1977 Soviet mint set with RED outer box?

[gxseries]

Has anyone seen anything like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=250622620185

 

I've only seen red outer box with 1976 set but never on any other dates.

[Saor Alba]

It is a little bit nicer than the usual burnt yellow paperboard that was typical from that era. No I have not seen red on the 1977 sets, and wonder that they ran out of the burnt yellow and used that instead for a few sets?

[gxseries]

The other variation color that I have seen is the greenish color like this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=360255250591

 

The only reason I can think of this special red cover is that it's meant for the Moscow Olympic games. I have seen 1976 red cover mint sets that were sold with other Olympic goods but never a 1977 set. Worthwhile investigating as this clearly looks more expensive to produce rather than the cheap burned yellow cover.

[Saor Alba]

What I love about the sets from that era is the tendency for the coins to literally corrode. I have bought sets that were fine, stored them dry and had them corrode and sold the sets for $1 to get rid of them. Yes, the cheap burnt yellow covers were cheap, and flimsy, and tear easily. But then again you have to factor they were not making fine military equipment - they were making cheapo souvenirs for capitalist swines - so quality, well go figure.

[gxseries]

I just received it today.

 

This set is completely different from the other Soviet mint sets that I have come across. With the usual mintsets you have to pull the coin set out of the box from the top or from the bottom. This however is from the SIDE.

 

Will post pictures of the coins to see if there are any interesting varieties.