How influential is the Set Registry in determining what you should buy?

renomedphys

Since the inception of PCGS’s Set Registry, have you bought coins just to fill a hole that you otherwise didn’t care about?

How about the converse? Has the inability to include a coin in your registry tempered your desire to own it?

My first experience with this came way back in 2008 after I bought a nice ‘55 DDO for my Lincoln set, and thus had to create a “With Varieties” set. All of a sudden I needed a bunch of middle date DDOs and OMMs that I would never have bought otherwise. Sheesh!

The converse of this is happening today. A couple years back I bought a Snow-1 1856 Flying Eagle in copper. Perhaps 2 known, and of course it doesn’t fit in any of my mainstream sets, and since it’s an 1856 Flyer in copper, falls under the heading of Judd 181 as a die variety. There are sets this coin can be included in, but none that interest me.

Here’s that one:

I suppose it all comes down to balancing our desires for personal goals against wanting credit for your work and expense. I’m flummoxed by the notion that many of us here are setting our collector goals based on what others (PCGS, top influencers) are telling us to collect.

Edited to remove all caps in title and errors

coinbuf

I am a set builder by nature, and I do enjoy the registry (the one ATS not here), so in my case yes I have bought some coins (or had some low value raw coins graded) that I might not have otherwise to fill in a registry set slot. But I try not to let my desire to build a registry set completely dominate what I buy. Just this week I bought several coins that I simply liked and had nothing to do with a set.

lermish

When I began collecting seriously I was a huge believer in the set registry. It dictated most of what I bought. Many times I did the exact same as OP...buy a coin which led to me starting a new set which inevitably led to me buying all of the other coins to complete the set, even if they were not coins I really enjoyed or was passionate about. I don't do that anymore!

I maintain two related registry sets but those are predominantly to keep track of the coins/varieties as they are essentially (or perhaps literally) impossible to complete. For everything else (gold and world), I buy what I like. This way is a lot more fun!

Manifest_Destiny

I just do the basic seated quarter set and collect 4 varieties that I like on top of that, which are in my inventory, but not counted in the registry set.

The entire set was in a Dansco at one time and I collected the varieties in the album just to fill the holes. I generally dislike varieties unless they're "intentional". By that I mean there was a conscious decision by the mint to create them, like date/letter size changes, adding drapery, arrows, etc. I couldn't care less about repunched mint mark varieties.

BillJones

I was never into the PCGS registry because they will only take PCGS coins. The NGC registry had quite a bit of influence on me over decade ago, but now it doesn't influence my purchases at all. I get into it now and then to revise my write-ups on each coin.

Walkerfan

I, too, am a set builder by nature. But, It has influenced me by helping me to realize my optimal grade level for each issue and each series. Likewise, it has made it more probable for me to take pictures and do research for descriptions that I wouldn’t normally do. It is a very good thing, IMHO.

braddick

Upon reflection, this is sad, yet I have a Registry that if it wasn't for its existence I would not have collected a single coin within it.
(The "Everyman" Ike Registry.)

Tom147

Only been a PCGS member for 5 years, been collecting for 59 years. Got involved in the Registry initially for inventory purposes. Just hated looking at my set and seeing 80% or 95% complete. So yes, I've bought coins to " fill a hole " but I do care about my coins. I have several top 5 sets but not competing with anyone but myself. I'm most certainly not able to compete with Mr. Hansen

Smudge

Not at all.

TurtleCat

It did at one point when I was trying to build a bunch of different sets in a shotgun approach. Then I figured out that I’ll never have the resources to do them all. So I sold off most everything and focused on gold dollars. Then made some raw albums for types and sets to scratch the itch. And nothing to compare against to make me want to “compete”.

jmlanzaf

Why single out the registry? Dansco/Whitman albums serve the same purpose. Even Redbook or other specialty books do the same thing. Then your OCD does the rest.

The collectors that are happy with a random accumulation of coins are the minority.

124Spider

@jmlanzaf said:
Why single out the registry? Dansco/Whitman albums serve the same purpose. Even Redbook or other specialty books do the same thing. Then your OCD does the rest.

The collectors that are happy with a random accumulation of coins are the minority.

This.

I don't have the wealth or interest to do registry sets; I am primarily an album-filler, buying certified coins only when the coin is too expensive for me to be comfortable buying off the internet without the backup of a slab.

Mr_Spud

The Registry affects my buying decisions on par with filling holes in Albums with raw coins. I like the key dates, without them the sets would be boring to work on. I like planning the sets around what grades and appearance I’m going to get the keys in.

Elcontador

Registry sets are irrelevant to me, so are pedigrees. I buy what I like.

Cougar1978

Zero don’t give a flip about / use excel

More procurement by type.

I do use it as an inventory manager for PCGS material.

ShaunBC5

Doesn’t affect me at all, so far. I’m so far behind on adding to the registry that Id have to set aside a lot of time to get caught up and so don’t care to do that right now.
If I ever do get caught up and am close to completing a set I didn’t realize was near completion, I can see being motivated to add a coin I wasn’t already thinking about.

RLSnapper

I find the registry sets help keep me focused....prior to focusing on my Large Cents with Major Varieties set I had a lot of impulse buys that I ultimately liquidated at GC. I am down to needing 4 coins to complete the set....I have also started a set of LC by Newcomb variety....this lets me acquire a coin when I get the itch....I need 346 more to complete that set. I have a lot of freedom by starting that set even though it will never be completed...my goal is to get 100 coins in that set...currently I have 27.

hfjacinto

I joined the registry because I wanted to do a higher grade Dansco 7070. Since the cost of several of the 7070 coins in high grade warranted getting them slabbed I started an NGC registry set (as NGC takes both NGC and PCGS coins). I didn’t use the registry set so much to select coins for me, but as a way to track what I have. I have 36 sets as of today and many have 1 or 2 coins. I mostly buy coins I want (whether they are raw, NGC, PCGS, ICG or Anacs) some are in the registry set, some aren’t. The registry set is a good way to track my coins and the current estimated values.

My local coin dealer was a collector before buying the store and he would tell me stories how he collected what he liked, he didn’t have any real rhyme or reason, so he has early proofs, unique coins and currency and one off errors, but he enjoys them all. I’m the same way. I see something I like and had no intersect (like a proof mercury dime or V nickel and I’ll buy it because I like it)

WAYNEAS

When I first started collecting Kennedys, I was interested in only putting together a date run proof set. I researched the top grading services and selected PCGS as the best so I started buying their slabs as I knew nothing about grading these coins and placed my trust in their listed grades. I centered on coins with a minimum grade of Pr69.
Years latter I noticed that if I wanted to put together a set in the top 10 that I needed to add Pr70s which became my main focus on auction sites. I slowly started to upgrade my 69’s to 70’s. At first is was a small price to pay but as the dates moved towards the early releases, it became more and more costly. Since I do not sell coins or trade them, I needed to create a monthly budget to work from. All was well and going fine until I reviewed the complete variety set, circulation strikes and proof 1964 to present. I did not know or care about Kennedys Varieties. Well the bug bit me to put this set together. I am currently 89 percent complete. There are 30 coins that are needed to complete this set for me. I will not buy a coin just to fill a slot. I have set my parameters that a coin must be in a grade of 65 or better unless there no coins in that grade. The lowest coin in this set is the 1972 D no FG fs-901which I have in a ms63. At the time of my purchase the highest grade was a ms64.
I also have a ms61 coin that was an extra gift when I bought a higher graded coin. This coin is a ‘64-d tdo fs-103. This is the only slot filler in this set.
My primary goal is to upgrade where
I can and then to fill holes.
So yes, my registry influences my coin searches and purchases.
Wayne

winesteven

I use the Registry to help me focus, as well as a great way for inventory management. MANY sets overlap, particularly Type Sets, which is how I started out. Periodically I’ll find a different Type Set where I already own the vast majority of coins. I’ll start that new set if the few new slots are not expensive to fill, and yes, then I’ll buy those coins. However, I won’t do that if the few new slots are what I deem “expensive”!

Separately, I never buy a higher grade coin for the purpose of moving up in rank. Instead, I determine for each slot the most I am comfortable paying, and wherever I happen to fall is perfectly fine for me!

Steve