Franklin Mint State Registry Questions !

PQpeace

I am thinking about starting a Mint State Franklin set. Maybe 65fb and up.
I have a full set of Raw coins I have had in a folder for years to start with.
What would it cost to have a top 10 or top 5 set ?
How about the # 1 set ?
I see the values in the Greysheet for 65fb coins,but nothing for 66-68's.
Just wondering.
I am trying to decide between 32-64 Wash quarters,or Franklins.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Larry

JJacks

Larry, I'm no expert here (Sorry!), but here are somethings to remember with Franklins:

1. It is usually much easier and cheaper to find most dates in 65FBL and 66FBL with full mint set toning. Personally, I don't care much for the dark toned coins, but those are usually the cheapest. It can be VERY difficult to find pure white coins of some dates in top grade. I don't know if this concerns you or not.

2. To get a really top set, you will probably need a 53-S in FBL. Of course, this is very expensive compared to even a much higher grade in non-FBL (PCGS lists a 65FBL at $15000, a 66 Non at $325), and people have commented that even the FBL versions aren't usually real strong FBL, so you will have to decide which way to go there.

Occasionally, you can get great bargains on Franklins in 65FBL/66FBL on coins that are moderately toned. I got a PCGS 65FBL common date under $30 once (so these dates you probably want at least a 66FBL!).

I rarely ever see MS67s for sale, but I notice several of the top sets do have them, so they are out there, but I have no clue about the cost.

Ready for Long Beach?

JJacks

FC57Coins

Larry:

A top notch set isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's doable. One thing about Franklins is that you can run the gambit in MS65FBL and up for gorgeous to bowser. Yes there are some coins that you can get at a bargain, but they're not the top notch stuff - I'll post some pretty ones and some dogs for you so you can appreciate the difference. As for cost, generally what I've found is that if you take the CU price guide for FBL's and chop the prices in half, you get a pretty good idea of what the coins are going for. To the best of my knowledge the grey sheet only lists MS65's not FBL's. And again, there is a vast difference in the quality of the coins. If you're concerned with price, one option would be to go with MS65 or MS64FBL's. MS65's are DIRT cheap in my opinion. And as for MS64FBL's I've seen two complete sets minus the 1953S go for under $2000 on Ebay.

Again, the key is the quality of the coins that you get. Take a look at some of the pictures that I'll be posting for you and if you'd like to chat in more detail about this feel free to PM me or email me.

Regards,

Frank

Here are some of the beauties:

FC57Coins

And for equal time, here are some bowsers

Ronyahski

Larry - Off the top of my head, if you want to put together a nice set of 65FBL coins, I'd say it would run you $10-15K (all costs exclusive of the 53S in FBL) and as Frank points out, no Bowsers here. A top 5 set will cost at least $50k, and to get anywhere near the #1 set, count on $100k+.

There are no 68 Franklins graded. Prices jump for the extremely rare 67 pieces. While the common date 67s from 1956 to 1958 will go from anywhere between $4k - 8k, the rarer 67's will top off at over $20k.

FC57Coins

PS Larry - the guy above (Ronyahski) knows all and sees all with respect to Franklins

He truly knows his stuff and I look to him for advice often!

JJacks

Frank, thanks for posting those for all of us to see. Certainly it is easy to see which are the nice ones and which aren't. Unfortunately, that is where the prices guides just don't cut it for Franklins. Those "Ugly" ones are all too often the ones you find at extreme discounts, or selling really cheap at auction.

JJacks

FC57Coins

As with any series - Franklins pose lots of challenges, yet they are accessible, and even every once in a while you can find an undergraded or raw gem that is truly deserving of being part of a better set. I think as time goes by more and more people will appreciate this series and realize that true gems are very hard to find.

Regards,

Frank

bartdog

I am putting together a PCGS/NGC 65+ set without fbl and I am finding it MUCH more difficult to find nice coins without the fbl designation than with in many of the dates. This surprised me a bit.... link to my set is below.

Bill

My Ngc Registry Set

flykite

Bartdog:

You WILL find it difficult in non-fbl because most coins are submitted
to be fbl; it is not cost-effective to submit non-fbl coins due to
lack of demand. The one non-fbl that could be tough is a 1958 type 2
reverse. The fbl version may be non existent, and if I had the $$,
it would be worth 100k, because it's rarer then the '53-S!!

Ed

Ronyahski

Bartdog - I see that your set is missing dates such as the early D mint mark coins. You are having difficulty finding non-FBL coins because the dates you are still lacking almost always come with FBL. On some of your missing dates, I would estimate that at least 95%, no, make that 99% of the uncirculated population is FBL.

If you are just looking for the non-FBL holder, look for old PCGS pre-FBL designation holders, or concentrate on NGC holders. Look for NGC slabs with for coins that have nicks on the bell lines. These are still FBL coins, but NGC doesn't know how to grade bell lines and withholds FBL designation on these coins.

Ronyahski

Frank - Thanks for the kind words above. I enjoy your insight on Franklins as well, especially all of the market "research" you have done.

solid

Frank, that is one gorgeous colored 51-S!!!

Ken

bartdog

Ed & Ronyahski,

I have noticed that most of the early D mint coins are fbl and may add those to the set rather than continue what may end up being a futile search! I do really like this series and the search for nicely toned pieces.

Thanks,
Bill