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Remaining Population of "Boxed" Proof Sets (1950 - 1955)
Higashiyama
Posts: 2,152 ✭✭✭✭✭
Does anyone have an estimate of the number of original proof sets from 1950 - 1955 remaining in their original boxes?
(To be considered original, I would want the coins to be in the original brittle cellophane, staple intact.)
They are quite neat things. The two I have (1952 and 1953) are surprisingly well-preserved, though I almost never look at them, to avoid damaging the cellophane. I have a fairly nice 1954, but don't consider it original, since the coins have been moved to softer plastic pouches.
Higashiyama
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Seems a shame, having coins you avoid looking at.
Not a criticism, just an observation...
@MasonG said: Seems a shame, having coins you avoid looking at.
Yes, I agree, though in reality, most of my coins are in the SDB -- I rotate a few at home, but would prefer to see them all much more often!
@Higashiyama I have no idea on an estimate, but many have been removed because the collectors want to look at the coins and want to avoid the problem you have. Not a criticism but just a statement
. Also a lot have been removed to save the coin’s grade or were removed to grade. So as each year passes, these get rarer and rarer, but no one really wants them except for the possibility to gain a high grade or variety (so they get removed anyways). It’s a confusing situation. 
Young Numismatist, Coin Photographer.
I have no idea what the remaining population may be.... I see them occasionally at gun shows, but the containers are usually quite 'ratty' and I pass them by. I always check any 1964 sets for AH Kennedy halves though. Cheers, RickO
Some 54/55 sets came stapled in a softer plastic pouches , not the brittle ones
Here is my 1954 proof set that I bought on 03/05/1992 for $64. When I bought it, I carefully removed the staple, which had a little rust on it. And, carefully removed the coins from the "brittle" cellophane. I placed the coins in the Capitol holder. I have the original staple and cellophane in the box, underneath the paper that came inside the box. I did not take them out to be photographed, because I didn't want to take a chance on tearing the old paper that is covering the staple and cellophane up. I want to keep it carefully packaged and undamaged. Although I rarely look at the original box, paper, staple and cellophane, I can see the coins whenever I want.
I look for these boxed sets. They are still around.
When I find sets that have not been tampered with (staple has not been removed and the mint cello is intact) my enthusiasm goes up.
These sets offer a collector the chance to find premium quality coins (i.e. Cameos, varieties and/or high grade coins worthy of slabbing) at modest prices.
Earlier this year I bought 4 1953 boxed sets that contained a "run" of Cameo half dollars. Pictures attached.
I sold these two sealed 1955 & 1954 sets on the BST here a bunch of years ago... I forget who purchased them, but they did let me know that they were all nice, a little hazy on the Franklins, but no cameo's.
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Click on this link to see my ebay listings.
@Coinhorder - did you buy that set at an international show? It looks the price is marked in Chinese as 60 yuan!
I believe I bought it at the Coin Cove in Roseville, MI.
That holder isn't by Capitol. The type font and screws are different from what Capitol used. It is one of several other similar brands that were popular during the pre-slab era. Does anyone know the actual maker of the holder?
In fact, that is a Cot-Well coin holder. That particular type of screw post & font is typical of their holders. Long ago, in the bargain boxes at Harlan J Berk in Chicago, they had some old/new old stock individual coin Cot-Well holders I was happy to get. Very high quality, and like the higher-end Capital Plastics of the time, machined edges with a stamp to indicate how to assemble the holder. Unlike the straight line at an angle that Capital Plastics used, the edge mark for these was a CW monogram. :-)
Found some Cot-Well images from a recent eBay auction (which I didn't see in time!) but it's a nice example of how these came packaged. With only a small slip of paper to identify them by brand, once that was discarded, many probably forgot the brand name.
Notice also that as these were manufactured, sometimes a font would change (wider on the blue denominations above, thinner, more condensed font on the translucent red example.) Both are definitely Cot-Well holders, though.