What's a Bust die variety collector to do?
NorthStar
Posts: 59 ✭✭✭
My mission (should I chose to accept it) is attempting an 1831 Bust quarter die variety set! Of course, I'd like to complete this project on a budget... hence my dilemma. How do you reconcile the many parameters that help determine what you add to the collection?
*Technical grade
*Surface quality
*Eye appeal
*Straight grade
*TPG holder
*Cost
*CAC
If you have any additional words of wisdom, I'm all ears. Heck, this applies to all US coin series that are collected by die variety!
Thanks
0
Comments
I'd check to see whether any die varieties are exceedingly rare, so that you can determine what grade range you want to be in. If one is out of your budget you'll need to think about whether you want a uniformly graded die variety set, or are ok with a lower grade example if the die variety is rare. The rest of the attributes you have listed really come down to personal preference, budget, and what you like the most in a coin.
Grade range and budget are most important to start, then I'd go with the grading preferences. I collect Bust Halves by die variety and I've found that being in the 35-58 range with eye appeal gives me the most bang for my buck.
Quick glance at the 1831 Varieties, the B-7 looks to be one that has a substantial premium and one that comes up almost never at auction.
Collector of Capped Bust Halves, SLQ's, Commems, and random cool stuff! @davidv_numismatics on Instagram
I do not know much about this date and denomination. In the past I tried to build 2 different sets using die marriages. Both were Seated Half dollars. One was the 1840-O the other was the 1861-O. In both cases I failed for 3 reasons.
The first was that just because I want to buy something that doesn't mean other people want to SELL their coin(s).
The second was that at the time many people who were selling coins, even auction sites, did not offer good enough pictures to make a clear identification. I think this has improved.
The third was that I underestimated the funds I would need. Prices seemed to spiral up almost from the moment I started. Circa 2005.
I wish you the best of luck. James
Learn to cherry pick as many as you can.
WS
You will be able to buy B1-B6 with little or no premium. So it just depends on your budget and what grades you want. I think the coins look great in VF-XF personally.
You’ll be able to find a B7 in VF-XF but they are rare. It will take a few years and that coin will cost $6-8k (about 2x as much as the others combined)
If you are ok with VG-F for that coin, it will be significantly easier to find and maybe cost $2-3k.
As a heavy collector of bust coins myself, the overriding factor typically should be sharpness of detail, as that is obviously important to attributing in the first place. If you are seriously going to collect die-marriages, almost all those other factors are a distant second.
On the web: http://www.earlyus.com
Great advice here. Nothing really to add. Good luck!!
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
work on a keen eye as well
I'm going to play devil's advocate here. It took me a long time to conclude that, for myself, the VERY BEST I can afford is what I valued most. And to do so, I had to lower the breadth of my goals and increase the depth. Fewer sets - but better coins. Now, reality dictates that I'm not going to have the #1 pop variety most of the time.
By being willing to spend a little more or wait a little longer, I can have MORE of these elements:
*Technical grade
*Surface quality
*Eye appeal
*Straight grade
*TPG holder
*Cost
*CAC
And heck, I like ramen, and don't mind wearing old shoes!
PS. I've had better luck reselling things that I had to stretch to acquire in the first place.
New website: Groovycoins.com Capped Bust Half Dime registry set: Bikergeek CBHD LM Set
Surfaces, surfaces, surfaces in ANY grade you choose.
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.
Be very careful this is known to be extremely addictive
If you are young, go for it and enjoy the hobby like never before. If older, be very particular.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
OK- great question - Some time ago, I put together a Capped Bust quarter (and dimes) collection and after I acquired a few of them. I didn't like them as a group, so i sold them all and started over. Now, whenever I acquire a coin for my Capped Bust quarter set, I use the following system to evaluation any purchase, I rank each coin based on 5 categories - Eye appeal, Surfaces, Originality, Toning and Strike. Each category. I assign a number grade between 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest. If the coin gets a 25 to 30 or higher, then I typically buy the coin and anything under 25 I tend to pass on the coin. Over time, each coin acquired is a desirable coin. I told my approach to Dave Bowers and he liked it, so he wrote an article on it in Coin World.
Great article ... thanks for sharing it with us ... Mr. S
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
Thanks!
Thanks for all the great advice. I wish there was a way to walk the bourse with some of you guys! I know I swim in the shallow end of the pool, but even there one can find some gems for the grade.
Mr. S says ESOTS - I like that. Buying coins from QDB at age 14, well that explains alot!
A new bust quarter VARIETY collector? LOVE it!
All great honest information from everyone. As you, @Davidk7, @Bikergeek and everyone knows, there are a "variety" of factors to consider, and cost may guide you to your grade range.
@BustDMs points out several times, "surfaces." Try to find nice problem free examples with good surfaces for the grade.
As one who has put together a set of 1831 quarters by variety, I'll agree with @Bustquarterhound about it being addictive, and fun.
Great article @EastonCollection!
@scubafuel makes good points on the 1831 varieties, particularly regarding the B-7. It often comes low grade, and sometimes with problems, but they do come up from time to time. It might be the last one you acquire, but maybe serendipity will present one for even less than $2K depending where you find it and whether another collector is looking for one at the time. The 1831 B-3 is also a little scarce, at least in AU and above grades.
If you're not set on 1831 varieties for a certain reason, you may also want to consider a run of the eight 1835 varieties. The scarcest variety, B-8, seems more available in XF to lower grades and isn't usually as costly as an 1831 B-7 can sometimes be.
Good luck on your mission, if you choose to accept it!
Kind regards - 1TwoBits