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VickySilver

The Elusive 2002 Jamaica Proof Set Remains So

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Congratulations, you must be well pleased to have finally tracked it down. :)

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57 minutes ago, VickySilver said:

Ten years later, I got this White Whale! DIdn't at first even know it existed but here it is.  Now if I can only find the stablemate 1984 FM Specimen Set!5579C7C0-3EC3-4239-A826-C5262AF524F0_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.ae8f596507f674b463108d1561301343.jpeg1D0C3EB5-8856-42FE-BF84-0FE12E8EB8F6_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.a1be4221e510fbf9cf3fd1f3d255d88c.jpeg

Congratulations.......

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Hat off Eric ,nice to find something you have been looking for that is so hard to find 👍

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Thanks! The only problem is that the joy of the hunt is now off. Oh well!

And I certainly appreciate all who have supported me and this particular search. Unfortunately, coins in my area of specialty - late milled copper and silver are way to expensive. Therefore because I am an addicted collector have had to find other things to chase.

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Only just seen this. Well done!

On 9/24/2020 at 6:06 PM, VickySilver said:

Thanks! The only problem is that the joy of the hunt is now off. Oh well!

That's always the possibility when chasing something that is very rare / elusive but not particularly pretty to look at. You get many years of enjoyment and excitement looking for it but might simply put it away once it is acquired. But some new target will now take it's place and so it's not really a problem. The hunt continues with a new prey. :) 

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Yes, that is so much the case, and you are so correct. The pictures showed, and I almost have to laugh at the portly runner on the crown.

I suppose that sometimes George V and VI coins are not always that pleasant to look at and I almost feel that way about them, including proofs and all the Records and patterns, OMS, etc. They just cost a lot more...

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I take it the 1971 Jamaica set is common? I have spotted one at auction if anyone is interested.

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Ah, yes, quite common. Some of the coins pleasant enough appearing. These were struck at the Franklin Mint to a fairly high standard.

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Of parenthetical interest:   About 3 years ago or so I bought a 1984 Belize specimen set from the Franklin Mint at ORIGINAL release price of USD 29.95. This set is probably even more rare than this 2002 Jamaica proof set.

People have often spoken of the FM in rather derogatory terms, but the quality of their coins in terms of designs, strike and presentation was quite good. Anyway, I was just offered USD 1500 for it - which I turned down as I am a collector only.

This begs the question:  if you have a coin that is part of a series you collect, what offers would separate you from that coin or coins?  With regards to this Belize set, I would not let it go for 5k, but maybe 10k.

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Collecting a specific series,date run, or anything that the coin in question ticked a box and I would be unlikely to find another would mean I wouldn't sell it, though might sell separately to a different person than the whole collection was consigned to when sold. This only really affects collections that are specialist in nature, because a generalist collection could always find an alternative to fill the gap.

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Yes, good point and would not be selling either the OP set or this Belize set. Buyer would not like the price tag to separate me from either!

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Is the 1991 Jamaica set any good? Just spotted one coming up in an auction...

 

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It is OK, not the most common of the later dated ones. I suspect, although the RM will not ever confirm - maybe under Freedom of Information - the actual number struck AND released is considerably less than 500. So, decent set but not that lovely to look at.    LOL

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It would take a lot to split me from a rare coin - anything rare enough to pull that kind of money would be too worth keeping for me.

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Precisely, and I know that you have experienced the same in searching for your "goodies". To me, these quests are what collecting coins is all about.

That is why collections such as the Hansen being formed in the States really doesn't mean much to me. So you have an enormous checkbook, big deal.

I wish we could have a club of sorts with people of similar interests to "Mr. T" and me....

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13 hours ago, VickySilver said:

That is why collections such as the Hansen being formed in the States really doesn't mean much to me. So you have an enormous checkbook, big deal.

It is sometimes frustrating collecting coins that money can't buy but it sure is satisfying ticking those boxes.

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Is the 1987 Jamaica proof set of any interest to anyone? Spotted at auction - PM if you need a link to it.

 

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Ah, hopefully to those that browse this. I have TWO already and really need to relax on the buying doubles and TRIPLES.....

Please do PM me immediately if you get wind of either the Franklin Mint 1984 specimen (not proof) set of Jamaica,

and for that matter 1984 specimen sets of Barbados and Trinidad

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Three months later, not hide nor hair of the 1984 Jamaica uncirculated specimen set.

I did however just purchase an hitherto unpublished but catalogued as existing 1976 (U) prooflike Guyana uncirculated Ten Dollars with hero Cuffy on the obverse. The coin appears to have come from a bag, and can only speculate as to its history. I think the original plan was to actually strike these prooflike coins for circulation. They also struck this coin in the Matte quality, and these were made as the "currency" counterpart for the moneymaker proof coins and sets. As best as I can put together, the original mintage struck by Franklin Mint was sent to the Central Bank of Guyana where in all probability they languished; in 1976 this very coin had the purchasing power of One USD and was 45 mm. Nowadays, the purchasing power is all of FIVE CENTS (USD).

Strangely, the pot-metal value of the copper nickel alloy now likely exceeds the face value of the coin in Guyanese Dollars.

I really wonder what happened to all of them. The 1976 matte coins are very scarce but the prooflike are probably very rare. These currency coins for Guyana and other countries struck by the Franklin Mint are quite a challenge and thankfully not pursued by many thus keeping them affordable. I found that I can post pictures off my iPhone and will try tomorrow if I get delivery of this coin by then.

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Ah, I looked at this coin and actually it is the matte but just not as clearly so as my other example.

As a postscript I have noticed that on [rare] occasion, Franklin Mint rarities such as the 1975FM matte 20 Balboas or later 1983 and 1984 FM Specimen unc. sets will show up in Central Europe, Netherlands and Denmark. Perhaps they advertised there in the 1970s and 1980s?

Yield rate as far as finds has really petered out of late, wish there were some others of like interest that I might trade info. or coins possibly with.

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I guess they advertised anywhere they could but I source quite a few "modern junk" coins (Fiji, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands) from central and Eastern Europe for whatever reason.

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I see this thread every few months - and have done for years! What is it about the 2002 Jamaica proof set that's so fascinating? :o

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Rarity.

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8 hours ago, Mr T said:

Rarity.

Maybe, but presumably its rarity is no different from when this topic was first created! Why does it refuse to die....?

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Peck, I think the thing is that besides it just being quite rare is the type of collecting in this modern age (if you will).

Coins that we used to collect without much thought to cost are many times prohibitive now - I have gotten in the last 5 years maybe 6-8 coins in the late milled pre-decimal silver and copper series. I just can not "hang" with the buyers. On the other hand, I have always liked the Caribbean and used to live in Cyprus as a child so like some of the Br. colonial and commonwealth coins. As it turns out, some struck by the Franklin Mint were of awesome quality and a few actually released to circulation, so....

Beauty and rarity on them.

After the phasing down of operations at the FM, the Royal Mint took over [with varying degrees of success or failure] some of the contracts. In a few cases they appear to have utilised FM dies, and on others continued series and denominations  of their own design. Quite honestly, these are IMHO much more interesting that modern Brit or USA coins.

Also, as with  the case of the Trinidad and Tobago 1984FM 50c currency, it was hard to beat the combination of beauty, rarity and price ($3.59 incl. shipping) - this coin is close to unique although a few may be languishing here or there. Retrospectively, these are much more pleasing than almost ANY of my classical Vicky pieces.

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