1887 Proof Set Boxes

[DaveG38]

Following my successful putting together of a 1893 silver proof set, and housing it in an orginal Royal Mint leather covered box, I've turned my attention to the 1887 set. I already have several of the coins and as a result, I'm turning my attention to the case to house them in. So far, I've seen boxes in dark red with VR on the top, a shagreen box with Specimen Coins on it, a box described as by Spink, a black square box with no writing on it,  and a box for the long set with a long involved description of the reason for the set being struck. FWIW, I've also seen a heart shaped box for the long set.

Does anybody know which of these is an 'official box' for the short proof set, and which are just private boxes to enable the sale of currency strikes at the time (or indeed later)?

[Sword]

DNW described this as the original case for the 1887 proof set. 

https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/lot-archive/lot.php?lot_uid=388253

I imagine the case for the silver set would be similar.

 

 

[DaveG38]

3 hours ago, Sword said:

DNW described this as the original case for the 1887 proof set. 

https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/lot-archive/lot.php?lot_uid=388253

I imagine the case for the silver set would be similar.

 

 

Shame they don't show the outside of the box, particularly the lid. However, there is a clue in that the box appears to be red or reddish-brown, which would probably eliminate the green shagreen types and the black Spink boxes. Sadly, as I found when researching the 1893 set boxes, the Royal Mint has no records about the packaging (cases) they used at the time.

[Sword]

I think this is it.

http://www.ginbai.com/1887.html

[Sword]

I think it would be very difficult finding an original empty 1887 RM case. Perhaps a contemporary 1887 case is a more realistic target?

[DaveG38]

37 minutes ago, Sword said:

I think this is it.

http://www.ginbai.com/1887.html

I think you are right - the coat of arms is the giveaway. Whether this is the same for the silver set, I don't yet know.

Edited December 11, 2021 by DaveG38

[DaveG38]

19 minutes ago, Sword said:

I think it would be very difficult finding an original empty 1887 RM case. Perhaps a contemporary 1887 case is a more realistic target?

Empty 11 coin cases are not too difficult, if expensive, but I'm not into proof £5, £2 etc. gold pieces - not without the lottery anyway. Cases of any sort for the 7 coin silver set are more tricky as far as I can judge. I have a shagreen one with a toned set of high grade ordinary strike coins, but I was hoping to establish what the official ones look like and then keep on looking. I take your point about it being difficult to find, though I thought this for the 1893 silver set box, which is rarer than the full set, yet I managed to find one. I live in hope!! I find that everything comes to those who wait. Not long back, I managed to find a rare variety of a 20thC coin that I had been looking for the best part of 25 years, when suddenly one came along, so you never know.

[shagreen]

Yes the "official" case for the 1887 short set is very rare I have only seen one on-line in 12 years and it wasn't for sale. I am also in the market for one. Here are some pictures, sorry for blur - they were taken from the internet. As already mentioned original long set cases turn up on the open market occasionally say once a year - there are many reproductions around.

[DaveG38]

3 hours ago, shagreen said:

Yes the "official" case for the 1887 short set is very rare I have only seen one on-line in 12 years and it wasn't for sale. I am also in the market for one. Here are some pictures, sorry for blur - they were taken from the internet. As already mentioned original long set cases turn up on the open market occasionally say once a year - there are many reproductions around.

Thank you for this advice. This box looks identical to the 1893 box, which I acquired recently, except for the number of slots for coins. I too will be looking out for one, so there's a bit of a race on???