Your Thoughts: Buying War Nickel Set For $270

I'd take a step-by-step approach here and ask myself a few questions.

1) Do I have an interest in collecting the coins? (Note: I didn't say "investing" in the coins.)

If Yes,

2) Are the coins nice, above average examples that I personally find attractive and will enjoy owning?

If Yes,

3) Is the price being asked for the coins fair?

If Yes,

4) Can I afford to buy the coins?

If Yes,

5) Can I easily afford higher grade examples of the same coins?

If you answered "No" to any of the first four questions, I wouldn't buy the set. If you answered "Yes" to all of the questions, including #5, I would pass of the set and wait until you come across coins of a higher grade. But, if you answered "Yes" to the first four questions and "No" to the last, I would go forward with the purchase.

I always recommend buying coins in which you are interested in the highest grade that you can afford. In this case, it appears that you've come across a very nice set of coins that you have an interest in and find attractive. It also appears that it is being offered at a fair price. Yes, there are higher grade sets available in the marketplace, but "higher grade" doesn't mean you will automatically enjoy them any more than the MS-65 set you are considering. It does mean, however, that you will need to spend noticeably more to acquire them.

If the coins are as nice as you say, I am confident that you will be able to find another buyer for them in the future at a fair selling price. Even if it's the same price you paid for them, you will have gotten years of enjoyment and pride of ownership out of the set â€" not a bad return on investment if you ask me. If you keep them for a time, however, it's likely you'll see at least a small profit.

Good luck with your decision!

BTW: With no disrespect intended, I disagree that a nice, attractive PCGS MS-65 set, even without "Full Step" designation, should be considered a "fourth rate" set.

One other thing to consider...
Will the future bring wave of collectors who will be more interested in the actual coins or the "packaging?" Since the FS designations are rare, there are only so many to go around. So this set may appreciate even w/out the FS designation. And, like the TPG's used to be "accepted" as expertly done and, therefore, the slabs were considered correct/authoritative grades.

When the TPGs first started out, it was a joke to the local collectors as only a money making scheme. We used to joke (knowing it could never happen - oops) that eventually someone would be able to "sucker" people into paying money to verify the TPGs' work. I m not trying to make waves here, I am just stating fact of how things used o be. Will there be a future CAC verification system? Will people still put the same importance on the slab/CAC system? I know from this forum that slabs are anything but important to collectors in other countries. Will this become the opinion in the US?

If you like them, buy them! Then if you want, start putting together a FS designation set. When you have it the FS set, sell this original one. Its obvious from this thread that a lot of people like these sets (FS or not) and would buy them from a collector's viewpoint - and this viewpoint will probably not change with time.

This is very exciting and I am overwhelmed with the supportive and caring responses I have received, most recently from commems, edgman, Mailman28, and Earle42.
[C]ommems, your post stands as a model for this and all future collecting endeavors. It is an enormous help. Funny, as I first read through your post, I answered your questions just as I should have in order to make this purchase. And question number five was so important.
From the moment I decided to purchase this short set, I knew that MS65 was my target grade and that $270.00 was about the limit I was going to pay for it.
I never intended to buy these coins with the intention of turning them over for a profit. I intend to keep them, as I intend to do with all of my numismatic purchases. I am building a collection of coins that I love, primarily classic coins. I think that classic U.S. coinage is art that represents our great heritage and that should be admired, collected, and shared. It might sound odd that I consider this coinage to be fine art, but I do. It gives me great joy.
Of course, no one wants to buy something that will not appreciate to some degree. Yes, enjoying this set, having pride in ownership, and to someday see a return on it is what I am hoping for, and well stated.
Since this set is MS65, I am assuming that also means full strike, but I will see. I am hoping to get to the coin shop today to have another look at them.
You know, the CAC-sticker craze offends me. I think that is a way to bleed more dollars from the collecting community. PCGS affirmation of a coin's authenticity and grade is enough for me.
I will keep you posted and, again, you have no idea how grateful I am for your help. Thank you.

Thanks, edgman, you've been a real friend here. And I value you input and your opinions.
Right, CAC stickers are a rip-off. As you say, what's next? And, yes, I think that and the FS designation is a way for grading companies to make double and triple fees on the same coins.
Glad to know you.

I am glad to hear you decided to pick this set up. I am in the process of getting my own War Nickel set together (MS 66) and I am not concerned 1 bit about full steps or not.

I've been monitoring this thread and am very happy (for you) that your getting this set.
I love the look of MS War Nickels and consider them very unique, amazing how nice the MS silver nick's
are compared to circulated coins, not to mention how nice the 40 percenters are compared even to the nickel coins.
I found it very interesting how Full steps,64 vs 65 vs 66, and cac came into the conversation and became an issue.
I think all that is a bunch of crap, for the most part, almost entirely.
Buy what you like, enjoy what you have and don't worry about what some grader thinks about it.
I bought some nice War Nickels once and one was MS with full steps, the only reason I was happy was because I could sell it to someone who needs a microscope to find out the coin is worth stupid money. One of the few coins I have sold.
Just my 2 cents

I pulled the trigger. I now own a short set of War Nickels, PCGS, MS65. I went to the coin shop this morning, told my guy I needed more time to think this over, asked to look at the Jeffersons again, and I just couldn't walk away fom them. All other considerations aside, I'm attached to this set and I'm as happy as can be. I will post pics in a day or two. Thank you everyone for helping me. I learned a lot from this post. I am so pleased that I asked for your help.