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 Replies: 21 / Views: 4,490 |
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Valued Member
United States
100 Posts |
Hello,
Currently I am collecting a PCGS registry of Susan B. Anthony's in MS66 and PR69. Most of these in MS66 go for $35-$45 and the PR69's go for $20 (minus the Type 2's around $100-$150). These are all pretty reasonably priced for me at 19 with an apartment and college expenses. The key day is the 1981-S business that is valued at $600 in MS66. Heritage auctions have them going for $1200!! This is very expensive for me since my monthly coin budget is $40.
I was just wondering how everyone else keeps the passion going knowing that some coins you need are way above your budget? Sometimes I think I'll never complete the set (even though it's only 18 coins!) but as I have half of them I just keep thinking that I'll finish all of them and then save (for a long time) for the '81-S.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3540 Posts |
Oooph! Regardless of budget, you are in the same boat as everybody!!
Patience. Patience. Stay in college, finish the degree....you know the rest of the story.
...and...in the meantime, start another series!! :)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts |
Well, there's another option: get the 17 cheaper coins, switch to a different series, put a little money each month to the '81 S, and then just wait. At least that way, you'll have another series (hopefully a cheaper one) to keep up your interest until you can finally finish you SBA set and **really** get into another series. Of course, other series have the same problems...but a $1200 coin is pocket change compared to other high grade rarities of other "common" series. So, consider yourself lucky in that regard (you have a good chance of getting a complete set compared to say a complete set of V nickels of any grade) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
917 Posts |
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Valued Member
 United States
100 Posts |
Coindog, funny that you mentioned that one. The seller is dumping an entire complete set in 66 and 69. I am currently the highest bidder on 3 of the coins! Watching that auction closely...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1748 Posts |
1981 mint sets are really, really cheap. Maybe you can cherry pick a 1981-S from one of them and send it in to PCGS? You may get an MS-66 on the cheap!
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3049 Posts |
The best advice I was told was if you were going to collect a series or set... try and get the hardest/most expensive one first.. I have found that to be pretty sage advice if you're a very determined collector...
It sorta makes you pre-plan your buying action and know your entry points.
I've just had my 2nd kid and going through a major renovation and other personal expenses.. so I kinda put any "big buys" on hold and I'm happy putting together smaller sets that offer some challenge and interest. ... I guess what I'm trying to say is.. if there happens to be a big issue or "hole" in the collection distract yourself with another challenge or learn to accept it... for my canadian 50 cents collection I KNOW I will never have the resources to get half the coins in EF or better condition... but I have managed to find some "junk silver" coins that fill those holes quite nicely... and I'm okay with that.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1109 Posts |
Quote:
I was just wondering how everyone else keeps the passion going knowing that some coins you need are way above your budget? Sometimes I think I'll never complete the set (even though it's only 18 coins!) I thought that too when I started assembling my Lincoln Cent set back when I was 9 years old. Back then, it was just whatever I found in my mom's change that I needed for a set. That set grew into two sets; one was uncirculated and one was circulated. As I got uncirculated ones, the circulated ones went to set #2. I now have a complete set of mostly uncirculated cents, with the earlier Wheats still circulated (but still complete!) and a second circulated set that only has 5 holes. Just keep your eye on the prize and know it may take a while, but if you are dedicated to it, you'll get it. Then you'll upgrade it. Or start a new set. Or add to an existing set. Or any number of other things may happen. But it's fun! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
711 Posts |
Agree on the cherry picking mint sets for your key SBA dollar. The thrill of the hunt is the fun in collecting sets, not spending money. If you haven't done it yet, do the Franklin halves in circulated condition. Great set to collect. All can be picked out of a junk silver box over time, no real key coins. Then if you like that, start upgrading to UNC and then think about including the proofs and then maybe think about going for a graded set. I think the Franklin set is only 35 coins. Say you are spending $10 a coin (they can be had for $6 - $7 range if you look), that is 4 coins a month on a $40/month budget. At 4 coins per month at that budget, that is only 9 months to complete the Franklin set. One of the neat things about building a set is learning to grade the coins accurately and then to look for varieties and such. Buying all graded coins takes out some of the thrill of the hunt for the right looking coin / upgrades. I would recommend buying a few graded coins for point of reference. The ANA grading book is what my LCS uses and what I use too. Roosevelt silver only dimes are a pretty easy set too. No key coins, but maybe some key labels. Can't justify getting many Rosie's graded in my world. Edited by BuckeyeCoinGuy
11/17/2014 09:34 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
An easy solution is to contact people in China and have them just make you what is missing.  Or look for those people that sell fakes at flea markets. And then just order everything from them.  Regardless of how much money you have available, some coins are just not there. For example imagine those trying to find a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel in change.  With me it's Mercury dimes. I'm trying to make a complete set of those with all FSB's. Some are just impossible to find within reasonable prices that is. Some people are trying to find many coins that have very low mintages. More people looking than there are coins available. The main thing is not to give up. And don't think of this hobby as a got to get it now thing. Yes it may take a long, long time but when you do find what your looking for, sometimes the longer you wait, the more you'll enjoy what you have. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2543 Posts |
Patience is the key. A couple of sets that I have going, I have been at for several years. You never know where you are going to find one and for what price.
I agree with " be prepared ". Put aside a bit of expendable "hobby cash" little by little towards your goal. I found the key coin to one of my sets in a local coin shop. He didn't deal much in foreign silver bullion, so he was looking for a quick sale. And lo and behold, they had lay a way. So I used my hobby cash savings as a down payment and 3 months later the coin was mine.
Point is, be patient keep some hobby cash in savings because you never know.
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
I absolutely agree with putting some money aside every week or month for the expensive coins. If you don't, one day you'll see it and it will be at a good price and you won't be able to get it.
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Valued Member
United States
269 Posts |
I'm going the mint set (and proof set) route to build a SBA set. I happen to have bought 5 1981 mint sets when they were released, and I found a really nice specimen in my sets. Not much for TPGs, I'm happy with what I got! |
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5172 Posts |
For a few sets I'm trying to assemble, I know that some of the dates are ultra crazy expensive, and just ignore them entirely. This only applies to the serious keys, however.
For example, I'm trying to get a set of modern Russian (non-commemorative) coins from circulation; I know the 2001 ruble is crazy rare and sells for crazy money, so I just ignore it as if it didn't exist at all. Same for the the 2003 5 ruble and a few other dates and denominations (don't remember the list offhand, but basically rubles and up from 2001-03, all Saint-Petersburg mint coins from 2011, and a couple more dates I don't recall).
However, the 1999 2 ruble is about as common as your 2009 nickel (in other words, hardly common at all - catalog price is $3 for Moscow mint, $2 for SP), and I try to get it anyway. Over the last few years, I've only found four or five Saint-Petersburg mint examples, and I've almost written off the Moscow mint coin but finally got it last year.
Edited by january1may
11/17/2014 2:07 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
Just like any other collector, you have to decide whether to leave the coin out of the series, save up for the coin, or fill it with a lesser grade coin.
Personally, I'd make an exception and get the 1981-S in MS-65, which should be under your monthly coin budget. The cost step to MS-66 is huge, while the condition is not. You just have to decide if it makes that much difference in the long run to your kit.
Edited by tkbslc
11/17/2014 2:03 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1109 Posts |
Quote:
Personally, I'd make an exception and get the 1981-S in MS-65, which should be under your monthly coin budget. The cost step to MS-66 is huge, while the condition is not. You just have to decide if it makes that much difference in the long run to your kit. Good point. And, remember, even though the TPGs are good at what they do, it's still based on their opinion of grade. If you can't tell a difference between 65 and 66, go for it. |
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Replies: 21 / Views: 4,490 |
Posted 11/16/2014 10:24 pm
