1984 proof set... strange thing happening to the cents

Can anyone tell me what the deal is with these cents? I have two 1984 proof sets, among a few 83's and 85's and two 79's... but only the 84's have this issue. There is some kind of crap surrounding the cents... I was wondering if you guys could provide any insight to this problem. I have looked at the cases, they do not appear to have been tampered with, and only the cents have this issue; the other coins are relatively clean. Sorry for the quality of the pictures, I had to use my scanner. I am home for the weekend and left my camera at school :\

 

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Bad news, that's verdigris. Somehow moisture has seeped in and ruined the coin. There's no saving that coin now.

 

Well. Awesome. "Packaged by U.S. Mint"...

Thanks for your answer.

 

They can be replaced very inexpensively. A shop near me sells singles in that range for a quarter. Everything but the half for a buck.

I have some from 1964,5 and 6 and one or two have degraded.

0CD

 

That might be a good idea... I don't know if i'll ever be that much of a perfectionist though. I inherited the proof sets so it's not like I got ripped off or anything.

 

A lot of the purple sets from 84 to 93 have that problem, I've seen it over and over. probably part of the reason they are worth so little.

 

I figured I wasn't the only one that got the shaft... good to know. Thankfully those are the only two purple sets I have, the rest are black and blue.

Oh. I found an 85 proof set. I can see effects of verdigris on the cent, but it's not nearly as awful as the 84 sets. The dime and the quarter are starting to tone though, it's weird.

 

I've noticed the proof sets from this era, especially the mid-80's also get clouding of the half-dollar and quarter. I've had to replace a few of them. But, as you say, they are inexpensive to replace.

 

yeah, the half dollars and quarters in mine are cloudy looking.

 

I store all my proof/mint sets in ziplock bags with huge dessicant packs....I have not had this problem. A lot of the issue is improper storage IMO.

 

Those Lincolns need a shot of penicillin...stat.

 

That's probably the issue. They have never been opened from their packaging, they were ordered directly from the mint. I was the first to open them and see what the weather had done to them... they had been stored in a basement for years...

 

I have stored my coins in the basement in the past and ruined some of them. People have to remember that the proof set holders ARE NOT air tight, so moisture is a problem especially in damp basements. I was under the assumption this was common knowledge. The ziplock bag advice is probably the best way to protect proof sets.

 

Good advice. Proof sets aren't really my thing though, like I said, I inherited these, but I will be sure to pass that advice on.

 

Yep, that will do it ! Can't blame the US Mint for that one.

I have a Proof Set from '71 where the 1c got a spot of verdigris. Southeast Texas humidity.