I Sent an Original 1947 US Mint Uncirculated 28-Coin Set for PCGS for Grading - Was it Worth it?

[@jamesgoss1860]

I'm the happy owner of that 1957 mint set from a couple weeks ago. I'm leaning toward keeping it as-is in the paper. I thought briefly about sending them off for grading, but I like the history and the possibility for more color.

[@michaelgoodspeed846]

So you were the one that outbid me!!! - nice pick-up - some of the toners looked cool - let us know your assessment - Best Wishes

[@jamesgoss1860]

@@michaelgoodspeed846 I didn't expect to win. I placed a slight bump in the max bid about 30 minutes out and then left it alone, assuming someone would outbid me, but no one did!

[@jamesgoss1860]

@@michaelgoodspeed846 Ben's video did them all justice, but wow some of these have some super sharp color at some angles. The pennies are out of this world.

[@michaelgoodspeed846]

@@jamesgoss1860 Yep - I just missed the ending and was going to bid but I didn't set my alarm - I got the 1952 P Mint set from Ben several months ago - lovely coins. But the licoln in the set you bought look awesome!!! Enjoy the set

[@TheSteveBoyd]

I really like ANACS for grading a full set. You can get one holder for each mint board, with the individual grades as well as the net grade for the collection. Kinda cool. I think NGC does it, too.

[@johnpeek827]

@@TheSteveBoyd Sounds like a plan ! Thanks for the Info

[@everettwhite9874]

That ANACS service is a cool way to keep a set together since they were created as a set. Also, to knowing the grades of individual coins and complete set is cool. I’ve got to make a note about this ANACS service. Thanks for the info. 👊🏽

[@michaelgoodspeed846]

Hey Ben - I think those original sets in their original state are gorgeous - I appreciate you schooling us on these sets in detail -

[@macarioacosta7767]

Ben, just a heads up that I was alerted and watched your video as soon as I received the notification but KZbin did not provide the opportunity to write a comment. I had to go out and close the app and look for your video to be able to write this. I loved the video. I have several mint sets from the 40’s and 50’s so I was very thankful for the information in your format. Appreciate all you do for the community. God bless you

[@chrissahar2014]

Glad you did this video as I collect WLBs from about 1933 - 1947. For my budget most of my WLBs are in the MS64 - 65+ range. I do get sometimes one that is MS66 - 67+. But as you note once you reach MS67 most Walkers from at least 1939 cost over $200 and for MS 68 over $500. I buy raw individual coins from a dealer who gats many from collectors ready to release their collections. Since many do not have the cardboard affected toning, much seem to have been gotten from rolls. To me the main benefit of getting them raw is the cost is lower than slabbed and it is nice to have a better look at them without the lens risking any distortion. I will say that the possibility of getting an AU grade is NOT negligible. I had two 1998 mint sets and the nickels were so scratched up from both th minting process and shifting around in the wrapper if it expands the plastic.

[@harrybond1485]

The au nickels definitely looked like replacements to me.They had alot of nicks, and I believe some wear.😊

[@angelnblue2151]

I thought the same, replacements.

[@robertfrye5161]

@@angelnblue2151 I disagree, that is the way they come right from the mint. Opened sealed sets, not one looked BU, but were. And the toning matches

[@angelnblue2151]

@@robertfrye5161 Hey, good to know. I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. 🤣 but my first thought was, It looks like an easy replacement, if someone wanted to do it? I’m here to learn. Thanks for the info! Learning is always greatly appreciated. Have a great day/night. 🙏🌎☮️♥️ Edit: it was on one of the nickels, I thought? It looked like the steps weren’t there, but I should have put on my glasses on too🤣. Definitely didn’t mean the whole entire set. I should have specified. Sorry about that. I think they’re beautiful.

[@glennmillerfan]

@@robertfrye5161I agree. I have a 1969 quarter from a sealed mint set and it is all nicked up and badly scratched. Even though it is uncirculated, it looks more like an XF45 at best.

[@rustybritches6747]

​​@@robertfrye5161I agree with you, that's just how they came. nickels are weird especially back then it was always harder to find them with a really strong strike and full steps, copper and silver is a lot softer easier to strike also you could tell by the toning they were untouched I don't know if I would have given them an AU grade tho, they deserved a 60.

[@dongreenlee675]

I would say your correct Ben, if you like graded coins buy them graded, do not get them graded yourself! I've heard others say that also, but having these examples really drives that point home. Great video as always Ben.

[@SwheatCents]

The way they should always do the mint sets i love how many examples you got back then!

[@iamgabriel5823]

I really enjoyed this show. Very fun demo. Looks like another reminder to keep your mitts off your copper coins! Wow, those fingerprints are on those pennies forever. Thanks for all the detailed information.

[@_CYB0RG_]

That’s a really nice looking mint set. Wow! I’m really excited to see how they grade.

[@LookWhatJesFound]

CRAZY , theres a ms64 on ebay $20 bin this is why i so weary of grading anyway, i know you heard all of this before ... thanks for sharing the content, lwjf

[@surfatone1986]

Really fun video Ben. Lots of appreciation for doing these as us mere mortals have no business doing this! It's super fun and even entertaining to see the result. I agree with one poster that the Nickels may have been cherry picked and replaced somewhere along the line.

[@brucetelfeyan]

I really appreciate this extremely thorough presentation. I have to wonder if the graders at PCGS pieced together the idea or understanding that the 28 coins were fresh from a US Mint set. Your remarks regarding the copper and nickel coins is so very true, that they just don't hold up as well in cardboard over a 70+ year period.

[@TheCoinGeek]

And In another 70 years I’ll be in a cardboard box 📦 😂

[@brucetelfeyan]

​@@TheCoinGeek I'll be there much sooner, while you continue to do great stuff!

[@Samscoinsandheavymetal]

Now that I watched the whole video I have to say I think you did very well. All things considered to get a pair of 67s on those quarters even though you're not super thrilled is really a tall task. I've sent lots of quarters in from original rolls and cherry picked cream, De La cream and get a 67 is a very high standard The 66 full band dime is nice. I've got a bunch of those out of 1940s Roosevelt 50 bucks on average. When it comes to the copper pennies and nickels, it's not so much about the grade as it is the eye appeal I've had nickels and 65 steps with great toning for $100 which might not sound like a lot but when the PriceGuide is $10 it's pretty good Outstanding video !

[@noobismatic]

Great presentation and information! I really enjoy the entact sets myself, but also its easy to understand the desire to preserve them. Either way these original coins are just a sight to behold.

[@johnmcdonald9735]

I’m really learning a lot from watching your presentations, and I really enjoy your show

[@Samscoinsandheavymetal]

You are spot on Ben. I've contemplated the same things with these or rolls and even in MS66, the PDS Quarters and Dimes are sub $50, often a stretch to get $40 and the Pennie's and nickels half that price. Even if the 47PD Walkers come back 66, they're not $300+ so if you're lucky and get 66 across the board (that will never happen - there will always be a couple dogs and getting a 67 on any of those coins is a lottery ticket chance). I have hundreds of original rolls thousands in face value of pre 1960 D Q HD 5c and 1c rolls and 67 is a very very difficult grade to attain. So only 6 min into the video id say you'd be lucky to recoup 80% The max value of the original cardboard and double cardboard mint sets is, and always will be in its original form PS the cents also have to be full red, or alternatively full brown with great toning MS66/67 top pop Great video (6 min so far anyway).

[@silvertrek357]

This feels like some kind of numismatic Yahtzee

[@josepha9313]

Very low mintage on the 1947-48 double mint sets, like 5000 or so. Interesting experiment you did. I have about 7 or 8 later sets that I have debated sending some of the coins in for years. Somehow just can't bring myself to break the sets up, but some beautiful toners in them.

[@TheCoinGeek]

It goes against my nature to break sets like these as well.

[@JMD-tu1xm]

I believe ANACS and NGC have mint boards for sets like these so they don't have to be broken up once they get graded. The coins will be in the same holder, but will have individual grades.

[@shawn951951]

Fantastic breakdown!

[@ehrenkrause9861]

By the way Randy Johnson was a mariner before he became a diamondback.. lot of us in Seattle are still sour about that especially when he went to the Hall of Fame

[@johnmcdonald9735]

I’m glad I discovered your channel , I appreciate all you do , thanks and I enjoy your presentations

[@peterhawryluk8430]

Ive had 2 proof sets 1957 and 58 . the deep cameo in them is better then some of my PR 68 and PR69 CAMEO quarters. The PR63 came back as a 69 U cameo has a population of 131. Finally a home run. Im gonna try my 57 and 58 PRoofs

[@peterhawryluk8430]

I have the 1957 and 58 mint sets . the most pristine coins you've ever seen. The 58 was the last year of the wheat ears. All Mine have a mirrow

[@chrissahar2014]

PS For the commentator asking about the stamps - very common Prexies (Presidential Series stamps from 1938). The envelope with the stamps may be worth on ebay $2 - 5 just because the sales of 47 sets was low compared to that of the mid 50's onward and they come from the US Treasury. But postal covers are a whole area of philately that one could devote a fair amount of time on a stamp channel. Ben rightly ignores the envelope and stamps because it is unrelated to his channel.

[@robsleep3045]

To buy a set like that u need to really trust that no one replaced any of those coins

[@LynnSharp-s5r]

Thank You for sharing that Very Important information. I'm a newbie to this exciting hobby and I totally appreciate learning from a Real Human Not AI. Keep them coming please 😊

[@andyreznick]

That was fun. Thanks!

[@kitnye5729]

Nice video Ben very nice coins. I purchased the 58 mint set and love it thanks

[@Indigone_Demon]

Ben may hit homeruns like Randy Johnson, but I hit them as well as he rounds first base! 😂 The quarters saving the day was quite the unexpected turn. I've yet to have a silver quarter grade out an MS67 or higher. Several MS66+ though.

[@buildingAbiz]

It would be interesting to know if you dipped them if they would get a higher or lower grade?

[@nicolasrossi5978]

Interesting albeit expensive experiment, nice to see some of those coins do as well as they did really. Thanks

[@silversurfer1986]

Nice Ben! Love those mint sets. I have a couple

[@lawriefoster5587]

Once again, I have learned so much....Thank you!!

[@timothylakata7091]

I’m five minutes in and wanted to say this is awesome! Excellent content as always Ben!

[@jamesgoss1860]

Wow, you finally got an MS67 on a Washington quarter, and more than one, at that. Pigs DO fly!

[@jamesgoss1860]

and of course it's when you were shooting for a 68

[@TheSteveBoyd]

I *really* want to find one of these! 🤤 I've had a few '54s through '58s (and yes, cherrypicked a few), but that '47 is elusive and *expensive* !

[@TheQuickSilver101]

AU58? What the heck. I'm glad you got decent grades on the other coins. Personally I'd probably offer the entire set with the original holder as a single unit but realistically not many folks are going to shell out the cash for that

[@josevarjas8263]

Scary and risky proposition amigo.

[@johnmcdonald9735]

I know where Tucson is, I lived in Phoenix for about a year , I’m a long distance truck driver 30 yrs now. I’ve lived in Florida 25 yrs now, I wanna come back to Phoenix, possibly Tucson. Or Yuma or globe or Miami Arizona. Or flagstaff, I miss Arizona

[@aishayana4298]

I think I would have been great if you conserved half the set and left the rest original and compared the grades. Maybe in another video ? 😊

[@PremiumTrackerSilverStacker]

very cool. i recommend doing more

[@brianh.4185]

Correct to generous grading.

[@michaelgoodspeed846]

Hi Ben

[@SHOCKWAVEDAVE]

Great content and explanation. Thanks!

[@SatelliteEngineer]

Very interesting video. I have a set that I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. Thanks!

[@bigdaddycarmel4610]

Don't some TPG companies (e.g. NGC) offer the ability to have them encapsulated within a multi coin holder? If the goal is to keep the coins together, that would have been my first thought since these particular coins aren't going to grade up to MS 68.

[@louissicajr]

I think you need to have them all get the same grade to get a multi-coin holder. And I think only NGC not PCGS does that.

[@bigdaddycarmel4610]

I've seen multi-coin holders for Mint Sets from both NGC and ANACS. NGC doesn't require the same grade for all of the coins within the Multi-coin holder. NGC will list the grades individually. ANACS, however, would typically assign a "composite" grade to the set as a whole.

[@louissicajr]

Maybe not profitable, but the fact you actually got them to grade is nothing to scoff at. A lot of ED coins came out of early mint sets that were stored too long in the original envelopes and kept in an environment that was more humid than it should have been.

[@tommoore707]

I really enjoyed this .

[@rayrockwood7543]

19:38 No one commented about the reference to the Tool song AEnema? Ben the ProgRockGeek youtube channel coming soon. 😉

[@SouthernMetal]

That was a great video! I also subbed.

[@kevinpoggensee]

Hey Ben

[@PatriotNorthman]

I'm no "purist" by far, but I'm one of the folks that would rather keep the coins in the placard, inside the original envelope.

[@remyferrari8501]

So you didn’t request full bands variety? I thought you had to check the variety box in order to get the designation.?

[@TheCoinGeek]

You do not need to check a box to get strike designation . Full head. Full bell lines etx

[@remyferrari8501]

@@TheCoinGeek Wow they certainly took my money to do so!😬 Good to know, though. Thanks for the reply!

[@mingwong8091]

Why not sent the set intact w/original paper, holders from the US Mint directly to PCGS? Or alternately send the silver pieces only since they will command the most $$?😮

[@joepapp01]

Very cool. Can't wait for AI to revolutionize TP coin grading lol.

[@NewHorizon39]

Do they tell you it would be full bands if you wanted to pay more to get the designation? Thanks

[@benjamin_jacob.]

Was that a TooL (band) reference I heard? Bill Hicks?

[@TheSteveBoyd]

I really think that with economy service comes economy grades. 🤷‍♂

[@ScottGibson-bz4id]

California toning, on such a winter day. Hah! Dear Lord I'm old.

[@SilverLiterati]

No full steps designation on those nickles?

[@James-xu3vc]

I want to get one for my mother. Her birth year ❤

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

There is no way a mint set would have marks like on that Jefferson Nickel. This is a composed set. Someone pulled off the best coins and replaced them. That 63RB cent also has a nice thumbprint tarnish. My big question though...I would have assumed those mildew spots would have harmed the grading more than it did. Is that not considered part of the grade?

[@borisperez3129]

Putting on gloves 🧤 4 our viewing pleasure. Nice 👍

[@FWDPM]

Hi Ben OT question. I found a brown 1954-D wheat penny in my pocket yesterday. It's in a rough shape, but it weighs 3.33 grams. It didn't react to magnet. Have you come across anything like this? What do you do if you were my place? I can make a 2 minutes video for it and upload it here on KZbin if you think it's unique. Thank you.

[@StupidBoyScouts]

It's worth about 4 cents, it's just a regular wheat cents.

[@alberthanson1971]

It looks like some of the Jefferson nickels were close to being 5 step. Is that something which needs to be requested when being sent in for certification?

[@rumblebars]

That was what I was wondering myself. I saw some steps that looked as good or better than the dime bands.

[@shannonculbertson8259]

Also full Bands on the Dimes

[@notafilisteanumismaticiplzen]

Super

[@petepal55]

Could it have made any difference if you had sent them in the original paper? Like, maybe the nickels would have been MS60s?

[@shannonculbertson8259]

If the Nickels have Full Steps can fetch a hefty Premium

[@_CYB0RG_]

Ouch on the cheek of that first nickel

[@robertfrye5161]

it shows that the graders in the room don't understand poor strike from wear. The hint should have been that there were 26 other coins that looked just like them. When you have graders who have never seen a 47 mint set being opened grading coins you get stupid grades. Back in the 90's we bought a deal of them, 5 sets, 4 were sealed, all different family members, the nickels looked the same way, worn out dies

[@rlosangeleskings]

How much would a 1945 set normally run for???

[@charlesroof7121]

The disappointment is not unexpected. The academic exercise is interesting but the AU grades on the nickels are scandalous. I am more convinced than ever that the grading service companies exist for that high end investor not a collector. To have expected a 68 on any of those coins previewed was unrealistic at best. Oh, Ben!

[@phillipbyrnes2885]

I definitely would have dipped the silver coins

[@rickraybourn7456]

Try cleaning the coins first, before you send them in, with e-Z-est and MS70, probably get an higher grade!

[@667hodge]

Yeah, but what about those stamps on the original envelope?

[@JohnnyCollins-cv4gx]

💮 enjoy your show ♻️ thanks for the invite 💮

[@haroldmclean3755]

Just goes to show you, how difficult it can be to find Mint Set coins in FDC + I am not Suprised, it was worth having a Go

[@papagiorgio_loves_bacon]

it would have been interesting if you provided your grade/opinion before you sent them in and then compare your guesses to what came back.

[@KenDrewery]

I'm one of the people who wants to keep it original

[@Chucka10]

I pulled the 49s out of a double set as I thought it would be at least 65FBL, came back 64 no FBL so was a waste of time and money, should have just sold it as a set as it was. Also, the cents get really nasty on the back side.

[@scottmitchell1884]

How do you tell us the incorrect grade when he is holding the coin?

[@terrylake22]

Why on Earth did you not dip the silver?

[@bosstone100]

How do you know a coin is a proof? Thinking SMS and back.

[@AngelesDimen]

How to sell this kind of old coins from the Philippines

[@richardrbrynerjr.7912]

The Brittish made the penny! The US made the Native American cent the wheat ear cent etc. etc.

[@claytonsimplot9554]

I'm suprised they graded that high. All the spots and black edges were overlooked. To me that's not toning.

[@johnmcdonald9735]

Not to be rude, or offensive, but, when we speak we spit little specs, and if the coins are below you in front of you on table you possibly are spiting on coins and our saliva is acidic, and not immediately but over time those little specs will show up on your coins and are not removable. You know, recently , COVID-19 the pandemic , and plastic shields at cash registers is also an example of what I’m saying. When we speak we all do it, we spit little specs

[@johnmcdonald9735]

Technology did not exist back then to where proof 70’s exist or mint state , so when your getting 67 grades that’s probubly the best there is in existence. And, myself, a high grade with out the eye appeal I’ve myself personally always steered clear of. And toned coins I never did see what others see. I’m more the perfection type. If it looks good and high grade. That’s what I like. And I won’t buy a worn down coin that’s rare just because it’s rare, it’s always been with me, it has to look good for me to want it , if it looks good but low grade, that’s ok too , but the eye appeal is everything to me moreso than the grade

[@stevenwaldman1908]

Looking like the s nickels were switched out

[@_CYB0RG_]

Oh really? A 68 on the quarters is necessary? Dang that’s a tough grade.

[@_CYB0RG_]

I’d think a 67 would be enough.

[@borisperez3129]

If sending to grading includes busting outta of my air tites, no bueno no can do. El Paso . I thinks only a couple of cleaned ones skipped by

[@roberthein2156]

Thank- you again for spending your $$$, to us considering to have any uncirculated coin sets : Graded . P.S. Buy them already Graded, don’t spend to have it done.

[@silverstuff5976]

ouch!

[@joshuajones9035]

the fact you can send an original mint set in and get an AU grade is absurd....

[@louissicajr]

Maybe.. but those nickels did look rough. Sometimes not the best quality work (either strike or handling) came out of SF in the post war years. Doesn't surprise me too much that they might have been so bad with MS coins to make them only grade AU at times

[@davefried]

why are proofs lesser in value even though they are nicer coins?

[@morgansinner]

Tough results..

[@ltcol2005]

unless these sets are sealed or if you totally trust who you buy them from, I would not touch them. good coins are broken out and replaced.

[@currencysystems]

I woulda been sweating the whole time.