Is there a challenging but affordable series?
NeophyteNumismatist
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Since I started collecting (April 2020), I have been focused on two main sets:
1. Half Cents Date Set (with additional major varieties)
2. 7070 Type Set with expanded sub-types and some earlier types.
Both of these sets are in the final stages, and the coins are hard to find and expensive (how I want them).
Often, I think about what am I going to do next (or during the hunt for the coins above). And, sometimes I think... maybe "something more affordable" next time. Those thoughts are fleeting, because many of the lesser expensive sets are just shooting fish in a barrel. There is no challenge, no real "draw" for me.
What is the most challenging yet affordable set you can think of? Maybe this is cross-road that does not exist, but I am curious.
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
Comments
A lot will depend on your per coin and overall budget? How do you like your coins to look?
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Depends on what you mean by affordable. Barber quarters or halves in VF-XF would be a good set.
Great questions - "affordable" to me would be common dates at ~$500 and keys <$5K. I would like to keep the grades at least VF.
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
MS 3cn, a beautiful design that isn't really difficult with a couple of toughies but you can challenge yourself. Try to get all coins with no sign of die cracks.
Problem free evenly matched set of VF/XF Liberty Nickels.
peacockcoins
I second this one. The 1912-S will be a challenge to find nice. To spice things up, try to find examples with some detail left in both of the ears of corn on the reverse. This might be more difficult with examples below AU and would add challenge.
Only you can answer that question. The issue is that some sets have afew coins that are just simply tough to find with the right look at the right price. I am still working on a Mexico Peso set 1918-1945. I think I am down to 4 or 5- I have bought all raw and submitted all to PCGS. It has been fun and frankly... its not as easy as one might think which goes to the challenge requirement.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Why VF/XF? Given the price parameters you could do that set in MS63-65.
I’m guessing popular series like Buffalo Nickels or Peace Dollars in MS aren’t challenging enough but they fit your budgetary requirements. You could always do a date set of PL Morgans. Only the 1893 and 1895 will exceed $5K but that is very challenging!
Easy (and predictable from me)...trade dollars. Great design, historically interesting. short set, different, cool varieties if you want them, can do the whole set in AU for your price range.
Edit: Didn't see your challenging yet affordable note. Another checkmark in the T$ box.
Chopmarked Trade Dollar Registry Set --- US & World Gold Showcase --- World Chopmark Showcase
That's the problem, I can't answer it. The last time I tried this, I picked proof Mercury Dimes. It was fun, and its a beautiful set, but it really was not very challenging beyond 1936. The set is MS67 with the 1936 in MS66. Finding ones without haze is the biggest challenge, but there are plenty.
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
A 74 coin Barber Dime set in MS63 has the common dates at $275 and the set at $67,840. The KEY is $12,000; but, the next one drops to $3,250 and they drop further more after that. It will not be an easy set to complete. To quicken the pace you could add common date MS64s ($330) & MS65s ($465).
Seated half dimes
What grade rage do you suggest?
And... thanks for all the suggestions to the rest of the group!
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
Does it have to be US coins?
XF40, the most expensive coin is 5k.
Capped bust half date set, plus you can throw in some major varieties.
Does not have to be US. Non-Us would be challenging unto itself, as my (short tenured) background is only in US coinage.
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
Are die cracks actually a negative?
From three different time periods:
Buffalo Nickels
Trade Dollars
Capped Bust Dimes
Complete Set of Chopmarked Trade Dollars
Carson City Silver Dollars Complete 1870-1893http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=2722"
I am extremely biased.
Once you go Bust Half you never go back.
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33. Young fellow suffering from Bust Half fever.
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JRCS #1606
For me I had a blast building an AU/low MS set of $2 1/2 gold Indians. This was far more affordable in the past but still close to your range requirements. Only the 11-D is over $1k and when finished you will have a nice set of gold coins. Some might say that there is no challenge as it is a very common coin, even the 11-D. True, but finding really eye appealing not overly processed/dipped coins can be quite challenging.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
The 1885 is $1,200 in VF/XF and 8K in MS65.
I think years from now an nicely matched set in VF/XF will be worth more proportionally than a GEM set of the same type.
peacockcoins
Does it have to be US coins? > @NeophyteNumismatist said:
PM you
Try something different.....I once put together a date set of Off center Indian Cents. It was quite a challenge and I sold it for a tidy profit. I am thinking when my Large Cent set is complete of starting a date set of off center Buffalo Nickels.
Chuck E. Cheese tokens
Transit tokens
Hard Times tokens
@DisneyFan said: Are die cracks actually a negative?
I don't know if they are or not, I guess that's a matter of personal choice. I only know that with 3cn's and Shield Nickels die crack seem to be common. Also with 3cn's it isn't uncommon to find coins stuck with clashed dies and the resultant over polished dies. Other members are better able to speak about these coins, but when I actively looked at them it was difficult with some dates to find coins struck sharply from pristine dies. The member I sought advice from was @dpoole but I haven't seen him post for awhile.
Why not one of the most beautiful sets imagineable, the Walking Liberty Half Dollar. Beautiful design, full hands being a highly desired item and great strikes are available. Most coins beyond 33S are available in the AU58 or higher for the price you quoted. Most pre 33S are available in XF40 within your price range with perhaps some keys might push it a little. Best of luck. No coin is more beautiful in my opinion than a well struck Walker. JMO
Jim
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Any modern circulating coins, especially quarters. They are very difficult in Gem but can be done on a shoestring.
Seated liberty half dollars or quarters in vf/ xf. Save for the 1878-s Half dollar and a few of the CC mint quarters, It took me many years to almost finish the liberty seated half set in vf-xf grades(Still need the 1878-S).
Barber half dollars in XF. We have one member who completed a barber half dollar set in XF PCGS holders. This is almost impossible (Not because of price but because of availability). Puting together any Barber set in XF is quite a challenge. However some of the barbers may be out of your price range (1901-S quarter for instance).
Let us know what you choose!
If you're willing to do date sets, that gives you even more possibilities.
With this parameter, probably the most challenging series would be one of the Liberty Seated denominations, unless you have to have a "complete" set which to me doesn't have to include all coins in the Red Book or TPG registry. You could probably pursue half dimes minus the 70-S.
After that, I think you're left with the lower preference denominations where 3CS is probably the toughest, unless you're going to go with a sub-set within a series or define your own.
The rest from US coinage aren't difficult, except without the addition of narrow (and IMO arbitrary) parameters to intentionally make it more challenging. In that case, you can choose any of it.
If you're willing to expand to non-US coinage, there is plenty to meet your criteria there. But I definitely would not start with anything approaching "expensive" since you're not familiar with it.
Liberty walking half dollars. Too beautiful of a coin to not collect.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
So-Called Dollars and Civil War Tokens
Several posters have mentioned Liberty Seated Coinage as challenging. Granted they cover more years. But it seems to me that silver Barbers are scarcer. There is no dealer currently carrying a substantial inventory of them. Currently at GC there are 153 Barbers up for auction as opposed to 282 Liberty Seated dimes, quarters, and half dollars. Forty two more are half dimes and dollars.
Such as a stunning set of full strike, lustrous Peace dollars.
Dansco makes a Date Set of Peace dollars should you choose to go the raw route.
peacockcoins
Lincoln Cent “S” Mint coins in matching XF condition and matched color.
In a date for date comparison, the Liberty Seated series must be scarcer by a lopsided proportion. The data you reference isn't just the result from the number of coins, it's also the price variance. Higher priced coins are almost always easier to buy but many of the Seated coins are harder to buy than any Barber coin.
Barbers may be scarcer in somewhat higher proportion than I am aware of in better "collector grades", but certainly not in MS where only a few are outside the OP's parameters. I'd only describe a very low number of Barbers across all four denominations as hard to buy. Most can be bought in one day in MS, though no one has any motive to do that.
19th and 20th Century Type coins in Proof, your choice of toned or white/red.
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How about some series not awarded full strike designations where all of the coin have full strikes? I'm not personally crazy about Liberty nickels, but I have a feeling building a set with great strikes (full left corn in wreath) would present a challenge as far as finding the coins, but you wouldn't have to pay premiums currently associated with FB, FH, FBL designations.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
It's alway interesting to learn other's perspective. There are 114 date and mint Seated dimes and 74 Barbers. That's 40 more Seated dimes to collect. In the date set there are 55 Seated dimes versus 25 Barbers. Again, 30 more. I agree there are tough and (ultra) expensive dates in the Seated series. The OP asked for "something more affordable." : )
I would disagree that most of the Barber series in MS could be bought in a day. Currently at GC there are 17 Seated dimes in MS listed and 9 Barbers. In the case of Barber dimes, the proofs do appear to be more available.
Mexico onza Libertads
A 50 coin type set of classic silver commemorative coins. The challenge would be to get all coins with similar toning or in the same brand and generation of holder or all the same grade or any combination thereof.
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"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
That's largely because most Barbers are too common and cheap to bother slabbing and sending to auction. Don't get me wrong, there are some challenges in the Barber series. But Barber coins are 100x more common than Seated.
Check eBay and Collector's Corner which have much better inventory, especially since GC is on Collector's Corner. 1897-S quarter is one not on eBay now but it's on Collector's Corner as an MS-66 though it's above $5K. I also found the 1895-O (one MS) and 1894-O (two AU) dimes. I can't confirm what I saw applies all the time, but it's been the case on the few times I have looked. On another occasion, I found every proof LS dime between 1858-1891 and a few earlier dates too, also on the same day.
I also checked the most key LS quarters on eBay. Practically all of these are available too, but not in VF+ and it will take more effort to find one a discerning collector likes.
Two cent pieces
Capped bust half dimes
Three cent nickels in proof
All the barber series in proof
Liberty nickels proof
A mintmark set of $5 Liberty gold coins- the only series made at all 7 of the “original” mints.
Small size bust quarters.
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.
My suggestions are semi biographical.
I noticed you like copper coins. My favorite copper is the Indian Cent. You can spend as much or as little as you like. There are many options between grades, color and only the1877 is problematic. check out Proof Indian cents, I think they may be the most beautiful coin ever minted.
My all time favorite coin is the Seated Half. I call them the Morgan dollar of the Seated choices,; there just always seems to be 4 times as many of them to choose from. Again, YOU can decide what should be the set. collect them all, do as I did and do a one a year date set. I also did a set of just New Orleans (My favorite mint) coins. They are large, silver coins and feature what I call the Julia Roberts figure, which I find much more attractive than the Aunt Bee figure on most of the other Seated coins.
I noticed you did a Type set. I too have been looking for an affordable set to build. I came across the Ultra/Deep Proof Silver State Quarter set. You get a silver coin, each reverse is different and there are no stoppers. You just have to figure out what the difference is between 69 and 70, When you figure that out let ME know. james
Mint sets. There are a huge variety of these, ranging from easy to challenging to impossible. You also avoid having all the coins in a set look exactly the same.
Peace dollars in XF-AU. Tougher than you think, especially if you hold out for nice examples.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
A big challenge is to get an attractive Monroe.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
you could do a set of draped bust heraldic eagle dollars in VF for your definition of affordable