Would You Open A Sealed Container of Chain Cents?

Coinosaurus · June 24, 2011 3:12PM

Let's take this issue of opening mint bags to a hyperbolic conclusion---

Suppose you had a sealed container of 1793 chain cents. Spectrographic & x-ray analysis suggests that they are all red uncs. A lock expert verifies that the mechanism is consistent with late 18th century usage in Philadelphia. A contemporary letter of transmittal (describing the exact contents) comes with the box, which has been verified by multiple document experts as authentic.

Are they worth more as is or if you open the container?

Billet7 · June 24, 2011 3:17PM

Huuuummmm. I know two things for sure, that this situation would be AWESOME, and that they would be worth more sold piecemeal...and I'm not sure about the latter.

Bochiman · June 24, 2011 3:22PM

Hell yes I would open it because at the price they would go for anyway, I would make enough off peacemealing them and keeping one or two that I wanted anyway.

Billet7 · June 24, 2011 3:23PM

<< Hell yes I would open it because at the price they would go for anyway, I would make enough off peacemealing them and keeping one or two that I wanted anyway. >>

Agreed...who wouldn't want to keep a few?

llafoe · June 24, 2011 3:27PM

You should never start new threads immediately after a dream!

Raybo · June 24, 2011 3:28PM

No way!
I like my copper brown.

AnkurJ · June 24, 2011 3:30PM

Yes.

Moldnut · June 24, 2011 3:44PM

Does a bear poop in the woods?

llafoe · June 24, 2011 3:47PM

<< Does a bear poop in the woods?

>>

Apparently he poops money... haven't you been following the coins he's been buying the past few weeks?

Moldnut · June 24, 2011 3:48PM

<< 

<< Does a bear poop in the woods?

>>

Apparently he poops money... haven't you been following the coins he's been buying the past few weeks?

>>

You can say that again!

renomedphys · June 24, 2011 4:33PM

This is a silly question.

PerryHall · June 24, 2011 9:41PM

This one is no brainer. I would send the unopened container and all the documentation to PCGS to get them slabbed with the first strike designation on the label.

BillJones · June 24, 2011 10:54PM

Take photos, document the mint packaging and then open it and sell the coins slowly over time.

You might get a really wealthy collector to buy the whole package at an astronomical price, but if that fails the cat will out of the bag and everyone will know that a large number of Red Uncs are hanging over the market. That would depress the price of the whole group. Make like the dealer who had control over the Mint State 1950-D nickel population did many years ago. Get rich slowly …

seateddime · June 24, 2011 11:17PM

closed boxes are meant to be opened.

fivecents · June 24, 2011 11:34PM

I would open them. Then VERY SLOWLY over time submit the very best examples to PCGS one coin at a time.

llafoe · June 24, 2011 11:40PM

<< This one is no brainer. I would send the unopened container and all the documentation to PCGS to get them slabbed with the first strike designation on the label. >>

With a special label in the SecurePlus EdgeView holders with gold bean and EagleEye stickers!

PTVETTER · June 24, 2011 11:49PM

AND then I woke up!

Barry · June 24, 2011 11:59PM

I'd list them on Ebay and be sure to cover up the "Made in China" stamp on the roll.

erickso1 · June 25, 2011 12:12AM

Museum, either on loan or sold, intact. Something like that wasn't kept together for all those years for me to tear apart and sell.

CaptHenway · June 25, 2011 1:39AM

<< Let's take this issue of opening mint bags to a hyperbolic conclusion---

Suppose you had a sealed container of 1793 chain cents. >>

Show me a link..........

astrorat · June 25, 2011 1:40AM

Meh ... not that much of interest to me (other than the historical significance)*. Now ... if it were a bag of double dimes found in Carson City ... now we're talkin'!

*I would first look carefully for the "Made in China" sticker.

Mowgli · June 25, 2011 1:57AM

To attempt to answer the point of this question - I would never buy any unopened bag/box/container and keep it that way. I'm a coin collector, not a container collector.

DuCrozat · June 25, 2011 2:02AM

I would open it up, clean the coins with brasso. Everyone knows that cleaned coins sell for way more.

TwoSides2aCoin · June 25, 2011 2:07AM

To the second question :

They're worth what someone is willing to pay, hypothetically... that could be ONE BILLION DOLLARS

Monstarcoins · June 25, 2011 2:13AM

Is Adrian Crane dearly missed?

SanctionII · June 25, 2011 3:01AM

Let's test even further limits to this sealed container of 1793 Chain Cents hypothetical.

For all of you who have stated that you would open the sealed container to get to the MS Red Chain Cents, assume that the sealed container of the 1793 Chain Cents was itself contained within "Pandora's Box".

Would you open Pandora's Box so you could get the sealed container of 1793 Chain Cents, or would you leave Pandora's Box closed?

devious · June 25, 2011 3:07AM

<< Let's test even further limits to this sealed container of 1793 Chain Cents hypothetical.

For all of you who have stated that you would open the sealed container to get to the MS Red Chain Cents, assume that the sealed container of the 1793 Chain Cents was itself contained within "Pandora's Box".

Would you open Pandora's Box so you could get the sealed container of 1793 Chain Cents, or would you leave Pandora's Box closed? >>

I suppose I'd drop my acid before doing so to create a more lively effect. Yes, I would open Pandora's Box.

P.S. If I got to open Pandora's Box, I'd let my sidekick open the chain cents and keep them, too.

19Lyds · June 25, 2011 5:30AM

Someone, will eventually open them so it might as well be me.

I feel the same way towards bags and original US Mint shipping boxes of proofs and unc sets.

If you do not actually play the lottery, you'll never win.