| Author |
 Replies: 28 / Views: 4,019 |
|
Valued Member
United States
315 Posts |
Im buying a lot of proof sets. Today it occurred to me: what am I actually collecting? For investment purposes, I should get multiples of one year. Is one set enough for me to be satisfied? Also, do you guys consider quarter sets separately from whole sets? Pre-1999, its easy, one set for one year. After that though, you get lots of sub sets. Should I collect a set of State Quarters knowing that I already have them as part of the full set? Opinions welcome. My main question: if you were collecting proof sets, would you go single examples of one year? *** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. *** |
|
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
If I were collecting them Id do one set I was happy with maybe two sets if it was a special year to me or a year I really liked.
You mentioned investment purposes though and for that I wouldnt bother. The only ones Id even consider for that would be pre 1955 and really would only consider the 40s and 30s ones.
|
|
Valued Member
 United States
315 Posts |
I think those older sets are too late, buying them now won't see as much of a return as say a 65-70 set now at 6 ea.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
4591 Posts |
Collecting or Investing?
For collecting I would prefer as wide a view as possible of the best of the best of each coin.
For investing I would cherry pick based on lower mintage recognizing that NOTHING modern is that rare and so nothing will really rise all that much.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
IMHO, there's nothing to gain by collecting modern proof sets for investment purposes. There have been tons of them produced for every year, and looking at their track record, they'll never increase in any significant amount in the future. Collect them at your own risk if only for that sole reason...
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Quote:
I think those older sets are too late, buying them now won't see as much of a return as say a 65-70 set now at 6 ea. Their rarity caused their value to rise and over time fewer sets will have survived in good condition. Those 65-70 sets have had 40+ years and still only cost 6 dollars, they may have actually lost value from their issue price. Anything that basically goes a lifetime with little to no increase I dont see an investment upside too. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
Those 65-70 sets have had 40+ years and still only cost 6 dollars, they may have actually lost value from their issue price In real terms they have. The 1968 set cost $5 from the mint. Just to keep up with inflation (break even) after 44 years it would need to be $20 now not $6. So it actually represents a $14 loss. Oh and during that period silver went from $2 an oz to over $20. Not something I would consider for possible future returns. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Unfortunately I do collect those dumb things. By dumb I mean sort of a waste of money, time and space. I've got several boxes of them. I USED to keep them in the original boxes they came in to keep their value. However, after many, may years I realized I'd need a separate house just for those. So I ended up taking all the original boxes and dumping them. Still ending up with many boxes of them. Used to get 3 to 5 a year for myself. Then down to 2, then only one and now NONE. I made a list of all of them and showed it to several dealers for an estimate as if I was going to sell them all. All prices were for far less than I paid for them all. And I mean FAR LESS.
They just sit in those boxes, no one sees them including myself. My worst mistake as a collector.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7190 Posts |
As many have said proof sets are not a avenue for profit, but I do add the silver proof sets to my collection each year. By doing this I maintain my collection of "silver" Kennedy halves, Washington quarters, and Roosevelt dimes. It allows me a type set of the ever changing quarters as well as the presidential and American Indian dollars. To me the clad sets may be pretty but hold no real value potential. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1817 Posts |
The only proof sets really worth getting are the silver proof sets issued from 1992 on. The only proof coins I like are the 90% silver dimes, quarters and halves, and sometimes those can be found in rolls priced at junk silver spot. The only exceptions to the rule are the proof sets from last year, the collectors and dealers that bought in bulk are making out like a bandit, the regular proof set is around $80-$100 and silver proof set $150-$175! No such luck for the 2013 proof sets, though, especially if they are going to be sold throughout 2014 as rumored
Edited by Bizybackson
11/07/2013 12:50 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2543 Posts |
My son and I collect all the specialty proof sets. We have two sets of the premier silver proof sets. We have all the Prestige sets except the 1995,1996. We have all the Legacy Sets except 2008. And we have the 2012 Special Edition Silver Proof set.
Do we collect them as an investment Not so far.... lol, but they are all very cool and fun to look at and fun to display in our collection cabinet. And my son is always a hit at show n' tell at school.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
The only exceptions to the rule are the proof sets from last year, the collectors and dealers that bought in bulk are making out like a bandit, the regular proof set is around $80-$100 and silver proof set $150-$175! Wait a few years and you will probably be able to get them for less. The regular 1995 proof set at one time ran up to $150. Today it's about $8 to $9. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Quote:
In real terms they have. The 1968 set cost $5 from the mint. Just to keep up with inflation (break even) after 44 years it would need to be $20 now not $6. So it actually represents a $14 loss. Oh and during that period silver went from $2 an oz to over $20. Not something I would consider for possible future returns. Even if you dont consider inflation a 1 to 3 dollar increase over 40+ years is a miserable return on anything. Do you happen to remember what they sold for in the early 2000s? I'm just wondering if they benefited at all from the silver run up making their price look better than it would be without the silver halfs for the years that has them in it. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
8137 Posts |
I would not turn to proof sets as an investment. No one wants them and a certain year only goes up for a few years. If you are really convinced that you will make a profit then I would go for the silver proof sets.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2543 Posts |
Quote:
I would not turn to proof sets as an investment. No one wants them Apparently somebody wants them 2005...........2,275,000 2006...........2,000,428 2007...........1,702,116 2008...........1,405,674 2009...........1,477,967 2010...........1,103,950 2011...........1,098,835 2012.............794,002 |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
8137 Posts |
Those mintages most likely show the decline of interest in proof sets. Less and less sets are being made every year because no one will buy them.
|
| |
Replies: 28 / Views: 4,019 |
Posted 11/06/2013 10:16 pm
