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At what level of rarity does set-builder interest drop?

DHeathDHeath Posts: 8,472 ✭✭✭
Thinking about rarity as defined in the traditional sense, at what point does rarity cause set builders to lose interest? Proof Barber halves, for example, enjoy tiny mintages but remain relatively inexpensive. Many keys to the most popular 20th century sets are not rare at all, and collector interest is enormous. Is there are relationship between rarity and disinterest?
Developing theory is what we are meant to do as academic researchers
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor

Comments

  • JerseyJoeJerseyJoe Posts: 460 ✭✭
    I think coins with 10 known say that have a great story or historic
    significance will always have great demand. Yet there are other
    similar patterns or proof coins that will never have that awww.
    A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because it's trust is not in the branch but it's own wings.
  • BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 30,977 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I think coins with 10 known say that have a great story or historic
    significance will always have great demand. Yet there are other
    similar patterns or proof coins that will never have that awww. >>



    awwwweeeee!image
  • crypto79crypto79 Posts: 8,623


    Great question, rarity is an absolute general collectibility killer although it often opens up a new market of trophy hunters.
  • dogwooddogwood Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭✭
    Take away the 96-s, 01-s, 13-s barber quarters, and a dozen of the dates in that set could be worth triple what they are in XF/AU and MS from demand of set builders cracking away at it to completion. It's an example, might be off, but the 01-s is ridiculously priced and does hold the others down I imagine.
    We're all born MS70. I'm about a Fine 15 right now.
  • lavalava Posts: 3,286 ✭✭✭
    A fascinating and complex issue. Probably depends on the series. Where rarity results in very high prices, cost may keep some from participating in the series, regardless of interest.
    I brake for ear bars.
  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 10,715 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Thinking about rarity as defined in the traditional sense, at what point does rarity cause set builders to lose interest? Proof Barber halves, for example, enjoy tiny mintages but remain relatively inexpensive. Many keys to the most popular 20th century sets are not rare at all, and collector interest is enormous. Is there are relationship between rarity and disinterest? >>



    I dont know for sure but as a set collecter myself if a set has 3 or more stoppers I'm not very interested in collecting that series; by stoppers I mean that those dates/mm would be very difficuilt or super expensive to purchase. The example you listed proof barber halves, I have never looked at them but did a quick Heritage search and found that every single one in the grade PR63 (what I would consider the sweet spot grade) that has crossed the block recently there was close to or over 1K. Now I did not look to see how many proof barber halves would be needed but for myself baised on that quick search I would not consider that series as relatively inexpensive and would cause me to lose interest.
    My Lincoln Registry
    My Collection of Old Holders

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  • seanqseanq Posts: 8,568 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Take away the 96-s, 01-s, 13-s barber quarters, and a dozen of the dates in that set could be worth triple what they are in XF/AU and MS from demand of set builders cracking away at it to completion. It's an example, might be off, but the 01-s is ridiculously priced and does hold the others down I imagine. >>




    This is a great point and I wanted to make sure it didn't get overlooked.

    I think a date set collector would be much more likely to attempt something like Standing Liberty quarters, where there is only one major stopper, versus Barber quarters. Then again you have series like Barber dimes where the stopper is so rare (1894-S) that most set builders don't even consider it part of a complete set.

    Personally my interest in set-building drops when a single coin in the set is worth more than the rest of the series combined. I don't enjoy starting a project that I know with near certainty I'll never be able to finish.


    Sean Reynolds
    Incomplete planchets wanted, especially Lincoln Cents & type coins.

    "Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The scarcity of the vdb proof probably contributed to the petering out of the MPL thingy
  • DaveGDaveG Posts: 3,535
    I suspect that, more than anything, it depends on the size of the collector's wallet.

    After all, some collectors (not me) have been known to build sets of $20 Saints!

    Check out the Southern Gold Society

  • DHeathDHeath Posts: 8,472 ✭✭✭
    Good points all.
    Developing theory is what we are meant to do as academic researchers
    and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
  • mrpotatoheaddmrpotatoheadd Posts: 7,576 ✭✭


    << <i>We all know that there are many coins that are easily obtainable but called rare to influence demand and consequently their prices such as 1909-s vdb, 1955 DDO etc. >>

    Do you really think calling those coins rare does anything to influence demand? I don't think so.
  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I really don't think Rarity ever hinders set building to a dedicated collector. The hunt for the "rare" is what should drive you after all. What fun is collecting common stuff??? If it were fun then we would all be enjoying collecting the complete Roosevelt Dime 1946-2013 Series, with Proofs. But you know as well as I do that is about the deadest series there IS!
  • 3stars3stars Posts: 2,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I started a raw Morgan set in MS, but with 25 left of the 96 I've lost interest as paying several hundred for a single coin x 25 caused me to stop. Just a low reward for me at that point.
    Previous transactions: Wondercoin, goldman86, dmarks, Type2
  • renomedphysrenomedphys Posts: 3,489 ✭✭✭✭✭
    In '05 through '07 I built an almost complete set of MS Lincolns that made it to the #10 spot on the registry. For me, the '17 DDO was a stopper in any respectable grade. Once they added the '58-DDO (3 known) I completely lost interest in the series.
  • SkyManSkyMan Posts: 9,493 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you are building a complete set with ALL varieties then I think pretty much most sets are a non-starter in any halfway decent grade.

    If you are talking about building a set with all date/mm, then you've added a good chunk of people.

    Probably the biggest dividing line would be between building a set with all date/mm and building a set with all dates. Most people that are interested enough in a series to try and collect it could build a date set for most post-Civil War sets. Obviously people who would try and put together a gold set would need deeper pockets to begin with.
  • MowgliMowgli Posts: 1,219
    When rarity causes a major expenditure of funds I believe it limits the number of set builders or redefines what one is willing to include in their set. When I did Barber quarters in AU I eliminated the 1901-s from the beginning because it would cost as much as all the rest of the coins. Many Bust Nuts know that only 8 or so people will ever have a complete variety set at one time - and it will require deep pockets - but they still build what they can. A lot of sets have at least one "rare" coin that dwarfs the costs of the other coins - so you eliminate it or compromise on condition. Seated coins have so many rare and expensive coins that it is easier to do date sets and even then (as with quarters) there are many R4+ coins. Funds always dictate the extent one is willing to do a complete date/mm set and the more rare the coins, the more your limits are tested.
    In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

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