Would you buy the keys first the second time around?

leothelyon

After you complete a set and decided to start another series would you buy the keys first?
I'm looking at the Buffalo nickel series. And aside from the varieties, I'm thinking about buying the 1924-S and 1926-S before I buy any of the other dates. In EF if you were wondering and eventually the others in higher grades.

Leo

LucyBop

I think if one can intially afford the keys this is a good idea. However sometimes the keys or that certian grade or coin with eye appeal isn't available. So I might buy some other nice less rare grades just to get started and have coins to look at. I would also start a Registry set if for no other reason then to simply have a virual whittman coin album online.

leothelyon

Hi Lucybop
I've been wanting to ask you. What do you think about Neil Diamond? Do you like his music?
I must confess, I've been listening to his music since 1970 when I was just 11-12 years old and been to many of his concerts.
But I hope that doesn't make me a Diamondhead. But my 17 year old son is also crazy about him
which is unusal for a teen to love his parents music.

Back to the topic, I'm thinking I'll need to save my money to buy those two coins so the others would eventually come along over the next 10 years or so. You've made some good points.

Leo

LucyBop

I am more into 1950s Vocal Groups and Rockabilly. Neil Diamond though has a spectacular voice! I am not a huge fan but I respect what he has done and the quality of his voice and songs......

leothelyon

He used to rock and make his moves on stage until he pulled a muscle in his back some say. But now he's old and doesn't need to do that sort of thing anymore. His last tour and as usual I had front seats but his theme in his song "America" was "stand up for America" and he related greatly
to the 9/11 tragedy. So if you get the chance, see him in concert, you'll hear everything he says in his songs.

Oh... Johnny Cash was considered an icon to rockabilly music, is that true? I've seen him in concert too.

Later, Leo

goyankeez

If I didn't know the series well, I would buy the common coins first to get introduced to the series. That way, I don't make a costly mistake by buying an expensive key date that has a problem. Also, if I lose interest I wouldn't have spent a lot of money.

If I did know the series well, I may decide to buy the keys first if they were available.

BTW- I criticize my parents for listening to that new stuff. 50s, 60s and 70s music is the way to go for me. I'm 23.

LucyBop

I really hijacked this post and Lucy is gonna get some more low user ratings scores...Oh well. Johnny Cash is great, I love all the Rockabilly recordings he did on Sun records, which in Lucy's opinion was the KING and Ultimate label for Rockabilly music. Who else recorded for Sun? Try Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Sonny Burgess, Roy Orbison, Bill Justice, Billy Lee Riley, just to name a few.....

LucyBop

<< <i>BTW- I criticize my parents for listening to that new stuff. 50s, 60s and 70s music is the way to go for me. I'm 23. >>



You are one really COOL KIDDY-O!!!!!!!!!!! There is hope for the world!

leothelyon

Hey Lucybop,

I love all those guys music and don't forget Kris Kristofferson, he could write and sing; If your felling salty, I'm your tequila. That's one singer I haven't seen yet.

Goyankeez
You know me, I have that trained eye with the FS Jeffersons and I'm thinking of a toned buffalo set. Some EF's, the ones I can afford and some gems but they will all have clean cheeks
and buffalo's. I'm not starting this set anytime soon as I'm out of work right now but buying the keys first may be the way to go for me.

Leo

LanLord

This is an interesting topic, I like goyankeez idea of getting familiar with the series with the common coins then proceeding with the keys. Claw put a link in a thread that discussed buying the keys first and that made a great deal of sense, but knowing what you are buying makes sense too.

I will definitely buy the keys early in any new series I plan to collect in it's entirety. There are some series, like the double eagles that having any other those will be a conquest as far as I'm concerned.

mdwoods

Yes, I would by the keys first. Key date coins rarely go down in price, although it has happened. I would by them slabbed from a dealer I could trust. Notice I did not say a dealer who would neccessarily give me the best price. Anyone in the know will tell you that all MS66 coins are not created equal. If you can afford to, buy keys first. Actually, if you can afford to, buy only the choicest examples first. mdwoods

Edited to add. After completing a couple series, I find that it is more interesting to make a type set. That way you can have a very choice example of most of the series, at least 20th century, for about the same money as many high grade key date coins.

Fairlaneman

In the endeavor of putting the Merc Set together its been found that some of the Common Dates are not very common at all.

mdwoods

In the endeavor of putting the Merc Set together its been found that some of the Common Dates are not very common at all.

I found the same to be true when putting together a set of unc. Lincolns. Perhaps they should call them uncommon common dates. mdwoods

Elcontador

Consider buying a book written by an expert on the series before buying any coins.

I just bought a 38 D in a PCGS 66 holder. The coin is a technical 6 (its only fault is a tick mark in the buffalo's midsection), but the coin has the excellent strike (typical for this date), and booming golden luster with light blue / purple centers on the obverse & reverse. With its eye appeal, IMO the coin will find its way into a 7 holder.

Contrast this with the 24 S. This coin is known for being very weakly struck. A slabbed PCGS XF 40 I saw a year ago barely had a full horn -- it would be considered a VF 25 or VF 30 on a buffalo nickel that was well struck. Forget about seeing a split tail on this coin. There are 24 S nickels that may be in slabs indicating they're VF coins, but no one will pay VF money for them unless they have a full horn.
Keep in mind that sheet for a 24 S in F is around $50, while VF is round $300 or so.

michael

absolutely buy the keys first!!!!!!

but make sure you know and understand what you are looking at

and buy a coin that is certified ngc/pcgs/anx


and make sure the coin has fantastic eye appeal and is fully original and is at the very least solid for the grade, make sure the coin has excpetional qualities for the grade also

sincerely michael

Ronyahski

Agree with Michael that foremost you should have the knowledge before you buy anything. But after that I wouldn't let the no brainer drop dead gorgeous commons go by the boards while waiting for the keys to show up. That could get fairly frustrating.