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 Replies: 15 / Views: 3,431 |
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Valued Member
United States
171 Posts |
As a novice numismatist, I am wondering if the premier proof sets (92-98) are a good buy and/or addition to my fledgling collection? They certainly meet the "collect what you like" criteria but I don't want to sink a bunch of money in something that's going to tank like my 100,000 piece collection of 80's baseball cards  Also, my newly wed wife suggested the other night that she could tape coins to her body to get me off this computer. Does that mean she is a coin widow already? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7629 Posts |
These are known as "prestige" proof sets, and from my own experience they are NOT a financial good deal. They are essentially normal proof sets with a fancy box and a commemorative half dollar thrown in. If you LIKE them, by all means collect them...but if you're looking for something that will gain value - forget it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
Quote:
I am wondering if the premier proof sets (92-98) are a good buy and/or addition to my fledgling collection? If you look up these Prestige Sets....you'll find that more than a few of them have actually gone DOWN in value from their original issue price, over the years.....not "up" in value. I agree with coppercoins..... not a good "investment" at all, but if you like them....that's all that matters. |
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Moderator
 United States
188130 Posts |
There are both Prestige Proof Sets and Silver Premier Proof sets.
The Prestige Proof Sets, minted from 1983 to 1997, included the regular five coins with a commemorative half dollar, dollar, or both in a fancy case. I have three of the Prestige Proof Sets, 1988, 1990, and 1991. The 1988 has an Olympic Dollar, the 1990 has an Eisenhower Commemorative Dollar, the 1991 has a Rushmore Dollar and Half Dollar.
The Silver Premier Proof Sets, minted from 1992 to 1992, are basically the same as the regular five-coin silver proof set, but with a fancier case. No commemoratives are included with it.
Ultimately you are paying more for the fancy case, the coins have no additional value over other packaged versions.
I do love my three Prestige Proof Sets. They were gifts from my mother, so they have the sentimental value.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
As jbuck says it is important to be sure which type of set he is talking about. While several of the Prestige set are less than issue some of them are WAY above. On the Premier sets only the first year is below issue. But as they say past performance is no guarantee of future trends. Also most of the increases in those sets took place years ago and they have been flat ever since.
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Valued Member
United States
160 Posts |
I got one from the year that I was born (1992) and I really like it. Nice case and it has both the olympic commemorative dollar and half from that year.
The thing about the set is that its not a silver proof set, all the coins are in proof quality except the commemorative dollar (which is about .7 ounces of silver), so its value isn't going to increase that much if silver continues to increase.
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Valued Member
 United States
171 Posts |
thanks guys for all the informative posts!!
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
I have a full set of silver premier sets and a full set of prestige sets.
My opinion: the silver premier sets are a screaming bargain. Their gray sheet price is almost identical to the regular proof sets and in one or two cases, even lower. (Go ahead, check!) I have found, over many years of looking through these sets, that the silver premier sets are packaged to a higher standard; they rarely have toned or otherwise compromised coins. And, of course, you get that nice case. If you are looking for silver proof sets from 92 to 98, it's a no-brainer. (To wit: these are not hard to find at shows at bullion value plus a couple of dollars!)
The Prestige Sets are a different matter. Some are very rare and quite collectible. Some less so. All have nice looking packaging, but for some years it can be hard to find sets sans considerable toning. I think the "bargain" quotient for these are less. The packaging is pretty but a bit "80's bulky" whereas the premier sets are compact, elegant and still quite modern-looking. (IMO, the packaging exceeds anything offered by foreign mints or the Franklin Mint.)
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
I agree with swiego, in that the premier sets are a bargain.
The way I see it the only way you can get the "silver" coins for our Dansco proof only dime,
quarter and half albums is to either break one of these sets or buy coins that have been broken
out of them. So each year more and more of these low mintage sets are broken open.
In my experience. For the 1995 and 1997 silver coins, if you need the silver dime and silver half dollar
it is cheaper to buy the sets and break them out, than it is to buy the those two coins individually.
For that reason I think these premier sets, 92 - 98 will continue to go up in value and become
harder to find.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
The way I see it the only way you can get the "silver" coins for our Dansco proof only dime,
quarter and half albums is to either break one of these sets or buy coins that have been broken
out of them. So each year more and more of these low mintage sets are broken open. Why not buy and break up the more common silver sets rather than the premier sets? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
From 1992 to 1998 .. I believe the only sets that had silver coins are the premier set.
Those years the mint sold mint sets, clad proof sets, Prestige set (clad proof set with commemorative coins)
and the premier set (with silver dime, quarter and half dollar).
What we call the silver proof set today did not start until 1999.
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
Not true, GoldRush58. The regular silver sets (as we know them) started in 1992. The same year, Silver Premier sets also debuted. Prestige sets also were available. In 1997, the prestige set was retired. In 1998 the silver premier set was retired, leaving today's "clad in a box" and "silver in a box" options, American Legacy sets notwithstanding.
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
Conder101, it is much easier to break up the regular sets than the silver premier sets. While the latter tend to be very high quality (not a lot of toning; sharp strikes, excellent cameo) they are hard to disassemble. As you may know, most modern plastic slab proofsets can be pried apart easily; I can do it with a fingernail. The silver premier sets are a lot harder to crack.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2150 Posts |
Quote:
Not true, GoldRush58. The regular silver sets (as we know them) started in 1992. The same year, Silver Premier sets also debuted. Prestige sets also were available. In 1997, the prestige set was retired. In 1998 the silver premier set was retired, leaving today's "clad in a box" and "silver in a box" options, American Legacy sets notwithstanding.  1992-1998 Silver proof sets, in the black boxes if I remember correctly. Edited by jokingjoker
12/15/2010 9:06 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
I had to go look .. and you all are right. I was under the impression that is was premier, because it was
silver coins. I apologise for giving the wrong information.
I have broke open sets from those years .. for silver coins .. and now I am not even sure which ones I broke open.
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Moderator
United States
188130 Posts |
The regular silver proof set looks like a regular clad proof set, just a lens and cardboard box. The silver premier proof set is fancier...  |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 3,431 |
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Posted 12/14/2010 11:13 am
