How important to an item is the cardboard box it came in?
Collectorburg
Posts: 6
My dad kept the various collections in the US mailing containers they came in. I'm talking about proof sets, uncirculated coin sets, special collections (like 1995 Olympic Atlanta Centennial Games), all of varying years. Now that I am in charge of them I find that some of the individual sets are stuck together and that separating them would either destroy or severely damage that cardboard. The coins themselves are still in their plastic containers and in excellent condition. I read somewhere that certificate of authenticity is important and I think I can recover most if not all of those. Thanks for the help.
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If the coins are in certification holders like those offered by our hosts, none of these items matter in almost all cases.
I've tried to put this in laymen's terms since you don't seem to be a collector.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
To my cat, the cardboard box is everything!
That is funny!
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Shipping boxes from the US Mint? I've never had these stick together either and even if they did, they're just shipping boxes with no real value.
Can you post some pictures?
The name is LEE!
This one is the least of the problems.
The damage shown in your pic doesn't look like a deal breaker to me. But perhaps some are stuck worse.
If it were me, I'd get them separated as soon as I could.
I picture carefully using an exacto knife to slice the connection when gently pulling them apart.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
I know of no way to separate them without damage.... just use as much caution as possible.
Welcome aboard......Cheers, RickO
Those sets will sell, but prices will be low. They would bring more in my local club's monthly auction, not enough to make it worthwhile.
Any ideas on how to separate them?
Steam. Then you might be accused of attempting to doctor them so be cautious.
Anyway, show me the coin, brothers and sisters.
Any ideas on how to separate them?
Steam. Then you might be accused of attempting to doctor them so be cautious.
Anyway, show me the coin, brothers and sisters.
You could also use an eye dropper to apply small amounts of water to the space between the boxes where they are stuck. Even put a tiny drop of liquid dish soap in the water to help it penetrate the card stock. Wait and separate. If the boxes are the type that collapse flat, you can press them with a warm (not hot) teflon coated iron. Likely too much work for the potential gain though.
Any ideas on how to separate them?
Steam. Then you might be accused of attempting to doctor them so be cautious.
Anyway, show me the coin, brothers and sisters.
You could also use an eye dropper to apply small amounts of water to the space between the boxes where they are stuck. Even put a tiny drop of liquid dish soap in the water to help it penetrate the card stock. Wait and separate. If the boxes are the type that collapse flat, you can press them with a warm (not hot) teflon coated iron. Likely too much work for the potential gain though.
Doesn't matter what you do, the color will come off those old glossy boxed proof sets very easily, and stick to the other box. (Even the black ones.)
The mint changed to a textured surface at some point that doesn't have this problem, but those 60's and 70's proof set boxes are extraordinarily easy to ding up.
I opened two of the boxes to check.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDD crap!
The penny is corroded
The nickel looks a little messed up and there is some discoloration on the quarter
The dime on this one is spotty and the quarter has some discoloration.
So there is some damage to these coins. I think I will need to open each box to see how bad it really is
But the set is not very nice, and is not worth much more than the face value plus the silver value in the half dollar, which is a 40% silver coin.
This what can happen with improper storage. Having a safe in your attic or your garage is not a good thing because of the temperature changes and humidity. I've learned that it's not even a good idea to store coins in a closet in your house that is on an outside wall, even if you keep the temperature constant in the house. You even have to careful about where the bank safe is for your safe deposit box.
Coins fare best when they are taken out and enjoyed once and a while.
Like this. The contents of the box are pristine, it's just the box that is hozed.
This one is the least of the problems.
Looks like you've figured out how to post photo's!
As for the proof sets, Ouch! Something has gotten between them and most "proof set" collectors aren't going to like this type of damage.
However, for 1969, I don't think it's very important since even the best looking cardboard isn't going to add value to a set which can typically be had for $5.00 or less.
However, if there are frosty "cameo" coins in the set, a serious collector won't give a hoot about the box!
These sets, 1968-1970 are relatively cheap in the market place as they are readily available and in some cases, can even be purchased in original sealed US Mint shipping boxes for the right premium. Individual raw sets are close to a dime a dozen for average looking coins.
PS - Proof Sets for the years 1968 through 1983 did not come with "Certificate's of Authenticity" I think that started in 1984. Maybe someone has a 1984 laying around to validate.
Judging from the photo's you've posted, your sets look pretty much trashed. The Kennedy "might" survive a dip in E-Z-Est but generally speaking, your set has a value of $2.09 for the Kennedy plus .41 cents.
What I would do is crack the case open by carefully twisting it in my hands and then carefully use a knife of some type to separate the two halves. The black background is a plastic insert that the coins a pushed into from the top side.
I'd pop the Kennedy out, give it a quick dip and store it in a 2x2. The other coins, I'd look for doubled dies (which is a totally other specialized area of collecting) and probably just spend them as pocket change.
But that's just me. The last 1969 Proof Set I sold on eBay went for $3.25 plus $2.25 S/H. Had I not charged $2.25 S/H, the set would have sold for $1.00 net.
Of course, this is not to say that you don't have some valuable coins but only a professional numismatist could make that determination and most won't even bother with Modern Proof Sets.
Best of Luck.
The name is LEE!