How do Proofs and NIFCs end up in rolls?

[gravityrules]

I picked up $140 in MWR half dollars today, only finds were 3 NIFCs and 2 clad proofs, a 1973S and a 2012S.
Anyone have any insight into how Proofs or even these NIFCs end up in rolls? That 2012 is really recent, someone had to break open a sealed Proof Set to 'liberate' that coin, right?

 

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[ugotit22]

Drug addicts unfortunately. Prob broken open by a collectors relative who needed drug money or was hard up for cash

 

[gravityrules]

Reverse of 2012-S is slightly off-center

Another surprise on this coin is the reverse is slightly off-center ... maybe that has something to do with it being found 'in the wild'?

 

[mr.landpirate]

if you don't collect there worth face.

 

[gravityrules]

if you don't collect there worth face.

True, but a proof is a 'collectible' from the beginning. The initial acquisition is by someone paying a premium, that person certainly expects them to be worth more than face value. I don't think you can argue that the first owner doesn't know its worth more than face value. Since they are only sold in sealed sets, someone has to intentionally 'crack it open'; hard to argue that person doesn't know it is not the same as a circulated coin.

Again, what are some explanations of how they end up in circulation? So far, we just have the 'drug addicts' or other persons desperate for a few more cents explanation (plausible, but I don't think that is the only explanation).

 

[gravityrules]

I didn't find any evidence that proof rolls have been available from the mint, the only way to get them directly is in sets. I have seen them sold in rolls by dealers who are breaking up proof sets. It would be nice for the mint to sell proof coins individually, why pay $32 for a clad proof set if you're only collecting one denomination?

I can see sets getting ruined and then opened up, that might account for some circulating proofs.

BTW, how hard is it to crack open a proof set? I've never tried it, don't know if it's easy or as hard to get into as some of the plastic clamshell packaging you find on retail endcaps!

 

[boristhespider88]

BTW, how hard is it to crack open a proof set? I've never tried it, don't know if it's easy or as hard to get into as some of the plastic clamshell packaging you find on retail endcaps!

It's not too bad, you can crack it open with a pocket knife at the edge. I've had to open several of mine as the lenses on them get cracked in shipping (I buy some on eBay).

 

[Zomotion]

A lot of dealers and collectors buy the NFICs and cherry pick the best to be graded. These are then kept for collections or sold to collectors at a premium. The rest are dumped back at the banks usually. I've found solid rolls of NFICs with one or two random clads that replaced the ones that were sent to be graded.