Unc. Set Of Washington Silver Quarters

I am a little more than half completed on an UNC Washington set. They are out there.

Washington quarters are tough to distinguish, in my opinion, between an exceptional AU vs an MS examplet. Some have slightly weak strikes, that although Unc, may be graded as AU. Somewhat similar to the Buffalo nickel series.

By chance, I was able to purchase quite a few UNC quarters from my dealer a little over a week ago. He bought a LARGE inventory that has been in storage for 25 years.

why buy a set and skimp on the two key date coins? this kind of collecting never made sense to me. it's a sign of impatience on the part of a collector that assembles such a set. my advice is to study the series, learn a thing or two about grading them and strike- then go out and cherry pick nice examples in your budget. the key date coins? MS-63 for the 1932-S and MS-61 or MS-62 for the 1932-D should be your goal. If you have to, put a little money aside each week to save up for the big coins. I don't think those two dates are going to be going up in value within the next 12 to 18 months- the other dates, however, are already on the rise.

General statement about the grade MS-60.
Very few collectors want a coin in MS-60. Nor MS-61 or MS-62.
Most consider AU-58 superior to any of those grades.

I concur with that opinion.
AU-58 or MS-63.
Skip the one in between.

EXCEPTION:
The more expensive coins are okay in MS-62 and maybe MS-61.

My 1921 Peace dollar is a MS-62.

@paleo: the novelty of the Washington quarter wore off by 1936, so very few D's were saved. That was a tough coin to find in 62. Also they seemed to have been struck in a hurry with semi blurred details in MS. This was also just the very beginning of saving new coins by the roll and the quarter wasn't saved in huge quantities unlike the smaller denominations.

I would like to do a 63 set, but I am concerned I will not have the money.

That is an awfully snobbish statement. When that first page is going to cost you out the nose (thanks GR58 for linking that) for the non key dates in MS grades, then dropping down to XF, which if done correctly is not a huge difference appearance wise but certainly is cost wise, for the keys is not at all impatient. It is simple economics.

Those of us who have limited collecting budgets (and from your statements is not the case for you) even setting money aside is not going to cover the cost of the early D&S coins in MS ALONG WITH the 32 D&S in MS. Not counting the 32's, that first page can easily run 1500 or more. The two in the grades you mention retail at around 1700.00 themselves. I realize there are deals to be had, but you are still talking a LOT of money. Sorry, but you are simply flat out wrong in that statement.

And also, how is it that you get to say what anyone should or should not have in their collection?

So just WHY is that the goal I am supposed to have? What ever happened to get the nicest coin you can afford in the budget you set and there you go?

To coincollector, as you can see, that first page can be quite daunting in anything uncirculated. My photography sucks, so you can not tell, but the the 32S on that page GR58 linked to is a wonderfully toned AU50 and the 32D is VF20 details cleaned. It has also toned nicely. Both look much better than that pic shows.

As I already mentioned, go for the best coin you can within your budget. Research how much those coins cost in ANY MS grade, and adjust what you need to. Understanding you may not be able to match higher grades for the 32's is wise. They are pricey coins. But there are beautiful XF coins out there that would go nicely with MS of the other dates.