“Harder in VF-XF than in UNC”
scubafuel
Posts: 1,868 ✭✭✭✭✭
Quote paraphrased from the Barber dime thread currently going, but this feels true in many series. It’s extremely difficult to put together a nicely matched set in a circ grade because the coin had to circulate while avoiding any damage, cleaning or other calamities. US coins being as common as they are, doing an UNC set sometimes just means going out and buying them.
Due to the registry and other factors, most serious collectors seem to gravitate to the highest grade they can find. I’d love to see someone with serious focus and lots of funds put together the best possible matched VF-XF set in a series. Anyone working on something like this??
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I remember paying MS63 bid for a perfect VF/XF 1885-CC for a customer. 1903-O is another tough circulated dollar.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
Finding the low mintage seated dimes, quarters and halves from 1879-1990 in nice VF-XF is certainly harder than finding them in UNC or Proof. 1901-s Barber quarter (and other O and S mint Barbers) might slip in there as well. Roll sets were saved at time of issue. No such thing ever occurred for VF-XF coins .
1892-O $5, was looking for one in VF EF for years. Never found one
Latin American Collection
1950D nickel; 1931S cent are also abundant in MS condition and not so abundant in high circulated condition.
I am working on this set. It’s generally XF-45, with a few 40’s and 50’s thrown in. I have another five to seven coins that aren’t listed yet as they need to be crossed or otherwise graded. I think that the set is completable.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/complete-sets/complete-sets-by-mint/carson-city-complete-set-major-varieties-circulation-strikes-1870-1893/publishedset/213824
Yup, barber quarters in VF and in XF-AU. Both sets are very hard for the reasons you state.
Best, SH
I dunno. Both those coins do appear in high circulated grades.
Try finding them in Good or Very Good.
Pete
SanctionII is certainly correct on the 50-D. It is ALWAYS the rarest circulated coin on the bourse floor (well, not counting the 85-CC Morgan!).
Drunner
I agree on the 50-D
I think you'll find many examples in the Morgan series and with certain commemoratives.
Here's my example that I think certainly qualifies. To me, this coin is beautiful in its "worn" state.
You hit the nail on the head there...I have never seen a 50-D in VG
Quite a few V nickels are hard to find VF/XF without issues.
Matter of fact.... most of them are.
I tried putting together a set VF or better (no UNC's/proofs) years ago but gave up due to frustration.
This was many years ago....pre-internet.
May be a different deal today....but I kinda doubt it.
Unlike barber dimes, 92-O $5’s did not widely circulate.
That may have been me quoted in the OP.
True, thats what I get for posting while multi-tasking and waking up the stairs at the same time.
Latin American Collection
I really enjoy threads like this.
So many coins, so many anomalies.
1947 walkers are abundant in Unc, but doubt if I’ve ever seen one below VF. 21S walker is relatively common up to and including VF, but is very scarce in XF and higher; much more so than the 21P and D, despite their lower mintages.
I put together a set based on this concept, it was tough!!
OD, that’s what I’m talking about! Call me nuts but I will look at those coins far longer than a set in Ms65. Great choices and they match very well
@RYK I think I was quoting you also, sorry for not giving the proper attribution
As for the 92-O, it illustrates how hard a circ set is either way. If they didn’t circulate much, a really nice XF is rare, and if they circulated extensively a nice XF is still rare because they got beat up or turned into G4’s
Seated dimes are another example. Doing a strictly VF-XF set doesn’t make a lot of sense because many dates aren’t worth grading in VF/XF. See the seated dime set in my signature for a close approximation.
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
This is classic for me! I've often said if you have a fat checkbook you can put an MS set of Barber Halves together in a week or 2. If you want a nice original Midgrade Circ set...it's not about the money...it's finding the coins.
I've taken on the difficult path. Other than just a few coins...I'm happy with the 9 PCGS Certified sets of Barber Halves I have assembled. I have complete PCGS sets of Halves in 12,15,20,25,30,35,40,45, and 58/58+! I am always looking for improvers in the eye appeal department!
Has anyone here attempted an XF-AU set of classic commemoratives?
Very fricken cool. Did you put a whole set together? Or just a short run? I have thought often about doing a crusty circulated set.
This is it. The concept for me was “Former Key Date Morgan’s”, in other words - pre-bank hoard discovery.
Any of these could have been a prized key date in someone’s collection before the hoards of Unc’s were uncovered.
I'm doing that with the Seated half series, some of the dates are very hard to find in decent VF or XF, especially the late Civil War dates.
Don't even get me started on 1917-S reverse mintmark Walkers, I don't think the price guides reflect reality in those grades.
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
That would be tough in AU, well-nigh impossible in XF.
Pretty much any 20th century gold
I’d tend to agree, at least when it comes to Barber coinage.
It took me a mere 25 years to complete my Barber quarter set in choice, original VF.
Dave
Dave, that sounds like an amazing set! Is it viewable anywhere?
@scubafuel - Thanks. I’m working on getting some decent images to add to my registry set. It’s been a challenge.
Dave
Try a vest pocket dealer who keeps his inventory raw in his vest pocket.
Many people don't realize how rare some of those dates are circulated. 1898-O's and 1904-O's fool a lot of people because they are now so common. They are very easy to sell for MS money and are probably worth more than an MS coin.
All denominations from from 2020.
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One not mentioned above is late 1870s and all 1880's except the 1881 for the cupronickel 3 cent coins. With the last years MS and Proof are a lot more common.
Interestingly, not only is this particularly challenging, it might also be financially imprudent. If you have to pay near MS money for the XF coin, you are counting on someone else doing this in the future.
And Many do!
I'm on the lookout for a few that I'd like to add to my Barber 25c set and I see many Uncs and high AUs but not many F-XF examples.
I did the Morgan cc’s in f-vf...the 85cc and 84cc were tough to find in those grades. 85cc was almost as expensive as low ms, although that wasn’t my problem,. My problem was just that they rarely became available and the few that did , usually didn’t meet the look of the rest of the set.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1950-D-Jefferson-Nickel-Fine-FN/203006116957?_trkparms=aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20200818142525&meid=4c82cb36feab4cd7b1c5607b4d8f0a47&pid=101195&rk=3&rkt=12&mehot=pf&sd=383692122494&itm=203006116957&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV2bDemotion&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851
RYK, any coin you buy, for any price, you’re hoping that someone will also do that in the future
Well now I have... thank you!
I am most of the way through on a set of Barber quarters in a dansco in VF/XF, I did throw in a couple of AU coins that were just too nice to pass up, but it has been a fun project and the album looks great! I know it will never have the big 3 in the holes(might keep them graded if I even get them at all!)
If I could take decent images, I would post it.
When I hear that statement, i think of the 16d merc. Just like others , if u have the money , you can get a roll of uncs. But try to find a handful of nice mid grade circs at a big show, or just 1 at a small show!!