Coin Sets

Standard Royal Mint Proof Set Packaging from 1983 to 1999 - Blue Leatherette

Royal Mint Proof Set Insert - 1992

Royal Mint Standard Proof Sets - Blue Leatherette
From 1983 to 1999 inclusive, the Royal Mint standard proof sets, are housed in an insert within a two part plastic case. For most years, this can be removed and opened, taking care not to touch the coins. This in turn is held in a padded blue leatherette wallet.
There is usually a card with descriptions and details of the coins.

Royal Mint De-Luxe Proof Sets - Red Leather
From 1984 to 1999, these are similar to the standard proof sets, except that the outer wallet is made a red real leather, and is slightly more padded. In some recent years, there is also an additional booklet which is not included with the standard proof set. (A Royal Mint ploy to persuade collectors to pay more!)
For 2001 this style of de-luxe packaging has been reinstated, by popular demand. (In other words, many people rightly complained about the inferior "de-luxe" packaging in 2000, and the loss of continuity in their collections.

Royal Mint Proof Sets 1970 to 1982
During these years, the only Royal Mint sets available were proofs, housed in a plastic case with insert, similar to the above sets, but inside a cardboard sleeve rather than a padded wallet. In many of these years, it is not possible to open the case to inspect the coins, as the cases are glued together.

Chard - 1887 Onwards
The sets we have labelled as having "Chard" packaging consist of a individually dated insert card, usually in royal blue, within a white card "adaptor", housed in a rigid two-part plastic case. For sets containing crowns, we occasionally use a larger card without the white adaptor.

Royal Mint Folder
The Royal Mint "Brilliant Uncirculated" coin sets from 1983 onwards are housed in attractive, colourful and informative cardboard folders. Often these folders contain more information than in the proof sets.

Year 2000 Proof Sets
Following consumer research, the Royal Mint announced that it would re-package all its proof sets for 2000. All were contained in the same new barrel shaped plastic case and insert.
The standard proof set was housed in a cardboard box.
The "De-Luxe" set was in a new gift pack, with a selection of pre-printed gift cards. From 2001, this packaging is being renamed their "Gift Pack"
The "Executive" set is housed in a rather plasticky desktop case, with a hinged lid which opens with an air-damped action. There were production problems with the cases, which caused considerable delivery delays, and at £40 more than the standard sets, there must be 10,000 overpaid executives around!

Royal Mint Folder - Baby Packs
Similar to the "Brilliant Uncirculated" (BU) sets, and containing the same coins, but with an attractive "baby" theme. For years we resisted selling these because we thought the extra price charged, by the Royal Mint, over and above the "BU" set was too much. We relented in 2000, and to our surprise was one of our best sellers, many customers making repeat purchases.
We are unsure whether the sets caused a baby boom, or whether there was any other "cause and effect" operating, but we hardly ever get offered "baby packs" from previous years, so they obviously are a gift which gets kept.