Morgan Dollar Set "Description" ?

Lots of ways to build a "set" of Morgan dollars as Kanga said.

I've done the following or come close to completing:



There are a lot of various VAM sets to do, such as all VAMs of one particular date, All similar types of VAMS ie: O/S mint marks, B1 reverse long arrow shaft varieties of 1878-S. All the overdates, all over mint marks, all clashed, VAM World has a bunch of various sets to go after on their site (look to the left side menu). Various counts on coins to complete each of these sets.




You can get an idea of the various Registry sets that PCGS & NGC have created:

PCGS-https://www.PCGS.com/setregistry/u-...s/dollars/17
NGC-https://www.NGCcoin.com/registry/co...tes/dollars/
*NOTE* Both PCGS and NGS allow custom sets to be created - and why not? It only means more income for them, if you are slabbing coins for a set you custom built.

Currently ANACS, IGC and SEGS the other 3rd party graders don't have registry sets, though I hear ANACS is working on creating one for their coins soon. PCGS is only for their PCGS slabbed coins, NGC allows for both NGC and PCGS slabbed coins to be included in their registry sets.

Then there are grading sets which consist of one of each grade Poor-01 through MS-68/69 (or variations thereof), low ball sets (Lowest grade possible), toned color sets, if you have the money the highest graded sets (registry). Red Book sets (getting all coins listed in the Red Book) including the varieties.

So lots of ways to build a set of Morgan dollars. Many of these (excepting VAMs or substituting them for different known variety types) could be done for almost any series of coin, US or World as well as currency too.

So as you can see, there are a whole lot of ways to collect a set of Morgan dollars, or really any kind of coin/currency. Just remember the end goal is to have fun building the collection and to learn as you go.

Well I never completed most of them, and now I concentrate on early American coinage, colonials and related foreign coins, interesting ephemera, and of course my Two Cent die pair set. I really started collecting in 1980, though I had a small (very small) accumulation of interesting coins before that as a kid. I would have been starting 10th grade probably.

I had a couple of complete Peace dollar sets, a date/year set, Hubs Set and Mint Mark set, also an 1878 set of M/M, I've had most of the TOP 100 maybe 90+ of them, all of the 1878-S B1 reverses (long arrow shafts at once) sold the VAM-72 discovery piece to Larry Briggs before I knew what it was so I can include that one), All the O/S & O/CC (early and late die states on the 1882), probably 80% of the 1878-P set (8TF, 7/8TF and 7TF coins), I was collecting rusted die VAMs but sold them off a few years ago. Almost got into 1921 but thought better of it, that's when I started buying literature seriously instead.

Here is my old list of good Morgan dollar books to have, there have been quite a few new ones since I made this list. http://goccf.com/t/152565

I've had a few nearly complete sets offered to me for sale over the years when I was a coin dealer by trade. Mostly from relatives selling off a deceased family member's set, usually in Dansco Albums (2 books) also. Many times the better coins were either missing or had been removed and sold to other people first. At least what I've seen myself. You are right a nearly complete set is rarely offered for sale by dealers, as the tough coins are just that - tough. Plus it's a large set and most collectors would want the challenge of building and putting their own set together I believe.

Mostly just a loupe (Bausch & Lomb APO Triplet 7x), but I do have a USB microscope and a stereoscope with .5-7X power range. I love my stereoscope but it's large and takes up a good part of the desk. It's comfortable for long term studying.