Proof sets and indivdual coins prices, ??????

trafficguy155

If proof sets contain such high quality coins that we break them down. Why doesn't the entire sets as whole reflect the higher price that we would get for that one coin. My 50 Franklin MS 66 by itself 500+,It is worth more then the whole set 400++, when all coins are graded equally. Is it because they want us to break the set down so they can charge to grade each indivdual coin, instead of grading it as 1 set, one charge .

BillJones

Run of the mill (average quality) Modern Proof singles have always been a bad buy. In the old days the half dollar was usually the coin people wanted most to put into Kennedy half dollar sets and the like. Dealers would break the sets, sometimes sell the half dollar for more than the whole set was worth, and sell the rest of the coins for whatever they could get. The desirability order was usually cent, nickel or dime, and the quarter last.

Today many of the older sets have had the best coins cherry picked from them for sale as high grade Proof singles. That means that you buy a 1950 proof set, for example, at the going proof set rate, the coins will be mediocre at best. It also explains why the Gray Sheet bids for 1950 proof sets have now become lower than for 1951 sets. The 1950 coins are still scarcer, but since the 1950 Proof coins were often poorly made, the coins that are now in most 1950 sets are pretty much the dregs. The 1951 coins, on average, will be better quality.

Recently I had some new collectors ask me if they should purchase some 90% silver Proof state quarters as sets or if they should purchased them as slabbed singles. The slabs they were thinking about buying were NOT high grade. The price was $30 to $35 per coin in PR-65 and 66. I told them to buy the sets if they wanted representative examples of the coins. The slabbed coins were nothing but traps IMO. They were WAY overpriced.

If you want really exceptional high grade coins, slabbed Proof singles in grades like PR-69, cameo might be for you. But you just want nice attractive coins, carefully selected complete sets will save you money and be your best buy.