Coin Collecting at the Safir House Proof Sets - Silver and Clad

Proof Sets are coins struck by the mint which have specially treated and polished dyes and which are most often struck with special care, at slower rates and more pressure to create an idealized version of the coin. Proof Sets are a common way which people are introduced into coin collecting. They are not created for general circulation, although many proof sets are cracked open by collectors fishing for top level proofs which they send away to the various certication and grading companies to be graded and slabbed. Those that don't make the mustard are then basically dumped into circulation. So it is possible to aquire a proof coin, from time to time, in circulation.

Some Proofs are hard to spot for a beginner collector. For example, Franklin Halves, especially in the years where the dyes were weak in detail, are hard to seperate proofs from brilent uncirculated coins due to the lack of detail on the coin with Franklin's jovial round cheeks and balding head. On older coins, the difference between great business strikes and proofs can be disputed even by experts. Sometimes there is a question whether any proofs have ever been struck for that coin and year.

While the US Mint had created Proof Sets and Proof coins from time to time for a variety of reasons, US Proof Sets didn't become a regular product line for the Mint until in the the middle of the 20th Century starting in 1936. Production stopped between 1942 and 1949 and then picked up again by the mint in the post war boom from 1950 on until the present although in 1983 only a "Prestige" set which inlcuded a Los Angeles XXIII Olympiad Dollar.

At least from 1955 proof sets were sold in a clear flat plastic wrapper to protect the coins. However the wrapper as can be seen here make photographing the sets a real challenge without studio equipment. Many of the photographs of our proof are taken with this wrapper so I apologize in advance for the lack of clarity of some of these photographs. In the 1980's the mint started to produce these coins in hard plastic cases which made them much more viewable and photogenic.

The real boon in Proof quality and production happens after the Reagan Administration makes available the new American Silver Eagle coins in Proof and Uncirculated versions. On until the present both the cases and the coins have improved in the quality and the strikes today are nearly all perfect in detail and presentation. Computer aided dye production and design greatly enhance the average coin received from the mint

The 1982 Proof Set below is in a hard plastic case. The resuting photgraphy is much cleaner and perhaps some of the coins are nicers as well. Particulary nice is the obverse of the Kenedy Half dollar which has exquisite detail and satin finish on the facets.

1982 Obverse

1982 Reverse

1982 Proof Cent Obverse

1982 Proof Cent Revser

1982 Proof Nickel Oberverse

1982 Proof Nickel Reverse - nice detail of the building

1982 Proof Dime Obverse

1982 Proof Dime Reverse

1982 Proof Quarter Obverse

1982 Proof Quarter Reverse

1982 Proof Kenedy Half Obverse

1982 Proof Kenedy Half Reverse

We also have a 1979 Proof Set which is was a throw in from fastcoins. Not an official set, this collection is in a commonly available hard plastic holder and was put together by someone, possibly left over coins from someone trying to find deep cameo proofs for grading. Over all it is a nice set.

1979 Proof Set Obverse

1979 Proof Set Reverse

1979 Proof Set Cent Obverse

1979 Proof Set Cent Reverse

1979 Proof Set Dime Reverse

1979 Proof Set Nickel and Dime Obverse

1979 Proof Set Nickel and Dime Reverse

1979 Proof Set Quarter Obverse

1979 Proof Set Quarter Reverse

1979 Proof Set Half Obverse

1979 Proof Set

We buy current Silver Proof Sets from the Mint. Here is the 2008 with the silver State Quarters, and the Presidential Dollars. All the Modern sets are San Fransico productions. The Quarters are Oaklahoma, New Mexico (which is a very nice design), Arizona, Alaska and Hawiai. The Alaskan bear is nice and is the first Bear on a US Coin.

The Presidents (and I dislike these coins) are Monroe, Quincy Adams, Jackson and New York's Van Buren

Avoid Gijs Henzen, owner of Munthandel G. Henzen - Antisemetic Facists

The Safir Family Internet Coin Library. Nearly all the coins here have been stolen. If you have any information on the theft, please contact us at mrbrklyn@panix.com Click to see these examples show below including photography: note to lawyer: most of the good stuff is gone Section I: US Coints Large Cent Coppers Flying Eagle Cents Lincoln Cents and Wheat Backs Buffalo Nickels Jefferson Nickels Jefferson Silver War Nickels Bust Half Dimes Mercury (Liberrty Head) Dimes Roosevelt Dime Barber Quarter Dollars Standing Libery Quarter Washington and Washington State Quarters Cap Bust Half Dollars 1813 o.108 AU58 Cap Bust Half Providence Powell. 1818 MS63 Cap Bust Half 1833 MS63 Cap Bust Half Seated Half Dollars Barber Half Dollars Walking Liberty Half Dollars Franklin Half Dollars Kennedy Half Dollars Morgan Silver Dollars Peace Silver Dollars Eisenhower Clad and Silver Dollars Sacawagea Golden Dollars Modern Silver and Clad Proof Sets Modern American Silver Eagle uncirculated mint coins and proofs Modern Silver and Clad 2008 Commorative Bald Eagle Series Gold Coins - Not too many Circulated US Silver Coins prior to 1964 Go To Section II: Modern and Ancient Foreign Coins from Outside The United States Go To Section III: Mandy's 25th Anniversary World Wildlife Fund Silver Coins Unsorted Extra stuff: Bust US Coinage From the coin Show at Melville Long Island Article on Numismatics and Lobbying

The Safir Family Internet Coin Library: Foriegn Coins. Several mints from around the world make exciting coin designs in circulating alloys, silver and gold. Among my favorites are the Perth Mint in Austrailia which produces a variety of coins for nations mostly through out the Pacific Rim. The Neatherlands has also produced some interesting designs, and several private US based mints have produced foreign currency on contract, include the Franklin Mint which has produced many Israeli Coins. Our interest in foreign coins has been nominal but rapidly growing as it seems that US designs are so stuck in the mud. Also, foreign mints are creating bold new designs with color and bimetal designs that are both eye catching and fun. Dutch Scheepjesschelling Biblical Coins overview Australian Silver Koala Australian Kookaburra Silver Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Silver Hawkbill Turtle Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Octopus Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Starfish Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Surgeon Fish Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Manta Ray Australian Perth Mint Silver Cockatoo Parrot Australian Perth Mint Dollar Silver Dugong Britain Churchill Crown 1965 British Wren Type Farthings Britain Virgin Island $25 Golden Osprey Cayman Islands Cuban Amazon Parrot: 25 Anniversity World Wifelife Fund Chinese Silver Panda Easter Islands Fiji Island Turtle Bullion minted in New Zealand German 10 Euro Archeopteryx Coin Indo-Sassanian Gadhaya Paisa Saurastrat - Silver Coin Israeli Coins Japanese Aomori Coin Judean Roman Wars Judean Herodian Coinage Kashmir Kurdistan Macabean Coins Netherlands Architecture Commemerative Euro Netherlands 400 years since the discovery of Manhattan Commem Netherlands Predecimal Steivers New Zealand 1963 One Florin New Zealand 1996 Kaka Parrot $5 Silver Dollar Niue Island Artist Series: Van Gogh Niue Island Cave of Chauvet Portugal Coa Valley Archeological Site Coin Polish Food for All Commemerative - First Food Slovakia Chatam Sofer Commem Tuvalu Deadly and Dangerous Silver Blue Ringed Octopus Tuvalu Deadly and Dangerous Silver Funnel-Web Spider Uraguay 1969 FAO Pattern Coins Western Satraps 1st Century - 2nd Centry India -R-Drachm Israeli Akko, Birds, Red Sea and Elijah Coins. Perth Minti Kookabura and Koalas, and Van Gogh Coin from Niue Island More Birds and some half dimes half dimes More International Birds

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