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 Replies: 9 / Views: 3,331 |
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
I don't know much about coin collecting, but my husband has been purchasing proof sets and proof coins from the U. S. Mint for our daughters for a few years. Our house and the contents burned. The proof sets were in a fire safe. The coins seem to be okay, but the blue cardboard boxes and 'flip up cases' some are in are damaged. How will this affect the value of the coins? Thanks for your help!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
751 Posts |
Hi, welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune. I imagine that your coins are the least of your problems. Proof sets with missing or damaged packaging and COAs are worth less than if they were in-tact. By how much, I couldn't tell you though. Frequently, you can buy the goverment packaging for proof sets and commems, bullion, etc. on ebay for a few bucks. I don't have any to offer you, but I suspect that if any of our members have some of this material lying about, they will be very generous. Best of luck. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
652 Posts |
Really, the loss of packaging should not effect the price of the coin. However it does, as some people have 'packyboxyitis', where the packaging is more important than the coins. What are you buying? The box or the coins in it? Perhaps there is a positive side to this (my glass is always half full). If you can't replace the packaging, then consider breaking the set up and selling the coins individually. There are many people who do this and sell them on ebay, so there must be some profit in it. Search ebay to determine the price of the individual coins and make a decision based on that. I've been known to purchase Australian proof $1s to make a type set. There must be many others that are prepared to do the same thing. P.S. Didn't most slabbed proofs originally come from a set? Edited by Yass
10/10/2006 11:57 pm
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Forum Mom
 United States
5877 Posts |
I'm so sorry to hear of your misfortune. I'm glad that you found us, though, and I hope we will be able to help you out. I would not be as concerned about losing the original packaging as I would be about getting the coins out of the damaged packaging and into good holders that will protect the coins. There are quite a few empty holders/mint packaging on ebay right now. Here is the link: Empty Mint Packing on EbayBased on my own personal experience, I would suggest not purchasing any older date proof envelopes from Vernon Coin Center (seller ID vernon.coin) as he prints out new ones on his printer. He does not disclose this in his auctions. The auctions for regular Mint boxes and plastic holders should be okay, though. That way, you could have your proof sets still in the Mint packaging. I hope this helps and that you are able to recover from this disaster.  |
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Moderator
United States
23478 Posts |
As a positive note to you loss
I purchased some very lovely coins from a person in Texas who had a house fire. The original boxes were not in good condition (destroyed) but the coins were fine and some of them had some beautiful toning due to the fire.
don't give up hope.
Having survived a house fire myself in the past I wish you the best of luck
Cheers.
rggoodie
aka Richard
"catch em doing something right"
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Sorry to about the house fire. As to the coins. So much depends on which proof sets you have. Some of these are rather high priced and others are not. I would suggest getting a copy of the Red Book on coins. Look up the approximate value of each set.If substantially high you may want to consider leaving them alone. If not to high in price you may want to just get new plastic holders from the numerous coins supply places on the web. Also, a cheaper way may be to just order or buy some 2"x2" cardboard flips and transfer the coins in to them on a one for one basis. If you want to just have the original sets back I would suggest looking up local coin shows and visiting one for replacements of the ones you have that appear to be badly damaged. You mentioned you have been doing the buying for a few years now. If only for the last few years I wouldn't worry about those for now. The resent coins are easily obtainable. As already noted, with the fire I'm sure you ahve more important things to worry about than a few coins. |
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
First, let us all know what dates and types the sets were. Maybe someone here has some boxes and COA's they can send you. I also have a question. How were the boxes damaged if they were in the fire safe? Heat or water. I ask this for reference so in the future, us collectors can maybe give more protection if needed. Good luck to you in rebuilding your life and home. MM |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
This seems to be a lot of trouble. Coins particularly hate high heat and an abrupt sudden cooling. The most troubling is actually not the water damage to the case but actually how much water vapour got into the capsuled coins!!! Yes, this may sound ridicious but it can amd jas happened! (unless they are absolutely air tite which I don't believe so)
Depending on the extent on damage, while it may not seem that damaging on first impact, the question is how long the long term would effect the mint sets. Water vapour, moisture, humid etc are all the worst enemies of coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
Hi sewingnana57
Im so sorry to hear about the house fire !! I hope you and your family are safe ? this is the most important part !!
as for the proof set packaging ,, make sure that no moisture developes within the plastic cases,, they are not air or water proof . the coins should be removed from them to be on the safe side.
contrary to popular belief many of the proof coins sell for more as singles than in a set,, so if they happen to be left as singles not all is lost as far as value.
let us know the dates of the sets you may want packaging for,, it makes it easier to help if we know specifically what we are looking for.
welcome to the forum !! hope you stick around and enjoy all the info and fun we have here ,,
Rick
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New Member
 United States
2 Posts |
Thanks so much for the input on my question. You guys are great! I gained a lot of information and got it quickly. We are still in the process of re-establishing our life so I have not gone through the coins or responded as quickly as I should have. I hope to get back with more information soon.
To the one that asked, there was water damage to the boxes. With the one or two that I opened, the coins appear to be okay for now. Even the COAs in them looked fine. The coins were in fire safes, but one of them had a small hole burned in it. The safes were in one of the hottest parts of the fire. This was a MAJOR fire--27 years worth of 'stuff' reduced to about 3" of ash. The only items left were the fire safes.
Thanks!
T
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Replies: 9 / Views: 3,331 |
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Posted 10/10/2006 11:54 pm
