Why Should/Shouldnt You Collect Proof Coins?

Ive bought only 1 proof set and its the new 1812 set from Canada. The reason I bought it is because of the penny. Because it is made out of silver and gold plated. But other than that I don't collect them. I would rather buy a different thing like a coin or a key date

I don't mind proof coins and find most of them very nice. It doesn't alter the original coin or it's design (like when people color coins), it's made by polished dies. Same thing with specimen coins.

I must have over 70 proof and specimen coins up to now, I have 6 proof sets and 3 specimen sets.

they are really nice and I like them a lot and they also take a way better pic, but when talking to a dealer in lismore the other week he told me that they take to long to gain value so it depends if your wanting to buy because you like it or for profit..so it's all up to you He said mint or baby sets out here are the go for gaining value.

It's never been about the money with me. its all about the coins.
and mint sets are my favorite things to open up and put in my albums.
I can't see the point of having the sets intact and not being able to access your coins due to them being imprisoned in plastic .
They may well have more value as a set but that is not the way I collect coins

@trout

I have similar view as you...

I am quoting Peter , another coin community member

" Is a perfectly healthy and complete baby in any way better than a teenager who has payed outside, tired, scratched, bleeding at the knee and hungry or an old man, whose lifetime of hard work shows on his face? Shouldn't character, experience and having stories to tell account for something?"

Nice right? :)

Personally, I would never buy proof sets from the mint. For example, my dealer sells US clad proof sets for 3-6 bucks a pop. From the mint, they were several times that price. So for collecting modern proofs, my suggestion would be to collect up to a couple of years ago. For instance, many of the silver commems that are produced by the US mint sell for spot 3-4 years after their release.

Proof was never intended for circulation and in my opinion it isn't a real coin. The main purpose of Proof coins is to lure out money from collectors.

I enjoy collecting proof coins as well as circulating coins. I stick mostly to silver and have all silver proof sets from 1992 to date, all modern commemorative dollars, and ASE (except 1995 w) mostly purchased from the mint. I would like to add an Indian Head cent, Barber half, and Mercury dime to my set.

The draw back I have with the proofs is they are fragile and stains, prints, and fog are often a detraction to the original beauty of the coins. With that I have kept my modern proof in the capsules provided by the mint and have not found a display method that I can utilize. They are stacked in their government boxes and are cumbersome to view.

You cannot deny the beauty of a frosted cameo proof coin.