Quality Vs Quantity

Yes, me too, and I have officially been diagnosed with a type of OCD.

I currently have 49 folders and 8 albums that I'm trying to COMPLETE, and a variety of US Mint sets, slabbed coins, and other oddball coins that are all over the house. I bought another 50 coins over the past week on ebay and can't stop until I get all those holes filled.

Conditions don't mean as much too me as to others, though I do have a limit to conditions being 'too' low; VG is about right for me. My goal is to fill all the cheaper holes and then concentrate on getting the higher priced coins; maybe one or two a year. I probably won't ever get all the $1,000+ coins but I'll forever try!

I may have a different kind of OCD. I have a albums that I can't finish because I can't afford the coins in the grade that matches the other ones. That's the problem with my 20th Type set. I just need the Barber quarter and half, but the rest of the coins are MS (or sliders) and I can't bear to put a VF barber half in there so it sticks out like a sore thumb. And if I did acquire a AU/MS barber half, I wouldn't want it ungraded and in an album. I'd want it slabbed!

So that's why I think for the more rare series, I'd be better off not trying to make a set and just buying a few outstanding examples from the series. If I am not trying to complete a set, I don't care if the holes aren't filled and I don't have to worry about trying to find a lowest common denominator grading I can afford for the whole series.

Good job Econ! We should start our own support group. lol

I passed on a couple cheap low grade 2 cent pieces today. LOL That is a denomination I do not have in my collection.

The US admin of the P.I. stuff is going to be super hard. I love those coins!

It is better to have a better quality of coin. I often notice many purchases of coins that have rim bumps and scratches on them and the seller saying nice grade and they are definitely not worth the lower end of the price scale. I think I might have a good procedure for you to accomplish your goals.
First take your coins for an appraisal. If you are not able then sell them on ebay or wherever you decide to sell and then you will have the money to pay for better quality coins. It's always better to have good grade coins rather than a coin that will never escalate in price. You also are looking at an investment with the possibility that the price will continue to climb when you purchase quality coins.