Considering US Silver Eagle $1 Collecting

Theop

I am considering starting to collect the Silver Eagle Bullion coins.
I think the coin design is beutiful and a new specimen each year would be fun to look forward to.
I thought I would ask for some opinions/advice here first. I have several questions...

1. Should I collect raw or slabbed specimens (e.g. PCGS MS69's)? (in terms of potential future values).

2. Should I collect both the MS and Proof issues?

3. Should I buy a MS 1986-current as a set or acquire them individually? (86-04 set goes for about $215 on ebay now)
- I could probably buy the 19 MS ones now and then acquire the proofs one by one over time.

4. Does anyone here have experience with the Dansco album for this series? Do you recommend a certain album type?

Thanks.

meos1

SAEs are the bomb dude! I am mucho into them. I just bought my PR 1995 W! and what a smoker it is. Have fun

Dan

LanLord

Well, I don't have all the answers, but I really like the SAEs, and both the PROOF and MS make a nice collection.

I currently collect MS raw and leave the PROOFs in the mint containers. I have been considering putting the MS coins in a Dansco album

cuz the look nice.

Good luck in which ever way you decide.

Theop

Ok, I need 1 more question...

I just found out that Dansco makes an album which holds both the MS and proof issues (#8181).

5. What do you think about cracking out the proof issues from their plastic holders to place in an album?
Specifically is this a bad idea for the coins and/or for resalibility?

baccaruda

I have a Dansco for both MS and Proof SAEs - It's 1 coin short of full right now, the '94 proof.

They've been in the album for about a 1½ years now with no effects to the coins (ms or proof) yet. Personally, this is the way to go for me because I'm not going to get into a drawer, open an SAE box just to look at a single proof. I want them all in an album.

Just make sure you save the proof boxes (or sell them to me).

baccaruda

btw, you don't hace to "crack" the SAE proofs out of their plastic holders. They open and close as needed.

I'm not sure that's what you meant.

joecool

I collect the MS raw Silver Eagle's and have them in a nice album. If you can afford to buy PCGS slab MS69 and PR69 then go for it. They are beautiful coins……

baccaruda

Personally, I wouldn't buy either the MS or proof examples slabbed. The uncirculated coins are generally in MS68 or better condition so grade has little to do with anything. I also think most people who buy the proofs also want the original mint packaging and not neecessarily a slab.

Only my opinion though...

meos1

I do not buy the proofs without the original mint packaging

Theop

Thanks for the replies.

I picked up a 1986-2004 MS Silver Eagle set in the Dansco album (for unc coins only) at my local coin shop on my way home from work today.
I like them and the 17 remaining unfilled slots will keep me busy for the next 17 years.

I already have 5 of the proofs, so I might start trying to acquire all of these now.
Anyone know of a way to display them together in the original mint plastic shell? My plan B would be to put them all in Air-Tite holders since they sell albums/cards for them to fit in.

FatMan

SAE's are a great set to collect. Very beautiful and very affordable.

Well most are very affordable

jdp2

I was about to post this same question. I am finding it difficult to buy decent MS coins. You can get them off of eBay but you cannot be certain of the quality. I just bought a 2002 that was supposed to be MS 67 or better but I don't think it would make the grade. It was cheap so can't really complain.

Some dealers at the coin shows have them and they all seem to be 2004. One dealer at the Marietta show had some for $8 that were a bit older but they were awful coins. Lots of scratches. I guess I am looking for perfection in an $8 coin. I try to buy the proofs each year and want to collect the MS ones but can't really afford the slabbed ones at $30 or more. It would be nice to find someone that sells some good ones that don't looked picked over.

I did see a complete set on page 3 of the Numismatic News for $194.50. A little bit better than the $215 seen on eBay. Still, you won't know the quality until you see it.

Good luck and again if anybody knows a good way to get these the info would be appreciated.

Sequitur

1. Should I collect raw or slabbed specimens (e.g. PCGS MS69's)? (in terms of potential future values).

I think ASEs are nice coins, but I don't understand building a collection around bullion coin, even high-grade samples. Most slabbed ASEs in MS or PR 69 are relatively inexpensive, and you can by tons of them from wholesalers (like Tulving) on the cheap.

And tons of them have been slabbed in ultra high grades. For example, in MS69:

2001 . . . . . . . . . . 13,157
2002 . . . . . . . . . . . 4,446
2003 . . . . . . . . . . . 7,229

That is a lot of premium-grade slabbed silver bullion -- and those numbers represent but a fraction of the high-grade examples graded by competing 3rd party graders or the examples already in collectors hands (and especially the proofs, which will sit nicely protected in their collector cases for millenia).

Collectors simply will not go begging for super high-grade ASE specimens in decades, or even centuries, to come.

While the 1995 proof is an exception, I don't see the point to slabbing all this bullion. And I really don't understand collectors who buy raw coins in the fond hope they're going to score MS69 or PR69 examples -- 69-grade ASEs are not, and never will be, rare, and as I said, you can purchase ready-slabbed bullion on the cheap. Why take the risk with raw coins?

I think it's great to collect the series if you like them. But they'll always be bullion coins with tens, if not hundreds, of thousands in super-high grades.

Bochiman

1) Many people have already given good feedback
2) SAEs are a great, affordable, way to have a nice collection you can grow with
3) Start with raw and get a slabbed one so you can see/compare
4) Get a Dansco album. I think they are really nice for this. I have a Dansco and an Intercept
5) Unless you really have the cash, or really want all your coins in albums, don't put the proofs in the album. Keep them in the cointainers they come in
6) Be wary of the coins you get. I have seen dealers at coin shows allow people to paw all over them
7) Be wary of what you get off ebay...can't be too sure of what some of them have gone through. I got a nicely toning 1995 cheap and then find out the seller "hid" some slight imperfections with the lighting and camera. I didn't pay too much, so not a big deal, I just wish it was more clear in the photo.
8) Don't just get a complete set on ebay unless you can trust the seller. You can also overpay for what you get. Key would be getting the 1995 and 1996 without spotting or much spotting.
9) Do you want all-white or some toning? Some are toning depending on storage. Know what you want or be prepared to get something you don't want.
10) A complete MS69 slabbed NGC set is going for $550-$600 or so right now....PCGS is ~$700-$830. That is for the complete, slabbed, 1986-2004 set.
11) A "raw" set of proofs will hit you for a pretty penny....1993-1995 being the kickers right now. Proof69 slabbed sets will hit you for ~$1100 in PCGS minus the 1995-W (special issue so to speak...only 39,125 I believe....I don't have one yet ).
12) If you like the raw set in the album, then you can get the slabbed set if you want. If you want them slabbed, get them. Don't let people tell you differently if that is what you want. I have them slabbed as well as raw. Why? Because I like the raw coins, but I also want the protection and longevity. I like being able to pull one out of the album to look at it, but I also like grabbing a slab from a box and looking. I didn't buy them to get rich with rarity. I bought them because I like them that way. Also, if you go slabbed, get a set in slabs. Better to sell later I believe.
13) I have an album that has MS and proof spots. I don't like it. You will end up getting 2 albums rather than 1 right now (most seem to end at 2003). I like 1 album right now and I don't put my proofs in there and don't want to
14) If you go raw, you will likely get MS66, MS67, MS68, and some MS69. They will vary. If you like conformity, you will have more difficulty with raw...and take awhile. If you want that, go for it. your collection, get what you want/like.
15) If you buy the proofs, get ALL the original materials with them. you will regret it if you don't. trust me. been there, done that. If you don't get all the materials, pass and look elsewhere unless you get such a super deal, or superb looking coin that it doesn't matter. this is for RAW (get the materials for slabbed, if you can, but you generally can't).
16) Beware if you buy out of any of the mags...many of the dealers, even in Numistmatic News, have prices that change or sell their subpar items.

17) and most important, this is YOUR collection. Do what you like, do what YOU want. And, ENJOY it Have fun, and good luck!

Ron

Theop

jpd2,
My local coin shop has all the dates in stock of MS and Proofs. These guys seem very upfront and honest and if you contacted them I am sure they could quote you a price for nice specimens.

They have their price list for the uncirculated including the set on their web site.

Here is their web site: CoinPurse

BBN

Go for this coin's grandfather also! The Walker halves! Beatiful coins!!!

0john0

I would suggest collecting the SAE raw slabbed PCGS MS69, since that is the more reliable slabbed SAE. If they are not raw they will be very hard to sell.
As far as the Proofs, most ( I guess >70%) would make PR69, so what is the point of getting them slabbed? Besides, the original cases are pretty nice, so just collect them all as issues.
Now, this is just the way I do it, so of course I think it is the right way, but it has been very fun and rewarding. I completed the MS69s and am still working on the proofs.
I bought most of the PCGS MS69s from a board member all at once and that saved a huge hastle on e-bay.

Good luck with this.
-John

Donovan

<< <i>Ok, I need 1 more question...

I just found out that Dansco makes an album which holds both the MS and proof issues (#8181).

5. What do you think about cracking out the proof issues from their plastic holders to place in an album?
Specifically is this a bad idea for the coins and/or for resalibility? >>



IMHO, bad idea. If you're going to collect them, I'd buy them individually, and slabbed.

SDCollector

I agree completely with Sequitur. I started with SAE's. Luckily I did not invest much in the SAE's, because for me personally, I soon got bored with them. Today I buy a MS each year and put it in my Dansco. That's plenty for me.