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 Replies: 19 / Views: 2,215 |
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Valued Member
United States
99 Posts |
Being a new collector myself, I would say the number one question I ask myself is ... "What do I want to collect" I am the type of person who wants to have EVERY piece to a collection, nothing missing... So I keep thinkin.. ok I can do ASE's... then I think wow thats $2,000 to get them all.. or then.. I could do lincoln cents.. but wait... what about the 1909 S VDB which I will never get... So I think I have found what I plan to do and I want to share so other people who are just starting to collect coins can do the same... I have already been collecting silver proof sets since 2002, however I have never collected the uncirculated mint sets... So my plans are to go and buy 1999-2007 uncirculated mint sets as well as every year from this point on... What this does for me is allows me to A.) Build a complete uncirculated State Quarter collection from 1999-2008 B.) Complete a Sacagawea dollar collection from 2000-2XXX C.) Completed a Presidential dollar collection from 2007-2XXX D.) fill up a number of Harris / Whitman albums for other coins that start at 1999... Now here is my question, I've seen that silver proof sets consistantly go up in value but I beleive that is no only due to lower mintage but the high silver content as well.... With unirculated mint sets I dont see this happening... if I plan to collect for another 40 years of my life... would it be wise to break these sets apart to fill albums? or would there be alot of value loss by doing so? Edited by Chaotech
05/08/2008 11:24 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1116 Posts |
i am doing the same thing as you with the mint sets but I am going back to 1959-xxx so I can get all the lincoln memorial cents I am also asking myself the same question with regards to breaking them up I havent done it yet but I am leaning towards doing so.
do what you like and what makes you happy as a collector thats what I have been told and it makes sense. I wanted to complete a set of washington silver quarters 1932-1964 with most of the dates being in ms65 condition until I realized that would cost thousands of dollars so I am settling for mostly fine to extra fine examples and I am happy with that set bottom line do what you like.
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Valued Member
 United States
99 Posts |
i think alot of new collectors are discouraged from collecting because they didnt get into it sooner and they feel that all the goodies are gobbled up!
i even felt this way at times, now that I have this goal I am content with where I am now and where I wanna be!
Its an easy goal and 40 years from now a complete uncirc set of these coins will be worth 2x what they are now if not more... plus you have the personal value where you collected them yourself.
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Valued Member
United States
189 Posts |
I like your plan and have just the same myself. Mint sets 1959-current (though I still need 59-64) and proof sets from 55-current, including silver issues.
Also if you really get into it you can grab the odd-ball sets (type 1 and type 2's, small and large dates etc..)
My advice to you is that if you plan to collect the proof and/or mint sets BUY IN BULK! Try to buy all the years that you plan to collect all in one shot, it will be cheaper for you this way. That is the mistake I made and do not want to see you make the same.
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Valued Member
United States
99 Posts |
yea I just picked up 2003-2007 as well as a Presidential dollar set for dirt cheap on ebay... now I have a duplicate 2005 I am trying to swap that and/or find a place to trade for 2002 set... |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
Many people "crack em' to put into albums........ and many crack "proof sets" to put into albums too !...For many, putting the best example of a particular coin into the album is the MOST important thing......thus the finished project is a shining offering of really nice coins and the value to the album is much higher than "uncirculated" coins (or various levels of lower grades).......so you'll get opinions on either way I'm sure........some will say crack em' and some will say to leave the sets intact. Those who put "proof" coins in their albums will have no problem breaking an uncirc. set to do so.......and some collectors would NEVER do that because their collection is partly "U.S.Mint packaged sets"!.....So really, it boils down to your personal preference.........albums.....sets.......or both.....your choice. Personally..IMHO...the uncirculated sets aren't going to ever carry a "huge" premium over the "issue price".....so (But I collect them too !....and I like the idea of doing "both" !).....  Edited by eaglefoot
05/09/2008 08:21 am
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Valued Member
United States
99 Posts |
I think I agree with you eagle, I have been researching historical uncirc sets and it seems they dont increase in value very much... in fact the albums your produce usually outprice the combined price of the uncirc sets hehe...
As for proofs, I wont crack a proof set...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
Chaotech.... quote:
As for proofs, I wont crack a proof set...
I can't get myself to crack a "proof set" either !.....  But for those who do, including some of our Moderators, it makes for quite the showy album with a sweet price value to them I'm sure! This is also done frequently with "slabbed & graded" coins and the PCGS stickers are kept for identification in the back of the album for records. You can put together some REALLY nice albums this way !... However.....it wouldn't bug me too much to "crack" a Presidential dollar Proof set !......I'm souring on them and their value, the best thing to do with those proof sets might just be to "crack em' !"....could be the first one's I crack !  Edited by eaglefoot
05/09/2008 10:20 am
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Valued Member
United States
317 Posts |
Chaotech, like everyone has told you, it really comes down to your personal preference. I've cracked my fair share of proof and mint sets in my day, but it's also good to have some intact as well. If albums or slabbing aren't important to you, then I'd keep them intact.
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Valued Member
United States
177 Posts |
To crack or not to crack mint sets -- buy two of each, crack one of them and leave the other intact; most of them really don't cost all that much. Same goes for a lot of proof sets too.
I also am collecting mint sets; I have 1965 to date, and plan on getting the 1959-64 as well; 1959 is the first year mint sets were sold in flat packs.
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Valued Member
United States
109 Posts |
I don't think intact mint sets will carry much of a premium in the future. I do believe that intact proof sets will, as so many of them get cracked open. With the cheap cost of uncirculated modern coins I would think that buying duplicates, mint sets intact and uncirculated examples for your albums, would be worth it. Again it's what your preferences are.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1208 Posts |
Everybody crack open mint sets... That way mine will be more valuable in mint packaging!  J/K On the other topic, of what to collect... I am like you, I get pre-defeated just thinking about keys. So you have listed some easy ones in mint sets, silver proofs, and even prestige sets would be easy enough over a reasonable time. One thing I thought of was to pick a "subject" and collect not one coin, but all the coins of a subject. I like classic commem halves with ships portrayed on them. So I was thinking 'it might be easier to collect all classic commems with ships on them, than to collect every classic commem or even a type set'. Something like that. Collect a set of one type of every coin with an indian portrayed. Just for another idea. The 10 dollar gold would be the most expensive, but you can find them in "types" rather than zeroing in on a date. Just some thoughts. For coin sets, Roos dimes and Franklins don't have any 'serious' keys, do they? At least the silverRoos anyway. |
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Valued Member
United States
99 Posts |
yea I'm cracking the uncirc sets, I dont plan on cracking silver proofs... I dont want to spend $100 per year just to have 1 to crack and 1 not to crack hehe.. i'll stick with the 44.95 a year for the silver proof set and not crack it...
as for uncircs... I dont need a packaged one I probably will take the coins out and either sell the box/coa or stick it in the back of whatever album I choose to put them in if I dont make my own... lol
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Valued Member
United States
130 Posts |
I don't have a problem breaking open mint sets for albums. I do buy an extra one to put away so that I have a continuous series. The only proofs I've been able to bring myself to break open are some Bald Eagle, Mt. Rushmore, and Yellowstone coins for the 7070 - I like those too much to hide away.
Reference key date coins, I'm getting close to only needing 3 Lincoln Cents - you can guess which ones. However, my wife made a big mistake by buying me a 1933D in BU condition. It sure looks shiny next to those 1909-1939 brown coins. It will bug me forever if I put it in the album next to the others and I'll have to buy more BU's. It never ends.
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Valued Member
United States
336 Posts |
my set of lincolns are 1909 to date with the errors my bu set starts at 1933 d to date.i just got the 1930 s in ms 65 ngc.i buy the crack proof sets and break them down.the halfs sell good on ebay.the penny goes into my book if I need it. |
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Valued Member
United States
429 Posts |
Tough question...but I think you have your answer. I have a tough time buying a proof or mint set because I am not collecting all those coins and I could use the money on something else. But at the same time, it is nice to buy them so I feel as if I have a complete set of something. Depending on what it is I would break it open for a single coin, but that is just because I do not collect proofs or mint sets. The idea of buying two is great, but can get real expensive also. So in other words, do what you want to do and put your sets together the way you want them to be.
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Replies: 19 / Views: 2,215 |
Posted 05/08/2008 11:57 pm
