)
I finally learned the truth here.

 

The $600 it would have cost me to do so just wasn't worth it - imagine spending that much money to find a badly toned and spotty group of coins. It would have made me sick. Would rather dream that the new owner found fresh cameo's.

 

Well, if you never heard back from him I'm guessing he didn't find anything great, or else he had another buyer lined up and just
re-sold the unopened box.

 

I wouldn't go that far. About 8 years ago, Scotsman Auction had several listings for unopened shipping boxes postmarked 1956, 1957 & 1958. In total, there were about 100 sets in those packages. I know for a fact that they were not tampered with in any way because I know the person who wrote the descriptions for them, and he is above reproach.

Chris

 

Maybe it's my nature, but I can't imagine anyone getting a proof set back then and not opening it. My father and I couldn't wait to tear into them.

 

Same. I could care less about re-sale value. I never sell.

 

You should.

 

I would.