LWC Set On Ebay

I just got into early LWC and went from having about 15-20 pre 1940's to the point that I am only missing about 15-20 pre 1940's.

A few roll finds but most were from my LCS, I go in there all the time and he cut me a nice deal, I even got a 1909 VDB, in nice shape he let me have for $7.00 and a 1913-S semi-key, then got home and opened the box of pennies I had in the car and found a 1913-D, higher mintage than the 13-S but still a semi-key, and at FACE Value!

58 coins for $13.60... plus I had the fun of digging through bin after bin of wheat's

Now I want to buy a new album or set of folders for a second set, it's always fun to upgrade

Edit: I'm only missing a few from after 1940, those are the easy ones to get from rolls.

I have a book of pennies that is basically complete except for the key dates. I've already started 3 more penny books for my kids since I've click clacked over 3000 wheats in the past 3 years. I love when you find a really nice Wheat!! Upgrade city

I'm going to actually go ahead and say that this set was a good price.

While it would not be impossible (that's a big word) to complete a set of Wheats from circulation it would take probably the rest of your life. Finding an SVDB, 14D, 24D, 11s, 09s, 10s, 12s, 13s, 14s, 15s, 26s, 31s, 70s small, 22d, and then even the early teens D mints alone would take a lifetime of searching cases of boxes of cents. Can the rest be found? Sure, but problem free F+ cents? From circulation? I think we've passed the point of a complete Lincoln set from circulation being possible unless it was a serious hobby/addiction of searching cents.

Just from a cursory glance at the twelve semi keys he has posted based on obverse grading only I come up with (based on Numismedia)...

09VDB (assuming it's a VDB) - AU - $15
10s - XF - $40
11d - VF25? - $25
11s - XF40 (maybe 35) - $65
12d - VF25/30 - $25
12s - XF45 (maybe AU) - $70 - $100
13d - VF20 - $12
13s - VF20 - $21
14s - XF40 - $86
15s - VG10 - $15
22d - XF?( notoriously weak strike and I am horrible at grading these) - $35
26s - VF (bad pic) - $15 ballpark here for grade


That alone (if I go with the $70 price for the 12s) is $424 alone FMV. Then consider other semi semi keys (23s, 24s, 31d, 21s) shoot, his 25d looks VF easy from here)... on top of that, consider his BU 40's and 50's, not hard at all to complete buying individually but at $3- $5 a piece (I count 39 that are RD)... forget it CRH.

What I'm saying is that this looks like a pretty solid collection to me and if I had had the time to request reverse pics or close ups of some other dates, this was a steal at $255 ESPECIALLY if you were out to buy a set and upgrade from there. Hunting these early semi keys down at a brick and mortar or even on the Bay is getting TOUGH for problem free coins unless you drop some bucks to go slabbed or have the opportunity to hand inspect.

End of the day, if I had the time to request pics and was in your situation with the right amount of cash, I would have potentially gone $350 or $400. With the right pics.

Well..u can put together a set of 1958-present set in bu just by buying mint sets.. And or you can go,to a coin show with 250 bucks in your pocket and put this set together in high grade minus the key dates and have money to spare..the thrill is the hunt!! But whatever your means of acquistotion are have fun!!

Where were the dissenters before the auction ended? Bidding? ;)

Rking: I appreciate your very informative post - thanks. Although I didn't bid/win the auction it was helpful to see how you valued the set. I tend to agree with you that the early dates will be very difficult to pull from circulation in F+ grades.

Have fun with circulation pulls, and go to Alaska Coin Exchange for the ones you don't want to wait for:

http://www.alaskacoinexchange.com/C...%20Index.htm

Dave, thanks for the link.

I don't even know how best to start hunting rolls - ha! I suppose just go to the bank and buy a box of pennies? Or is there a more productive methodology? Maybe focus my purchases on wheat rolls from dealers?

My wife might lose it if I amass multiple containers full of "junk" pennies and have them scattered about all over the house! I'd have to bring them to a Coinstar soon after the search and eat their percentage.

Thanks.