Does anyone have a picture of a early 1950's box proof set (as opposed to a flat pack)?

dan1ecu · November 25, 2003 12:16AM

I'm just wondering what one looks like.

Thanks,

Dan

CarlWohlforth · November 25, 2003 12:23AM

There is a link to one a board member just won in this thread.

dan1ecu · November 25, 2003 12:28AM

Hi, Carl -

I appreciate the link!

Dan

Merc · November 25, 2003 12:49AM

That is interesting. Look at the rust around the staple! I like to collect the early proofs, but I have never seen them in an origional box. It might be nice to have them in an origional box, but I would free them from their cellophane wrapers and place them in something safer.

CarlWohlforth · November 25, 2003 1:45AM

My wife has two sets in the box. We think they are becoming scarcer in the original packaging because people keep breaking the sets up for one reason or another. The staples do rust and the coins should not be touching them.

Russ · November 25, 2003 1:57AM

The later versions eliminated the staples. No more rust, but the coins tend to develop a lavender toning.

Russ, NCNE

Conder101 · November 25, 2003 7:53AM

Russ, I was not aware that they eliminated the staples. As far as I know he staples stayed through the end of the boxed sets. The set you showed has had the coins removed from the original envelopes which were cellophane through all te boxed sets as far as I know. You coins look like they are in polyethelyne sleeves.

Russ · November 25, 2003 7:57AM

<< You coins look like they are in polyethelyne sleeves. >>

Which is what they switched to in mid-1954.

Russ, NCNE

dpoole · November 25, 2003 8:01AM

Wow, Russ. Good looking '54 set!

GDJMSP · November 25, 2003 11:13AM

<< 

<< You coins look like they are in polyethelyne sleeves. >>

Which is what they switched to in mid-1954.

Russ, NCNE >>

Russ is correct. But the '55 sets came in cellophane / box sets & flat packs. I always found it interesting that these plastic sleeves were not used on any of the '55 sets. Only in '54 were they used.

Russ · November 25, 2003 11:24AM

<< I always found it interesting that these plastic sleeves were not used on any of the '55 sets. >>

Actually, they were:

I've never seen a '55 boxed set where they weren't.

Edited to note: I just checked a '55 set and it's a combination of the new sleeve material and staples. So, while the mint didn't use the crackly stuff like prior to mid-1954, they did staple some of these.

Russ, NCNE

BillJones · November 28, 2003 12:40AM

Here's a 1952 set in the original box. This is one of 5 sets that was in an original mailer.

Sets from 1950 to mid way 1954 were in cellophane and stapled together. In mid 1954 and for all of the 1955 boxes the mint packaged the coins in the hazy plastic stuff and stapled the coins together. I believe that ALL box sets for the 1950 to 1955 era were stapled together. I've never seen an original set that was not.

The sets from 1936 to 1942 were a different story. At that time the mint sold that coins individually. You were not required to purchase sets. There I have seen those coins in the cellophane not stapled together.

BTW the cellophane did a much better job of preventing the coins from tarnishing. Over 90% of the plastic housed sets have dark ugly toning on the silver pieces. Yes, the cello is fragile, but if it is intact and the coins were stored in a reasonable place, they are usually pretty nice.

GDJMSP · November 28, 2003 5:38AM

<< Sets from 1950 to mid way 1954 were in cellophane and stapled together. In mid 1954 and for all of the 1955 boxes the mint packaged the coins in the hazy plastic stuff and stapled the coins together. >>

Hmmmmm - just goes to show ya we don't always know what we think we know. And yes that goes for me too. Here's a '55 Proof set in the cellophane. That's the only way I've ever seen them and I've looked at over a hundred. And the only book - at least that I know of - that was written on Mint & Proof sets states that the '55 came in cellophane & flat packs. It is also noted in the same book that '54 was the only year when the plastic sleeves were used. So I guess we can't believe what we read either as Russ sure has a picture of one.

Russ · November 28, 2003 5:49AM

Wow! I've never seen a '55 set in the crispy stuff, and I've looked at a zillion of them, (it's my birth year). I wonder if the mint had some leftover packaging and produced some?

<< And the only book - at least that I know of - that was written on Mint & Proof sets states that the '55 came in cellophane & flat packs. It is also noted in the same book that '54 was the only year when the plastic sleeves were used. >>

Tomaska's book on 1950 to 1970 proof coinage says that the supple stuff, (plastic sleeves), was used through the 1955 sets until they switched to the flat pack.

Russ, NCNE

GDJMSP · November 28, 2003 5:59AM

<< Wow! I've never seen a '55 set in the crispy stuff, and I've looked at a zillion of them, (it's my birth year). I wonder if the mint had some leftover packaging and produced some? >>

No idea Russ. Until I saw your pic I would have bet a lot that the '55 set was not issued in plastic. I've looked at so many sets because I collect the sets - regardless of year. I'm always looking to find a nicer example. The book I was referring to was United States Proof Sets & Mint Sets by Ron Guth & Bill Gale.

edit - So I guess both books are wrong

BillJones · November 28, 2003 6:14AM

Sorry to disagree, but I don't think that the cello bags with the long vertical lines are mint issued holders. You said that you are looking for really nice coins. The trouble is the vast majority of the 1954 and 1955 sets that the mint issued in the plastic stuff are not nice coins, at least the silver isn't. Most of the silver coins are toned with an unattractive brown to black tarish that does not dip very well.

I think that might explain in part with the bids for the 1955 box sets have historically been lower than the flat packs. I also thing that really nice 1954 sets are a bit underrated. Many 1954 sets are subject to the tarnish problems that I covered earlier.

Does anyone have a picture of a early 1950's box proof set (as opposed to a flat pack)?

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