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Focus On "Key Dates" Or Complete Collection?

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Author Previous TopicReplies: 19 / Views: 2,038Next Topic Page 2 of 2
Pillar of the Community
United States
1703 Posts
 Posted 06/21/2006  11:42 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TLS5933 to your friends list
As Bryan,I collect Morgans only,and some odd coins but not as a real collection.I filled the common dates first and even replaced some of those I didn't feel were good enough to be in the book.When you get down to only having 2 or 3 key,high value dates to fill and all the rest of your coins are MS,you know you have to finish that way and your totally satisfied with the book. Then you can move on to the next collection.
Rest in Peace
United States
3730 Posts
 Posted 06/21/2006  11:50 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Gary Burke to your friends list
I guess it depends on the person. I enjoy seeing those holes in my album get filled, so I have concentrated on filling them.

Wish I had the 1909 S VDB and the others that so many of us would like, and maybe one day I will. Meanwhile I can pull out my albums and be pleased that most of those empty spaces aren't empty anymore.
Valued Member
United States
95 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  01:04 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mooseknuckle to your friends list
I've started with buying the following Dansco albums:

Jefferson nickels
Washington quarters
Lincoln Cents
Rosevelt Dimes
Kennedy halves
Eisenhowr Dollars
Franklin halves
Susan B Anthony dollars
Sakagawea Dollars
Buffalo nickels
Indian Head Pennies

Then, I bought about $800 worth of pocket change from my friends, and decided to make common rolls of every year and mint mark that was non-silver, and still commonly available in circulation. After sorting through about 200 lbs of dirty coins, I realized that at best I had AU coins in the nearer dates, and dirty coins in the older ones, and very few 'P' mintmarked coins for any dates since I live in California...

After filling what I could in my albums, I had glaring gaps where the 'S' Proofs should have been. Then I dropped $400 on ebay, and bought a large quantity of San Franscisco MS coins to fills my gaps...

Now, I am staring at an album without so many glaring empty slots, but instead a bunch of dull coins with a few shiny proofs mixed in. Next step is to start replacing those dull coins with MS coins. I found an online coin dealer 'jake' who has an arsenal of MS coins at affordable prices, so I just placed an order for $150 worth of Jefferson nickels from 38 - present missing a few dates... If those coins look good, I'll do the same for my other types.

When all of the aforementioned albums (save maybe the Buffalo nickels and indian heads) are filled with shiny MS60+ coins, then I'll start work on the franklins, indians, and buffalos, and I'll be filling in everything I can afford to. Chances are the key dates will be last, since they are the hardest to come by, but if for some reason they make themselves available early, they will be mine :)

No, I'm not rich ... I just buy when I can, when I can afford it. It's terribly fun!
Rest in Peace
United States
3730 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  01:23 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Gary Burke to your friends list
Wow, Sounds like you have the start of a great collection!
Pillar of the Community
Australia
1091 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  02:15 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add toast to your friends list
Finishing a collection...Hummmmm, now there's an idea.
I have collected lots of different coins in different areas but do not have a full/complete set of anything. Keeps me looking and collecting on all fronts.
Valued Member
United States
382 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  06:49 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add zakgold to your friends list
I picked up this advice at a F.U.N. seminar awhile back:

"If given the chance and the choice, BUY the KEYS first!"

After all, commons will always be common. Sure they will go up (slightly) as you only have a fixed number of coins for a growing population base but they will never increase in value and speed like the "keys".

I only wish I received that advice years ago. Now if I go to a show, I may only buy one or two coins instead of the 30 or 40 commons I used to pick up. I'll fill in my slots at my leisure as common keys are obviously easier and less costly to find. They keys are NOT!

Again, junk will always be junk...but the keys will ALWAYS outpace "coin inflation" (unless the government releases another lost hoard, which I seriously doubt). It is NOT easy if you are looking at a bunch of open slots next to your 1914-D Lincoln or 1909-S VDB, but you will thank me later.

For me personally, I took the plunge back in 2003 when I purchased a 1909-S VDB graded by PCGS as MS63BN for $1,075! I was thinking, "What am I doing spending so much for a penny?" But obviously, I am now glad I made this purchase. This same coin is selling for around $1,600! in just over 3 years.

Every year you hear collectors cry out, "Did you see how much that coin increased over last year?"
Edited by zakgold
06/22/2006 06:55 am
Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  07:33 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Bryan1315 to your friends list
Another thing with morgans, you may be buying a common coin to fill a hole and get it and find it is a super rare VAM which is worth more money than the Key Date coins. So I think Morgan is close to being a exception to the rule just because there are so many verieties of them out there (with more being found just about every week)you can buy a common date and it be a rare coin and ALOT of people dont look for VAM's or even know what they are and if they are in a slab that says 1878 reverse of 1878 thats all they know about it, when in fact there are over 100 1878 VAM's just from Philadelphia alone(not to mention O and S mints)so when you get the coin it could be a VAM-70 which is a TOP-100 coin then you have the most common Morgan of all, The 1921 there are almost as many varieties of 1921 as they are 1878 . One thing alot of people dont understand, the grading companies like NGC and PCGS charge for variety attribution and if you dont pay for it they dont put it on the slab most of the times. I have bought most of my B1 reverse Morgans in unattributed slabs and have gotten some pretty good deals because of it
Edited by Bryan1315
06/22/2006 07:38 am
Pillar of the Community
United States
1626 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  11:18 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Tpatna to your friends list
I guess it boils down to, commons will always be commons and easy to obtain and Holes in ablums will always be holes until filled. I guess I will just buy what appeals at the time the money is in hand and what deals are available
Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  12:18 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add biokemist6 to your friends list
I am currently assembling a US type collection so I am just trying to find nice representative examples of each series. Although, some of those type coins could be considered "keys" such as the Twenty Cent, Trade dollar, Seated Liberty dollars, and some of the early bust coins.

Fortunately, my local coin shop has a bid board that allows me to bid on ~75 different coins every week. It has been a godsend for me trying to obtain some of the less common types.
Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  1:19 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TheForce to your friends list
There really isn't a right way or wrong way to collect coins. It's all personal preference. I have done it both ways. Right now I'm working on my canadian quarter collection and buying the key coins and I will focus on the rest later when I find some deals.
Pillar of the Community
United States
1327 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  2:26 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add djluster to your friends list
I personal collect the common, simi keys first since that is what I can afford. Also since I am fairly new I have to still convece the wife why I need to spend 500-800 on a Dime. She does not see the joy of collecting the same whay I do. So with me mine is more of a money to buy the keys. It hard to spend alot on one coin right now for me since I have 3 young kids and a wife and they take alot of money. plus I enjoy feeling wholes in my book and I now collecting coin is something I will be dooing for year and hope at some point in my lif eto be able to buy those key dates when the time is right.
Pillar of the Community
United States
1626 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  2:31 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Tpatna to your friends list
I agree with you djluster....I have 3 kids as well. I was telling my wife that I might get a part time job until I get enough money to buy 16 cents....1909 S VDB, 3 legged Buffalo nickel, and 1916 D Mercury dime....she thinks it is funny
Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  2:38 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Bryan1315 to your friends list
I have a 6 year old daughter and a 17 year old daughter and my wife and my mother here to take care of and I am disabled and cant work so now you know why I am selling off the coins I upgrade. My wife works but she only makes like 9.00 a hour so as you all know that aint squat. The only thing I have going for me is I paid cash for my house whn I was 18 and all 9 cars are paid for so all we have is utility bills and grocery bills
Pillar of the Community
United States
1626 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  2:40 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Tpatna to your friends list
All 9 cars....wow, thats a lot of cars. Insurance must be a killer
Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts
 Posted 06/22/2006  2:44 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Bryan1315 to your friends list
there are only 3 with regular insurance on them the others have collector insurance on them that way I can drive them to shows and stiuff like that but they are limited to 500 miles a year
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