What exactly does a "short set" consist of?

ms70

I've heard of short sets of Walkers, Mercurys, etc, but what are they made up of? Specific dates or a specific number of coins?
Who determined what they consist of?

darktone

I really think it's kind of way to put together a set wihout going broke. Take a look at the link below to my $5 short set. If I was to collect the whole date set from 1939-1908 I would never complete it or even come close. mike

ms70

Nice coins! But what I'm trying to figure out is what the parameters are. In other words are the dates in your set spanning a particular
number of years that you chose yourself to collect or is that span of dates something that is specific to a short set of that series as
set forth by some numismatic rule?

Basically I'm asking if there are set rules that determine what a short set consists of as accepted by the numismatic community.

darktone

No there are really no rules but some sets have been marketed in such away that it has become popular to collect them that way. mike

291fifth

I believe that some of the short sets originally came into being because certain album brands separated their volumes at that point. Others were nothing more than marketing gimmicks designed to increase demand for the easily available later dates.

The question of "who determines" is an interesting one. The answer should always be that the individual collector determines what he wants to collect. Too many collectors simply follow the crowd and put no thought at all into what they collect.

puff

<< <i>No there are really no rules but some sets have been marketed in such away that it has become popular to collect them that way. mike >>



Darktone.... You're statement about "no rules" to short sets is not exactly correct, at least for the Walkers.... The Walker "late date" short set, (1933 to 1947), has been an established set for many years.... The "short set" Walkers, (1941 to 1947), I believe that set might have been established for the registry, but not really sure.... Either of these sets are quite expensive if you collect them in grades of ms65 or higher!

BTW....... I currently have the # 2 late date Walker set, (1933 to 1947), in the PCGS registry.... I would also point out that NGC just uses the dates of 1934 to 1947 for their late date Walker set registry...... Why NGC established their late date set like this I really don't know.

Catch22

Short sets do have specific dates. At least specific, widely accepted by the numismatic community and publications. I'm talking about Walkers and Mercs.

baccaruda

I like the idea of a "year set" myself. It think that's a great affordable alternative. There's almost always an affordable mintmark for every year of most issues.

Russ

The coolest short set in all of collectordom.

Russ, NCNE

Jaywalker

I think the traditional short set for Mercs is 1934-1945. I put together a short set of gem blazers in a black capital plastics holder and I think it looks great. (Sorry, no camera here.) You can do an even shorter set of 1941-45 if you want.

dorkkarl

been working on my short set of sacagaweenies for over 3 years.

K S

PutTogether

Liberty Walking Halves SHORT SET is 1941 to 1947. When (I believe it was Whitman) first made the presentation album for Walking Liberties, they had to break it up into two, do to the size of the series. The second album was for all dates and mintmarks from 1941 to 1947. The distinction just stuck. Interstingly enough, due to market promotion investment houses, blab blah blah, I've heard that the "short set" dates prices are increasing more rapidly than others, due to the amount of people trying to put one together. (unfortunately most, but by no means all) people working on a short set of walkers are doing it because someone told them they could make money)

JrGMan2004

I'm working on a 1934-1945 PCGS Cert. Merc Short set in MS grades... 6 of 35 dates and MMs... and that's not counting the 42/1 varieties and the large and small/micro mint marks... particularly the 45-S Micro and apparently the 34-D has a small and large mint mark variety, but I don't think one commands a premium over the other, though the 45 Mirco S does...

abuell

What exactly does a "short set" consist of?

Several pairs of underwear.