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So looking for more of a focus to my collection and thinking that trying to assemble a commemorative half dollar collection.
The classic US commemorative series is a great series to pursue. Lots of interesting designs and quite a bit of US history presented. It's also a great time to pursue the series as prices are down.
I've put together a few thoughts on your questions, but please realize that your best friend in pursing a collection of any type of coin series is education. You need to learn about the coins you are considering. Buy a book or two and read more about them, read whatever you can find on the internet (CCF is a great place to start) but be careful as some info presented by fellow hobbyists can be inaccurate. The advice of others can get you started, but you'll need to do some homework to truly figure it all out.
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Looks to be about 60 of the halves from 1892 to 1950s?
There are 50 design types in the silver classic commemorative series: 48 half dollars, one dollar and one quarter-dollar coin. Among the half dollars, there are five varieties that can be added to a basic type set. If you were to collect one of every date and mint, the silver set would grow to 144 pieces. They were issued between 1892 and 1954. Check this thread out for a general introduction:
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Are there thoughts on what grades I should seek (I know budget issue) but are there coins below a certain grade that are just not worth owning?
All of the coins in the classic series are readily available in mint state. So, unless you plan to assemble a lowball set, there is likely little reason not to build an uncirculated set. As far as how high up the mint state scale you go, that is absolutely a personal budget issue. With patience, a very nice MS-63 set could be assembled on a reasonable budget. If you are thinking more in terms of investment vs. collection, you will need to purchase coins in MS-66 or higher (with maybe two or three exceptions where an MS-65 coin will do). Such a gem mint state set would get very pricey! An MS-64 set would also be nice and would keep you just below the major price jumps for several of the coins.
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Is it advisable to stay with slabbed coins to assure they are not counterfeits? Are there certain commem. halves that have many fakes floating out there?
Yes, there are counterfeit commemorative coins floating around - but not as many as it might seem at times by listening to a few stories or read some posts about them here on CCF. Education is your friend here - learn what to look for! If you don't feel comfortable picking out raw coins, then "Yes" stick with slabbed coins.
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recommend any sellers?
Check the stock of multiple dealers and get a sense of which ones best fit with the set you are trying to build. Some dealers will focus on coins in higher grades, some lower. With a bit of searching you can find one that fits your needs. My advice, build a relationship with the dealer or dealers that fit best with your collecting goals. Relationships pay dividends!
Posted 11/15/2019 1:20 pm
