Is Hansen the only one doing "The Eliasberg Challenge"?

MrEureka

Nobody else is doing it at his level, of course, but is anyone else even trying to come close to completing a set of US coins? Seems like everyone I know is either specializing, collecting whatever happens to catch their eye, or both. But nobody is taking on the whole Red Book like collectors often did "back in the day".

Zoins

How many people did it at a high level in the past?

ricko

I am in the 'eye catching' segment.... No series, no plan... Just coin fun.... Cheers, RickO

MrEureka

@Zoins said:
How many people did it at a high level in the past?

Based on past auction catalogs, and considering that Wayte Raymond decided to mass produce boards for all non-gold series, a lot.

Of course, it was a much less expensive hobby back then.

tradedollarnut

The last that I know of was Richmond…

moursund

How far would a billion dollars get me?

TheRaven

I would bet there are a ton of collectors working on most of a 20th century collection. Gold makes the red book collection really pricey to even think about.

HashTag

NLI

MrEureka

@HashTag said:
I wouldn’t put Hansen anywhere near the category of Eliasberg.

Irrelevant to this thread as far as I'm concerned. I'm just trying to bring some attention to a major shift in the way people collect US coins, and hoping it will be enlightening in some small way.

Klif50

The Tryant US Type Coin Collection is pretty impressive. I got the book (only $10 with free shipping and it came in about a week). The pictures are not that great (from what I can see) and it doesn't have any of the commemoratives in it but still a high dollar collection with many of the top pop coins on board. I did not order any of the world wide books.

On the cover it says "World's Most Valuable Private Coin Collection". Does it really meet that standard?

HashTag

NLI

gschwernk

It depends on your definition of close to completing. I think getting 90 to 95% complete in fine or better condition could be done by a lot of the top registry collectors. Going beyond that would require many more millions of $$$. I am going in the other direction. I am selling off most of my coins to concentrate on my favorite 3 sets.

yosclimber

A partial answer is in the Registry Sets.
Several people have a significant % of the total number of coins.
It's possible that some of them may skip several sets entirely; I didn't look that close.

1. Complete Basic Set 1792-present. (3741 coins)
   D.L. Hansen is 99.73% complete
   lostmountainman 69%
   Ozarko 31%
   Meant to be Spent 26%
   Finest Cents 26%
   Kaye 25%
   and 11 more at 10-20%

https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/complete-sets/master-sets/u-s-coins-complete-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1792-1964/3406

2. Complete Basic Set 1792-1964. (2821 coins)
   D.L. Hansen not listed
   lostmountainman 59%
   DS 50%
   Kaye 33%
   uscoinguy 30%
   and several at 10-20%

https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/complete-sets/master-sets/u-s-coins-complete-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1792-present/4768

MrEureka

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@HashTag said:

@MrEureka said:

@HashTag said:
I wouldn’t put Hansen anywhere near the category of Eliasberg.

Irrelevant to this thread as far as I'm concerned. I'm just trying to bring some attention to a major shift in the way people collect US coins, and hoping it will be enlightening in some small way.

I see it more as a marketing gimmick than an achievement. MANY of his slabbed coins are of lower grade; near dreck.

Interesting perspective. 🙄

scubafuel

I think set collecting is not as popular as it once was and the Redbook set is just one (the biggest) example. There’s more literature, more knowledge and the coins are more available than ever before. So I think people naturally cast a wider net.

tradedollarnut

@HashTag said:
I wouldn’t put Hansen anywhere near the category of Eliasberg.

I would. However, despite the initial claim, I don’t think his goal is a complete set

MrEureka

@tradedollarnut said:

@HashTag said:
I wouldn’t put Hansen anywhere near the category of Eliasberg.

I would. However, despite the initial claim, I don’t think his goal is a complete set

I get your point, but sometimes it's OK to come close enough, or to be in no rush. Especially because, after all, this is a hobby.