$5 Half Eagle Mint Set
Auamans
Posts: 6 ✭
Been lurking for a number of years but decided to step out of the shadows and get some advice from this august group.
I've decided to put together the 7 coin mint set of $5 half eagles. I have the Charlotte (48-C XF45 CAC) and Dahlonega (54-D XF40 CAC) and would be interested in getting your thoughts on filling out the rest of the set.
Curious to know if you have been most satisfied with having a complete set of similar looking coins (XF/AU in this case), or getting the best available coin within your budget. Thinking mainly about the 1906/07 Denver where it will be easier to find an nice slabbed MS64 + over a XF/AU graded coin. And if I go higher grade Denver why not get better SF, and Philly examples also.
Would be very interested in knowing what direction you have found most rewarding in your collecting experience.
Thanks in advance
Comments
Welcome to the forum
It's your set, collect coins the way you like, there's no right or wrong, only what you will be happy with. Buy the coin(s) that you can afford
Good luck
Edit to add:
I have 92 registry sets so that should give you some idea of how I collect.
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
I vote to make ‘‘em all xf-au, even if you have to carry the Denver coin as a pocket piece for a while to do so. It will make a fun story out of an otherwise less interesting coin, and when you lay them out together they will match nicely. Otherwise the Denver coin will stick out like a sore thumb.
I've never been hung up on every coin having the same grade in the set. I've always felt that you should get the highest grade that you can afford. I like a little variety and having every coin looking the same except for the date and mintmark is boring. I would strive for a nice AU grade for the CC and O mints and nice MS grade for the P, D, and S mints. A modern W mint gold commemorative $5 is optional.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Glad you joined the forum. I really enjoy the $5 coinage. I have built a PCGS album for my $5 type set and have it in my signature below. I agree with others that you should collect what you like. My $5 type set has AU58CAC's up to an MS66CAC. Take a look and I think you will see it does not matter.
The two you have sound like great coins. Congrats.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
Thank you all. Really appreciate your input and suggestions
The horror!
I agree with @PerryHall and @pcgscacgold - go with the nicest coin within your budget from each mint and don’t look at them all at once if that bothers you.
My seven piece all mints $5 gold set ranges Choice AU to MS-65. I buy the best coin I can afford within reason.
The cheapest way to go is to buy the Carson City and New Orleans coins from the 1890s. I have “a thing” for the earlier New Orleans coins so I bought one from the 1840s. That is a bit more expensive. You can buy higher grade Mint State coins for the Denver, Philadelphia and San Francisco pieces.
It's your set, you should collect it how you like. For me, like most others here I like to buy the highest grade affordable for each piece.
Good luck with your set and above all, have fun with it.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
There is no wrong way to do this. The C, D and CC coins were workhorse coins from mining districts, so who cares if they were used by miners?
Your biggest concern is this: Do you include a W-mint commemorative?
Thanks. i considered the later New Orleans as i toyed with the idea of trying to complete this set by decade.
1840's - Charlotte
1850's - Dahlonega
1860's - Philadelphia
1870's - San Fran
1880's- Carson City
1890's - New Orleans
1900's - Denver
However, i have tried to make a set "more interesting" like this before and usually find it too restrictive and feel forced into getting something i may not love as much. I also like the idea of having the three southern mints in same time period.
Do your set the way that makes you happy. I completed my set in 1985 but have upgraded several coins since then.
I've thought about an 8 piece set like that but doing it this way:
P - Early $5
C - Classic
D - Lib first head (1839)
O - Lib small letters 1840-43
S - Lib no motto lg letters
CC - Lib motto
D - Indian
W - 1999 Washington
Here is a set I can pull together from what I have, in the highest grades, using only Braided Hair design.
Philadelphia, graded MS-63 +
Charlotte, graded AU-58
Dahlonega, graded MS-63
New Orleans, Graded MS-61
San Francisco, graded MS-64
Carson City, Graded MS-62, CAC
Denver, Graded MS-65
I have a thing for 1839 - partly because of the obverse C and D mintmarks, so I included all three of those in my set: https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/gold/liberty-head-5-gold-mintmark-set-1839-1908/album/171764
There is also an 8th mint (W), such as this:
IMHO the way to go if you choose to include West Point is the Buchanan's Liberty First Spouse coin. Sure, it's technically denominated $10, but the (partial) design continuity makes up for that I think.
https://www.usacoinbook.com/us-coins/2010-james-buchanans-liberty-first-spouse-gold-coin.jpg
I like that design a lot @dcarr Thanks for sharing it. Maybe that one can round out my $5 collection. I will put it on my radar.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
I don’t follow the First Spouse series. I find it odd that the name of the president is not mentioned. The only way to figure it out was the dates, “1857-1861.
That is a neat set, hadn't thought about doing it that way - Interestingly enough the only $5 W-mint I have is the 1999-W Washington in MS. It was the first gold coin I had purchased.
Wow that is an impressive set to have pulled together. Very nice reference as I work to complete mine.
re: W-mint options. Think there is any chance for a W-mint Lib. $5? 2039 would mark the 200th anniv of start, 2033 would mark 125th anniv of the end. Would like one sooner but the 1794 $1 news got me thinking.
You never know but I probably won't be here in 2039 so I'd collect what I like now and worry about it later.
I have the 1839 C and D. Finding those in any condition is challenging. Finding really nice AU examples is close to impossible. My two AUs have been dipped.