How Tough Is It To Complete A Quality Series Of Coins?

A quality series of coins is an accomplishment and should require luck, dedication, and knowledge. I applaud anybody that sets out to complete a series based on knowledge and the commitment to not take shortcuts- in the end, those that know what they are doing- seem to do ok if the time comes to liquidate.

I have long term and short term sets I play with. The most expensive set I've put together is based on finding choice examples of coins which are rare in high grades. It's not the label that I look at - but the coin itself... so, yes, I fully understand how you feel with your Lincoln Cent set. my advice is to be patient, stay in good humor, and know that when the time is right, you'll wrap it up.

Odd, I said the same thing--40 years ago.

It is rather easy if you can find and go to a lot of coin shows. And if you go often enough, you get to know dealers that travel all over and then you can make requests. Then they too go looking for certain coins for you and eventually you can obtain almost any set in high to all MS grades. This is a clip from my almost all MS graded set #1 of 10 completed sets.

All in Whitman Albums and include the 22 plain, 55 and 72 and 95 doubled dies, all 20 of the 2009's and lots others and all look like this.

Wish I would have said that.

I am three coins shy of completing my Ike set I started a couple weeks ago. All mint state and proof coins. I didn't spend much on it either. On the other side of things my Standing Liberty quarter collection is proceeding rather slow, but I am ok with that. I only want the best I can afford for that.

Oddly enough it is really amazing at how many fantastic coins can be seen at coin shows. I've seen dealers with several tables of slabbed coins and all in MS grades. At one show a dealer had several tables full of high graded Large Cents. One dealer I've seen at most shows always has 3 to 5 tables full of those glass covered cases full of high graded coins. One dealer that specializes in Buffalo nickels told me he has his Nickels alone insured for well over a million dollars. If you go to enough coin shows you start to wonder if it wouldn't pay to be a crook and steal them all, win the lottery and buy them all or just give up coin collecting.

And a great advantage to that system is it is much easier to acquire a completed set that all look basically the same. More eye apeal when you open an Album and all coins sort of look similar. Also, less worrying about the coins tarnishing, fading, corroding, toning and on and on with all the things people worry about with supter MS graded coins. Since already once in circulation, less to worry about. If all MS graded coins in an Album, people worry about even moving the slides to often. Many too are stuck with all their coins in those things called plastic (slabs) so to see them you have to see a massive pile of plastic.

Good point about having an album with all coins looking about the same grade. I assume the same about pieces of jewelry that have similar degrees of variance in color and clarity. They can't all be the "same" but it says a lot about the collector if all the coins look alike at higher grades. Wear, condition, and tarnish I would assume is the same with gems having inclusions. They may be cheaper but it depends largely on eye appeal, as well, since certain inclusions are worth more than others. If you can find coins that match your set as a whole yo can save yourself a lot of money instead of resorting to buying an agreed-upon grade that will cost an arm and a leg. Think about how out of place an expensive VF will look next to 40-50 coins in MS.