"Unopened Box" Early Proof Sets

If you are talking about the seller currently who has them listed.....notice there is no photos. No photos=stay away.

Now the 1950-55 sets can still be bought easily still in their unopened boxes. But inside when the mint packaged them, the coins were put into soft plastic sleeves and the ends of the slleves were stapled together. With varying amounts of humidity, that staple can rust and cause problems. I own a few sets still in the box and I have yet to open them. Yes, I am running the risk of staple issues. It is up to the collector.

Yeah, I couldn't stand it either. That's why I did buy a 1955 set like Onejinx. I carefully unfolded the staple and put each coin into an acetone bath and then into non-pvc flips. I saved the staple and plastics The half was nice, the dime had some haze.

Jim

I find it quite easy to control my curiosity. I think it has to to with the security clearance training I had in the service. If I did not have the security clearance I would never open the item, end of subject. I could still 'handle' an item I did not have clearance for, and occasionally did. The Marine guards at times used me as an access point guard for security items they were moving. I never turned around to look at what was being moved behind me.

This can really irritate my relatives! I have literally left presents unopened for years, if I am annoyed at the sender! And if I trust a trade partner, I leave unopened postal items on my desk until I 'get to them'. That can take a while.

Maybe it takes a certain personality type?

And I have many mint sets that have never been opened.

This to me is one of the silliest things about collecting anything. Unopened boxes. Same with Hot wheel cars if the package is unopened it is worth more. You see it all the time on the Antique Road Show on TV about "If this was in the original box it would be worth a lot more". I've opened every proof set and Mint set from way back in the 50's when I started to send in for them. They are mine, mine, mine. I don't care about the values opened or unopened. I just want to see what I've got and since they are MINE, I open everything. I used to collect those Hot Wheel cars and opened every single one and even raced them down tracks set up in my yard. Those too are mine so I can do what I want with them as well as coins. I've transferred some to hard plastic holders and others just stay in the package.
Might be a thing about getting old that some items of value are for fun and enjoyment.

I always knew you were different!



Absolutely!

It might be easier to just buy two sets, one to crack and one to keep.

Quote: I used to collect those Hot Wheel cars and opened every single one and even raced them down tracks set up in my yard.

I used to tie those vintage Star Wars figures to giant skyrockets and send them into space. I still have a few, but regret doing that! Kids will be kids.

I am one of the people that would leave it sealed as well (looks like I am in the minority). I like to try and keep everything exactly as it came from the mint if possible, so if I got a sealed box that had been sealed all these years I would never be able to open it just to satisfy my urge to look at the coins