What Grade of Kennedy's to Buy???????

StEligius

I am just beginning a Kennedy proof collection very dismal at this point. I have started by buying coins that are more affordable at this point but wish to complete the set. I am interested in the eternal question of cost versus grade? What represents the best value in this set? All help would be appreciated!

Russ

For most, PR69DCAM is the best value. From 1977 on, excluding the silvers, you can pick them up for between $15 and $20 a crack.

BTW, you have excellent taste.

Russ, NCNE

ElectricEye

Russ is right ~ you can find PR69DCAMs in the $20 range without haze that are primo examples of the coin already holdered by PCGS ~ if ya feel lucky, buy a few early proof sets, "crack em" and submit the best ones ~ it's a gamble, but fun when ya find something special like a PQ 64, an accented hair 64, or a DCAM in the early ones, it gives ya pride to be the first to holder a real beauty (I have two kennys at PCGS as we speak, one with the evil hair)

Russ

I've done a few of those.

Russ, NCNE

StEligius

I have many Proof sets and have consitered "craking them" but think they will be more valuable latter as proof sets? I have some sets that are out of balance and send them in but a spectacular set I keep as suck any help there. Keeping them versus cracking?

ksteelheader

Yes, they are pretty coins (not as pretty as Frankies though). I've got about a dozen Dcams that need to go in for slabbing. Need to wait till I get some of my other submissions back first......Ken

Strat

If you break up your proof sets, what are you going to do with the rest of the coins? Loose late date proofs do not sell for much. If you want to collect proof Kennedies, then buy them in your holder and grade of choice. As Russ has said, the PR69DCAM grade offers a high quality coin for the money. Cameos, as opposed to deep cameos, for the earlier dates can also be reasonable. Good luck with your set!

StEligius

Why are SMS coins in the proof set? I know no coins were minted those years but later SMS coins are MS coin side? I know that they have no other home and we just can not drop them off the planet as many wish. So why put them into a set with coins that are worthy of the proof designation? The later SMS coins are certainly better made! They reside on the Ms side where lesser coins should?

Russ

<< <i>Why are SMS coins in the proof set? >>



I guess you weren't happy with the last six PM responses I took the time to send you in answer to your questions?

Russ, NCNE

StEligius

I am not unhappy with your responses I just wanted other people's opinion's I know you have enough to do just keeping track of your collection. So I decided to ask other people who are collectors what they thought about this MS coin on the Proof set? It is not disrespect but one sidedness that forced me to post it to other collectors? I do appreciate your help in clearing up issues in this set. I look to the masses of collectors for the Banter of wisdom that they profess! I salute all collectors for there timely responses to this and other threads!

fcloud

Russ,

I see you are over 10000 posts! Piker! I also noticed you didn't suggest 1964AH coins! LOL.

Tony

Russ

Tony,

Yeah, another member sent me a PM noting that I'd passed 10K. I was going to do one of those giveaway things for number 10,000 but I wasn't paying attention and spaced out on it. Maybe at 20,000.

Russ, NCNE

ursabear

Hello StEligius!

Welcome to the forums!

The pod grows some more!

Strat

StEligius,

The SMS coins are among my favorites. They did "stand in" for proof coins in those years, since no proof coins were produced, but these were minted for collector sets instead. Plus, the nicest ones really do look like proofs, and are quite often mistaken as such. However it is your set, so categorize them as you will. They can be included in a MS or Proof collection, but I would encourage you to include them in your set, because they're interesting coins.

StEligius

Interesting view! I appreciate your reply on this! They are at best a back seat for a proof in my opinion I wish they were in the MS side as the later date is. I agree with lack of a better example I guess they have to be accepted as a coin. With lack of water most people eat sand though?

gmc

StEligius,

From the time I've spent lurking and reading on this board, I've learned that if you want info about Kennedy's, Russ is the man. I would diagnose him as a Kennedyaddict, but I'm not a psychiatrist (<--or english professor, if that is spelled wrong).

Gary

Strat

<< <i>With lack of water most people eat sand though? >>



Give me sand, baybee! When you see the right ones, you'll change your mind. Your first clue, is going to be, "Damn, that's a nice proof, oh no, it's the wrong date."

tgilliams

Russ knows more about Kennedy's than anyone. His advice is the absolute best you can get. Listen to Russ if you want the best advice available anywhere.

Russ

Thanks, guys, I'm flattered. But, it's really just proof Kennedy's that I know a little bit about. On the circulation strike end of things, there are members here who've forgotten more than I'll ever know. Cladking is one who comes to mind.

Russ, NCNE

StEligius

Thanks for all the advice! I am sure there are many who know more than me as I am asking for advice! I do appreciate the feedback by PM and thread! There are ALOT,,,,, of twists and turns in this set I plan on not including the SMS coins In my Proof set! I will instead include them in my mint sets as had been the practice up till now! They will never be worthy in my opinion no matter the grade or cameo or whatever. The registry means nothing to me and just because someone says it is part of a set.... Well that does not convince me as I am the one collecting and always looking at the coins..... So I say no then No means No. I do apprecaite the help on the grade though the 69 DCAM does seem the way to go I have been doing some research the past several months and that is were I had landed as cost versus grade. The 70 coins are nice of course and if I chose to break some of my sets maybe I would own some! I prefer to buy preslabbed coins as the work is done and some other person paid the price and time for slabbing. Original Proofs maybe be worth more at a later date......

mdwoods

Buy MS66 or better Kennedys. Forget about the prof coins. What do teachers know about coins anyway?

StEligius

I do not plan on owning any slab MS coins at his point in time. If there are proof coins to be had then the choice is clear! Nice B&W DCAM for me please! MS coins are fine for mint sets and fill a niche for circulation only.

cladking

Thanks Russ. I thought my ears were burning. High praise, indeed, from so noted
a Kennedy collector. Though I'm not sure how true it is.

It's easy to think of proofs as steak and uncs as hot dogs, but many collectors feel
more affinity to the MS coins. It really is a matter of taste, but it's more like the diff-
erence between tenderloin and porterhouse. If you like the proofs than by all means
stick with them in the best grade you can understand and afford for what you have to
spend. You don't necessarily have to buy slabbed coins, but in the long run they may
prove cheaper depending on the grade you prefer. As others have stated the PR-69
are often seen as the best value. For a few dates you may have to settle for a little
lower to stay in budget and some dates may be little stretch to get a PR-70. It's a lot
of fun going after raw coins, but the slabbed coins are, no doubt, fun also.

Most of the SMS coins are struck only once and relatively few of these appear proof.
Those which come close are usually pretty pricey, but this is not always the case. There
is far more range of quality in the uncs than the proofs which does make them interesting.
There are rumors of several of the older SMS coins which are technically proof. I've seen
a couple of them.

mdwoods

Ohhhhh. Proof coins, I though you said prof coins. Sorry.