Best Way to Build a Graded 65-98 Clad Quarter Set?
Manifest_Destiny
Posts: 6,900 ✭✭✭✭✭
I'm thinking about doing this for a fun diversion. I don't know much about modern series. Is the best way to buy them already graded? Buy mint sets and/or rolls and try to make them? Combination of both?
I'm looking forward to insight about the series from the forum experts.
0
Comments
I would buy them already graded unless you are a very skilled grader of the series and can confidently pick enough winners to complete the set. And have the time to spend pouring over thousands of mint sets/coins in the process.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
It depends what you consider fun. I mean if the point is to have a "fun diversion" then it's not really useful to do it in a way that you don't enjoy the most. I mean if you want to get everything in a certain grade, buy them graded. If you want to pore over a lot of raw coins and submit a few to be graded, do that. No one can tell you what to enjoy. They are common enough and worth so relatively little that you can almost certainly find very nice coins raw, but I suspect you'd have to find MS 67s at face value to make most of them worth submitting. So, only do this raw if you understand that you'll lose money. And if you get 1000 hours of enjoyment for a few hundred dollars, I suspect that's a trade off most of us would make.
I like your concept.
Without knowing your level of detailed commitment, time horizon or financial output, your question/project has to many variables.
Personally, I enjoy the search and testing my non-professional grading skills. Compiling my own set, one I created, would be the goal and enjoyment. Keep us posted on which way you go and your progress.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
slot machine
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
The goal would be MS66-67. I don't really care to pay MS67 prices for a couple of them, like the 71, and I doubt you could make a 71 in 67 unless you got lucky finding a mint set in dealer stock. If I do it, I guess it would probably be a combination of buying already graded coins and trying to make some, which can be fun.
Calling @cladking .
Your service is needed.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
Depends on the grade range. If you're fine with 65s, it would be a horrible waste of money to submit them yourself. If you want top pops, it might still be ca horrible waste of money. However, if you have a good enough eye and patience, you might make out.
You really don't need to ask. Decide what grade you are looking for. Check ebay prices. Compare to the costs of submission.
There's also no law that says it had to be one or the other.
For slabbed, I would think that for many/most of those years, in the grades you’re looking at, you’ll be buying coins that someone else hoped would have graded higher. This gives you the opportunity to buy them at a level perhaps below the cost of grading.
That certainly won’t be the case on all of them, but unless you really love nitpicking raw coins for hours and hours (which lots of people do), I would look for graded examples that I really like the look of.
From there you can decide if you want your set to “match” or if you want each piece to be more individual and/or interesting in comparison to the others.
Good luck and have fun with the diversion!
True, but since I don't know much about moderns, I like to hear what others think about the series and how they approach it.
A quick glance at the price guide will show that most are probably best bought already in slabs. Many of those are probably coins sent to fill a bulk order or mistakes someone else made in deciding what to submit that they now want to make go away. If you can get a raw one graded in a high dollar grade, then more power to you. The thing is, you've already said you don't know much about moderns. That will diminish your likelihood of being successful and increase your outlay for grading fees.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
You could reach out to Wondercoin and ask him if he has any surplus high grade clad quarters he would be willing to part with.
I have been working on a graded set of Lincoln Cents from 1930-2023, perhaps a fun diversion and it is something I enjoy collecting. I have found that I now pick up one or two at a time, and with the exception of the 1931S and 1951P I have all the Lincoln Cents from 1930-1999. My largest gap is 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005P, 2006-2009, 2016, 2017D and the 2023 P&D. I also have all of the proofs 1950-2023. I purchase existing slabs, having never sent in a coin for grading. Most of the 1934-1982 issues are MS-66, with MS-67 being the rule for the zinc era. Proof issues are PF-67 for the Wheat Cents, PF-68 cameo and ultra cameo for 1959-1972, PF-69 ultra cameo 1973-2013, and PF-70 ultra cameo after that. Some issues go for well over TPG prices, but many go for less. I do not go for the absolute best, those are way over-priced for the competitive sets on the TPG sites. 299 graded slabs thus far, both NGC and PCGS, with a few duplicates along the way. Look at the issues one by one and let it take time.
Definitely buy them already graded. Of course searching mint sets is a lot of fun that I recommend and potentially profitable your chances of finding pop tops is very low and then it's expensive to get them graded even if they go through the first time. Graded coins can be had for as little as a couple dollars each and most will be in the top few percent in terms of quality. Some dates you might have to pay up for but generally really nice coins are available for less than the cost of grading.
Making them is very rewarding plus you get tuition lessons along the way
Another bonus from mint sets is that inevitably you will find gems in other denominations so now I'm working on 6 different sets. And not buying any that are graded until I feel like I have too.
I'm late to the game but there's still plenty to be had...for now.
Just a note of caution that if you want to buy ones that are slabbed toners, the delta between your acquisition costs compared to price guide will cause depression.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Start by going to your local bank and buy a bunch or rolled quarters at face value and start putting a set together. As you upgrade your quarters you will slowly learn how to grade the mint state clad quarters. Eventually you can attain some knowledge by comparing the better graded coins to the lower graded coins.
Then you can start buying rolls of uncirculated quarters which are still reasonably priced and study them individually
I second seeking out wondercoin’s and cladking’s advice as they know their quarters. But seeking out their assistance before doing your own homework is wasting their time.
You cannot rush acquiring these quarters as it is a learning process as well.
Yes agree with cladking’s advice to purchase mint sets as an alternative aporoach to acquiring quarters. But some mint sets are hard to find and only souvenir sets are available for 1982 and 1983 at a very steep price.
I agree though you get plenty of time to learn & find more between orders.
I would simply buy them off eBay or GC. Have fun.
Had a few picked up part of collector blowout deal - was doing good get even slab cost for them.
Look at some of the pop reports. 66s would be easy to build, with the exception of a rew dates in the early 70's and mid 80s. 68s are possible for the last few dates in the 90s. Decide your budget and go from there. I only had a few that I made for the final version of my set.