Sleepers within your Series

braddick

Not necessarily the Key Dates or semi-keys- are there coins within your Series that YOU would consider sleepers? Coins that are supposed to be somewhat easy to locate but, you know better.

I know the 1909 SVDB; 1914-D, and 1931-S are the 'Keys' within the Lincoln set. The 1914-S and the 1926-S though are the toughies- the 'sleepers'- when it comes to the level of difficulty finding them (nice). Maybe you even know of others.

What are yours in you favorite Series?

FC57Coins

In Franklins I definitely think that MS65's and 66's are a steal right now - regardless of date, as long as they have good eye appeal. With the craze over FBL pieces, these very nice pieces have been overlooked, and to me, they are moderately illusive. A collector can put together a gorgeous set of MS65/66 Franklins for a mere fraction of what it costs to put together a 65FBL set, and prettier than a 64FBL set.

Frank

nwcs

I think all of my coins are snoozing right now. I think higher grade early clad (65-70) are very much sleepers. Especially quarters.

Fairlaneman

The one in the Merc Series is the 1925P in 65FB. Cant remember the last time that a really good looking one was seen. The strike problems just seem to come out and hit you right between the eyes. The price jump between 64 and 65 is pretty big so people realize this is a tougher date but it is also considered a common date. Any nice 25's are tough in this series.

Ken

barberlover

you know what series i think is undervalued [so i won't say it] but within the barber quarter series are some pieces with very low mint state pops. that trade around type date money, a good example of this is the 1899 p mint, in 65 this coin has a p.c.g.s. pop of 12 [last time i looked] and sells for about the same price as a 16 d. I know, i have one.

numobri

One coin i think is a sleeper is the 1874 Trade Dollar. I bought one about 20 years ago and have been watching them,only seen a few of them for sell in that time.Bust dollars are my main interest but do alittle of every thing.

gsaguy

I've definitely got a 'sleeper' in the GSA series....it's the....uuuhhhh......well, I can't remember now. Must be another one of those senior moments.

GSAGUY

UncleJoe

My series is Buffalo Nickels in circulated grades only.

Besides the keys, I find that the 1913-S Type 1 and the 1925-D are tough to locate in nice circulated condition.

In addition, while not rare or costly, you have to look through a lot of 1934-D's to find a nice circulated speciman also.

Joe.

CharlieB

<< <i>you know what series i think is undervalued ... but within the barber quarter series are some pieces with very low mint state pops......q]

I think Barbers are the sleeper series about to wake up after a long nap.
Any nice mint states and keys are always sleepers. This series spreads
across three denominations of dimes, quarters and halves which
should satisfy Mercury collectors, SLQ collectors and Walking liberty
half collectors who want to take their collecting one step further
back in time.

MacCoin

in my type set I would have to say the Variety 1 seates half dime all 3 years(still don't have any) or the over/under date Variety 4s they are still pretty cheap but getting harder to find. I'm still hunting for the 1853 half dollars with Rays and it is driveing me crazy. I think I'm menally handycap because I Can't stop obsessing on a coin and can't move on until I find it.

EVillageProwler

One coin i think is a sleeper is the 1874 Trade Dollar.

I agree, and this applies to PF as well as MS for that date. The MS, however, is really tough to find nice. Also, try finding a nice '75-CC (any variety) in ChMS! That's a high-mintage date that is common as sin in lower grades. Find me a nice MS63 or better...

My main series is Seated Dollars. IMO, the entire series is kind of a sleeper... In particular, I'd say that nearly all of the dates are sleepers in true UNC. The 3 most underappreciated dates, in any non-PF grade, for that series are: 1856, 1859 and 1870. In true UNC, I'd have to go with those 3 plus the following: 1845, 1855, 1850-O and 1872-S.

For Bust Dollars, the real sleepers are any specimen that is choice and original. ORIGINAL, not original-looking!!!

EVP

mrfred

One coin I think is starting to wake up is the 1928 Peace Dollar -- it may become another key in that series, after the killer 1934-S and the 1921 (High Relief). It's always been tough, and I think it's getting tougher.

mrfred

Hey, yo ... slap myself on the back. I just made 'Veteran' in this thread.

Time to go have coffee.

Put a smile on me for the class I teach in an hour.

Yippee.

Good to be back -- I know I flake in and out....

oldcameoproofsguy

Almost everyone looks at the Barber quarter proofs as one big type coin and never really considers the individual dates. It seems to be the general consensus that Barber quarters in CAM are not that difficult to locate. This is not true for the 1899, 1902, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1913 and 1914. There is a good chance that CAM coins don't even exist for the 1908 and the 1915.

DCAMS for any year except the 1892, 1896 and 1898 are also very difficult and should eventually start "waking up."

As a series, Barber mint state and proofs are all sleepers. They have been overlooked for many years. I feel that the prices are lofty but considering rarity, they are actually quite cheap.

jcping

1808 half cent mint state coin. I will pay at least 3X of grey sheet bid for any true mint state 08 half cent.
1872 3 cent silver. Did you see the last one in auction (PCGS AU58), which is 4X over bid.
1875 trade dollar MS63 or better. When did you see the last one for sale.

MastaHanky

In the Buffalos, I think the 26-D is a sleeper. Try finding one with a full horn...it's harder than people suspect!

agfox

In one of the more common series, the short set of walkers, the 40-s in 65 and 66. With pops right near the 41-s they have potential.

braddick

<< <i>One coin I think is starting to wake up is the 1928 Peace Dollar -- it may become another key in that series, after the killer 1934-S and the 1921 (High Relief). It's always been tough, and I think it's getting tougher. >>



Even one that looks like this?

keets

hey pat

i sure hope i don't get hammered cause i'm responding with an answer about a modern series which many perceive as not having a key date. while that may be true from a minted population standpoint, it certainly isn't from a grade point of view. that's something i find interesting because it relates to the way that the hobby has eveolved as a result of the appearance on the scene of PCGS, et al. prior to the mid-1980's we only had mintage figures and the hard work of researchers to establish a certain coins availability. now, many dates in many series can be identified for their true scarcity if the graded pops are followed for a period of time. which brings me to my "sleepers' choice" in the Jefferson series.

i just revised a list i try to keep showing the series graded pops in PCGS MS66FS, and while there are several dates with low pops and little change over the past year, the 1982-P/D and 1983-P/D struck me as 4 dates to watch. the 1982-P stayed at 24 and the 1982-D stayed at 14 while the 1983-P increased by one coin to 4 and the 1983-D increased by two coins to 5. the point to remember is that there are no mint sets to cherry and the souvenir sets are few and far between. rolls are a last resort but it's a good bet they have been extensively sought out and searched.

in my eBay sales files i don't show anything for the 1983-P/D for the last 2 years, though there may have been auctions i missed. i do show 3-4 sales for each of the 1982 dates, but there's a bit of irony with them-------they were all coins sold by DHRC with a stock photo listed as the coin picture!!!!

keep in mind that all of the above relates to coins graded by PCGS as MS66FS.

al h.

LincolnCentMan

Lincolns:

I'd concider these keys (at least in the grades I collect them in):
1909-S VDB
1909-S
1914-D
1914-S
1924-D
1926-S

I'd concider these semi keys:
1910-S
1911-S
1912-S
1913-S
1915-S
1922-D
1923-S
1931-S

I'd concider these sleepers:
1912-D
1914-P
1915-P
1925-S

I'm sure there are those that would differ with my opinion. ...just my opinion.

David

LincolnCentMan

...I neglected the short set (1934-1958)
I'd concider these keys:
1934-D
1935-S
1949-P
1953-P
1954-P

I'd concider these semi-keys:
1936-S
1946-P
1947-P
1948-P
1950-P
1951-P
1952-P

Even though I concider the 36-S a semi-key, I think it's a very strong sleeper. It's pop in 66RD 158. It's been trading at around $125-$140 in the past month or so. Look at the 35-S, it has a pop of 161 and has been trading at $300+. You go to shows, you just dont see nice raw 36-S's (or 35-S's... or 54-P's...). I think it's definatly a sleeper.

David

Dave99B

Uncleaned VF/XF Barber quarters: 04-O, 05-0, 06-0.

Don't bother looking, they ain't out there! (I think Tyler's been hoarding them)

Dave

ARCO

Great Barber Half dates for the money in original Fine or VF

96-O
98-O
99-O
01-O
02-S
03
07-S

All very difficult to find in original condition.

Tyler

RELLA

I totally agree with EVP on the big 3 Seated Dollar sleepers. I've always thought that a good indication of (or at least healthy correlation to) overall rarity on early certified coins is how much "light cleaning" is allowed. The 1856 and 1859 in XF-AU PCGS grades often seem to be quite vigorously cleaned...as if they just have given up looking for original coins to certify and now let in anything as long as silver polish and brillo pads weren't involved. As for the 1870...it always seems to get lumped in with the 1871, 1872 and 1873; I've never understood why other than the obvious 187X date run since the others just aren't in the same league.

agfox is also right on target with the 40-S Walker...if the short set was 40-47 that would be one pricey coin.

For Lincolns I can think of half a dozen early dates that are seriously undervalued compared to the norm for the series, but I'm keeping those opinions to myself for right now.

Seated Quarters are great...the whole series is sleeping. Not sure what to call the undervalued here...maybe say they're in a coma? Anyhow...dates I like are 1850, 1855-O, 1858-S, 1865, 1867-S, 1872-S and 1875-CC. Some of these are just flat-out impossible to find...others just way too cheap.

RELLA

Merc

The Walkers from the 1930's in MS65 to 66. Their populations are lower that the 1941-S in 65.

coppercoins

I agree with Lincoln cent man except on one minor issue. He forgot to mention the 1942S. I would call that a key and the 1952S a semi key in the 34-58 set.

I'll cover memorials...

The 1960P small date cent is exceedingly more difficult to find as time goes by. Rolls are almost completely non-existant any more, and single coins have been cheap. I consider them with a lot of room to move up.

The proof 1960P small date isn't quite the same animal. They seem to be at least somewhat available and trade relatively high in comparison to their counterpart, so I don't see a lot of room for adjustment any time soon.

The 1970S small date cent is overrated, while the 1965-1967 CAM SMS cents are just about as rare as hen's teeth.

Spot free BU rolls or higher grade examples of ANY 1982-1988 zinc cent will be sure to make a hit as soon as the general market figures out just how rare all of these dates are in GEM. They have already found out with the 1984-1986 cents, now it's time for the rest to rise to meet the forerunners. Best bets right now are the 1985P and 1987D.

DesertLizard

Gold Liberty series, MS coins in 2.5, 5, 10, and 20. Too many to name but look at 1805-o in au55 or better - less than 30 coins, maybe half resubmissions. With these series you can find some coins in ms65 or 66 and still have hundreds higher or thosands! But look at the charts and you will see plenty low pop pieces.

achtey

I think anything in the 1870's in the indian head cent collection are hard to come by in better circulated condition. But, maybe that's only because I'm poor, .

michael

the 1874 trade dollar is a monster super sleeper coin especially so in gem!! you rarely see any for sale in any grade! as most all were immediately shipped overseas and never seen again!

one of the seated dollar society members did a survey of ebay sales ans found that the trade dollar least seen on ebay was the 1874!!!!! see the attatched scan of a super nice gem 1874 trade dollar which to me is amazing but even more uncommon is a white thick skinned totally fully original coin!

the proof 1871 three cent nickel in gem proof the all time worst struck and worst prepaired planchets and to finsd one in deep cameo is really a unique or semi unique item also see the scan below of the three cent nickel in gem proof deep cameo!

the 1901 barber quarter in gem mintstate! a super sleeper when is the last time in 5 years you saw one for sale or in an auction?..........never

sincerely michael

michael

herre is the super sleeper 1871 three cent nickel in gem proof and a deep cameo to boot! if not unique semi unique! this coin should not exist

the highest degree and magnitude of rarity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sincerely michael

keoj

I agree with Michael on the 74 Trade Dollar, the other one that I feel is under appreciated is the 77-CC. Doesn't get the same attention as the 73-CC, 76-CC and 78-CC coins but really tough to find nice examples.

keoj

mrfred

Braddick -- I think you should let your 1928 Peace Dollar keep on sleeping.

michael

for me the 41-s walker in ms66 is a real sleeper but with one important point if it is really nicely rainbow toned!! that ot me is a real sleeper now if the coin is blast white from dipping no to me that is not a sleeper coin! but any ms walker and evenmoreso a 41s walker in ms 66 with really neat toning and even better rainbow toning is a real undervalued sleeper coin!!!!!

wow this thread was great and also the many responses this is one of the better threads on here i learned alot myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sincerely michael