Complete Sets

Kind of a ruff question. I mean just what is a completed set? For example I have 10 so called completed sets of Lincoln Cents. I use mostly Whitman Classic Albums. They all have slots for the 22 plain, 55 and 72 doubled dies, all the 60's, all the 70's, all the 82's. Don't know why they ignored so many of the other error coins such as the 83 doubled die reverse or the 84 doubled ear or the 95 doubled. Now if you include the 2009's, a completed set would have to have all 20 of them. To make things even worse is if you have a copy of the book Looking Through Lincoln Cents by Charles Daughtrey, you would see a doubled die or Repunched Mint Mark for almost every year. So why not those in the set to complete?
Not all my Albums of those are full since I've taken the initiative to modify some of the Albums. I've used blank pages and put in only what I want, not what the manufacturer says I have to have.
With coins such as Mercury dimes, it is all a lot easier. Although again, my Whitman Albums, now have 12, demand I put a 42/41 and a 42D/41 and a 45 Micro S in also. There too I wonder when and if manufacturers of Albums will start adding in all the other large and small mint marks such as with the 28S.
And how could anyone ever say they have ALL the Large Cents. Appears there are a zillion varieties.
I do have many FULL Albums but not sure I have completed sets of anything.

To me, a complete set is an example of each date and mint made for general circulation.
For my dimes, the 1894-S is not included.
For my nickels, the 1913 is not included.
Proofs are NOT to be included. None of the above three were intended for
GENERAL CIRCULATION.
Double strikes, repunched dies, varieties and the like were part of the process and not made intentionally. EXCLUDED!

just carl and NJ Bob,
I applaud you both for defining your own standard of 'completeness.'


Your criteria will be different.

Complete sets

20th century Jeffersons & Roosevelts (not collecting anything in 21st century other than proof sets)

Silver only Washington quarters 1932-1964

Franklin halves

Flying Eagle cents 1856-1858





Oh so close to complete sets (less than 10 coins)
Large cents by date
Indian cents
20th century Lincolns
Buffalo nickles
Peace dollars
Walking Liberty halves

Complete sets that I have sold/traded to update my Barbers:

Franklin halves
Kept the 1951 as my birth year.

Washington quarters
Never got a '32-S Kept the '32-D.

Roosevelt dimes
Gone

Mercury dimes
Not one but two sets - No double dates.
Gone, as not really special.

Buffalo nickels
Complete Set sold. Had an extra 1913-s Type II which I kept.

Lincoln Wheat Cents
Complete but no 1922 and 1955 oddities.
Sold

Without an heir I must think of my sister who will be charged with selling them.
Less is more.
If a single coin is worth more than a complete collection I sold the collection.
And I sleep, when I DO sleep, without regret.

Flying eagles are easy it's only 4 coins!!

I took these with my android a year ago before I knew how to use the focus. The coin isn't green, it's a nice chocolate brown. The next time I open the deposit box I'll try to take some better pictures so people can try to identify the Snow variety.

complete albums

Ike dollars 1971-1976
Jefferson nickels 1938-1964
ATB date set