Proof Sets/Worth it

Am I just wasting my money? I've been buying them for years and I have seen sets that are 20-30 years old selling for less than issue price. Unless there was an error or a rare issue (like the 1970-d) it doesn't seem that they have increased in value.

 

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Proof sets, outside of cherrypicking for extremely high grade or varieties, have proven to be terrible investments by and in large. That is unlikely to change, but who among us can really predict the future?.....Mike

 

I agree. It's very difficult to make any money buying proof or mint sets, the mintages are too high. If you are looking to make money on U.S.Mint releases, look for low mintage stuff like the First Spouse series (I personally like the liberty subset because they used old U.S coin designs on the obverse) -- or coins that have broader collector appeal using old U.S. coin designs, but with a lower mintage like the 2001 Buffalo Silver Dollar or the 2009 High Relief $20 Gold Coin. You can make a killing on those if you hold on to them for a few years and then get them graded by PCGS or NGC.

 

While liking my acquisitions to increase in value in the future, I know the harsh reality of purchasing these sets and seeing no appreciation in value. But that's not why I buy them. I've been purchasing these "year" sets since I was 12 and that was a long time ago. Can't break an old dog of old habits. Even if you keep sticking his nose in it he continues to do the so called wrong thing. Thing is, I don't think it's the wrong thing to do. At least for me. I enjoy my collection of proofs and uncirc's. I didn't buy them to invest, I bought them to collect.

 

100% correct, green18 ...

 

I recently put a duplicate 2006 proof state quarters set up on eBay in an open auction with no reserve just to see what it would sell for. I think I paid around $12.00 for it from the US mint.

The sucker sold for for $3.27, yes that's not a misprint Three Dollars and twenty seven cents! You practically can't give the things away. In fact the buyer paid almost as much in shipping as he did for the proof set.

You know what though. I still have one from every year, because I think they're pretty.

 

As I've noted on another thread, the price of clad proof sets has plummetted since the recession of 2008. You can now find 1999 clad proof sets for $20/each and other 2000-2006 sets for about $10/each. The clad proof sets from 1970-1998 aren't doing much better. I've been picking them up at auctions in the $5-$6 range for most years.

 

i bought a proof set in 1968 and 1969 because I was 12 (a new collector) and was curious and needed the S mint kennedys for my kennedy half album.

i bought a silver proof set in 2000 because of the state quarter excitement and the new dollar coin

and i bought a silver proof set in 2010 because the silver content and face of the coins was close to the selling price

so i have a few of these

my 2010 proof set is beautiful and I am glad i bought it ... (it's my favorite)
14 coins total: 7 of them silver and 5 $1 coins ... all perfect looking cameo's
i have it propped up next to my monitor

but i doubt I'll make any money on these (unless silver continues to climb)

 

Back in 1969, those '68 proof sets were a hot item. There was a lot of collector interest because they were the first proof sets that had been issued since 1964, and they were the first proof sets to bear the S mintmark. Advertisers in the August 1969 issue of Coinage magazine were selling 1968 proof sets for as high as $13.00.

 

good memory Collector1966! you want to know the sad thing ... i bought mint sets in 68 and 69 as well ... then lost interest in 70 ... and it was the 70 mint set that exploded higher because of the 1970-D Kennedy, only being available in Mint sets ... i remember in 1971, the 1970-D Kennedy selling for $50 in the frenzy ... much cheaper today I think

 

Proof Sets

I bought a couple of silver quarter proof sets (2004) for $7.50 each last fall. I think they've gone up in value since then!

I always think the best thing to get it what interests you. I like the proof sets myself and when you can get some for $4 or $5 each, how much are you really risking with that?

You can always crack them open and spend the change if you need to.

 

I remember the hullabaloo about the '70-D-- only available in mint sets, and it was going to be the last uncirculated silver half to be issued. I don't remember how much that one was going for at the peak, but $50 sounds about right. I had this crazy idea that I was going to find one in circulation, so I never bought one. Of course, I never did find one in circulation.

 

Proof, mint sets are GREAT to collect.

They contain a unique chance to find a rare coin (2000 Near AM Proof-$1,000) as well as various unique (early 1960's doubled die dimes, for instance). I bought a 1962 Proof set for three dollars. In it there was a doubled Roosevelt dime. There are strikes of one, or two doubled die dimes in the early 60's that are so rare they don't even list the price. My 62 DDO is 1/1. No others known. You can pick up 2000 proof sets for five dollars. That's awesome. I bought a 2000 proof set that has doubling on three of five quarters- or it may be MDD. Either way, the toning makes it a hundred dollar set as all the quarters are so beautifully toned. Don't give up on the proof and mint sets. When the Mint issued the first series of Presidential dollars, they issued a Signature dollar in it's own binding. They discontinued it due to low sales. Now those first issues command over a hundred dollars a coin. Highest grade available. And right now, the mint is selling a set of three State Park quarters for like 13 bucks. It looks to me, novice that I am, that the proof finish is different. If that pans out, whadda ya think those will sell for?
So yes it's costly at times. But every once in a while we get an unexpected perk- a rare coin or two. After all, you will at least have the whole set. That counts for everything to a true collector.

 

And 40 years later, before silver went crazy, they were still available at around issue price or a little less. Issue price was $5. No as a general rule Proof sets and mint sets have been LOUSY investments

 

I bought one of those 1968 proof sets for sentimental reasons a couple of years ago for $6, less than half of the 1969 price. It is a beautiful set-- I don't think I could sell it.

 

HSN or similar was claiming (couple days ago) that 2010 mint sets are going to go way up because it;s the last year for the satin finish half dollar. They were trying to sell 2010 50C 5pc set for $25. 2010 P&D circulation, mint set and clad proof halves.

 

After the 2011 sets, I've decided to give them up. Still time to change my mind, though. But I'm afraid that if I do give up, I'll be kicking myself in the butt 5 or 10 years from now.

 

Can anyone tell me what the 1971 proof set No.SPR look like and what the value is. And why is it the No. SPR

 

So did you quit before or after the 2012 set, which is selling for 3-4 times its neighbors? (Over $100 for the clad proof set, over $200 for the silver.)

Of course, that's still only four years old, so it's hard to tell what it'll do in the long term. Just look at the 1999 sets, as others have pointed out, or the 1970 sets -- and the fact that there's no other standard proof or mint set in the intervening 46 years that's come close to the performance of 1970, 1999, or 2012.

 

But for the 99 proof set there are a very nice variety involve with the Cent that worth a lot more to have.