Proof Sets Vs. Proof Coins

Me, I only want the one or two coins in the set (ie- Kennedy half, Ike dollar). I think some are willing to pay more for just that particular coin. I have no qualms about saving a couple bucks and opening a set to take out what I want.

Proof sets are packaged by the US Mint and there's no telling what has happened to them since they've been released. You can find some neglected proof sets out there. Also, you have to realize that the quality of the coins do very from set to set.

3rd Party Grading has solidified the Grading Scale from 60-70 and has caused prices of choice proof coins at the top end of that scale to carry a higher perceived value. Your run of the mill proof set may have coins that are PF70, but more likely than not they don't.

From what I can tell based on the population charts most post SMS proofs are usually PF67-69 with most recent proofs at PF69 and a significant minority of PF70. Getting a pre 1964 Proof at PF69-PF70 is highly unlikely- with your run of the mill proof coin being PF65-66.

What breaking up your modern sets and having them graded does is put them in a better holder and apply a numismatic professionals evaluation of the coin's quality.

Most sets, whether they are OGP proof sets or sets assembled in albums, are worth less that the total of the individual coins. This is the nature of our hobby. People like to build sets and usually only need certain coins.

Why pay for five coins when you only need one? A smart buyer will buy a set, keep they coin(s) they need, and sell the rest. This procedure usually brings the actual price of the needed coin(s) down to a price that is well below what the coin(s) would have been individually. However, you have to consider time in the final price. A lot of people do not want to hassle with selling the unwanted coins, so they are willing to "pay more" to get the individual coin(s).

Remember when you go out to buy a single Proof coin from anyone, your also paying for their work in sending in for them. Then they have to break the coins out of that holder. Then put them into something one at a time. Anyone can have the complete set but to have just one coin from a set, someone had to produce that.
Now that person would like to get about $20/hour, paid for the 2x2, paid for the table at a coin show, etc. So that is why your separate Proof coins cost so much.

Since I've already cracked the case to get the coin I wanted, I have already compromised whatever seal existed that protected the coins, so, no, I remove them all and store them in another manner (in my case, 2x2's).




So my labor cost is around $10.00. It takes me less than 30 minutes to crack a case and put the coins in 2x2's. Although it can be "dangerous". I use my trusty pocket knife to pry and crack the glue around the edges. One slip of the blade and I risk a cut thumb.