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Is the Short Set of Walkers really collected or is it just for investors?

MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,323 ✭✭✭✭✭
I've never met a real collector that limited himself to the 41-47 short set. Anyone out there want to be the first?
Andy Lustig

Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.

Comments

  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭
    I built a short set as a collector. But then some dealer offered me 50% over Greysheet for it, so I guess I became an investor.

    Russ, NCNE
  • My collection of Unc Walkers is 40-47..........

    But for 50 over bid, I might become an investor too !!!!
    Cam-Slam 2-6-04
    3 "DAMMIT BOYS"
    4 "YOU SUCKS"
    Numerous POTD (But NONE officially recognized)
    Seated Halves are my specialty !
    Seated Half set by date/mm COMPLETE !
    Seated Half set by WB# - 289 down / 31 to go !!!!!
    (1) "Smoebody smack him" from CornCobWipe !
    IN MEMORY OF THE CUOF image
  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,323 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I built at least 100 of them as a dealer, but all were resold to dealers.
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • tradedollarnuttradedollarnut Posts: 20,162 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have a raw uncirculated short set and not a single other walker. Am I the first? How's that for the road less traveled! image
  • orevilleoreville Posts: 12,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I beg to differ. The short set of walkers is a collectors paradise. The affordable set of walkers. Interesting enough to include some famous semi-keys such as the 1941-S, etc.

    The medium set, as I always liked to call it, was the 1934-1947 set, was more exciting than even the short set because it included the famed 1938-D walker (well...... famous back in the early 1970's before its reputation became diluted)

    I would consider the 1941-1947 short walker set similar to the 1941-1945 short merc set or the 1941-1964 dime and quarter sets, etc.

    Investor sets???? No, the ultimate collector sets, circulated or uncirculated.
    A Collectors Universe poster since 1997!
  • orevilleoreville Posts: 12,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mr Eureka: Many collectors only do short sets of the mentioned denominations then decide what series they want to delve into more heavily. I have seen many collectors do the short sets then pick up a few pieces prior to the short sets, then stop due to the expense of extending the set.

    I originally did the 1934-1958 lincoln set in BU. Then expanded it to 1933-1958 then 1932-1958 then last 1927-1958. Then a few dates in the 1920's and teens. I remembering getting distressed in not finding the 1926-S cent in red BU. I thought everyone was hiding them from me. I actually became defensive about not finding one. It caused me to stop collecting cents. Now, that defins the term "stopper" quite well.
    A Collectors Universe poster since 1997!
  • FrattLawFrattLaw Posts: 3,290 ✭✭
    I'm doing a raw set now and I'm not a investor.

    Michael
  • michaelmichael Posts: 9,524 ✭✭

    oreville
    Expert Collector

    Posts: 3412
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Tuesday July 27, 2004 9:29 PM (NEW!)



    I beg to differ. The short set of walkers is a collectors paradise. The affordable set of walkers. Interesting enough to include some famous semi-keys such as the 1941-S, etc.

    The medium set, as I always liked to call it, was the 1934-1947 set, was more exciting than even the short set because it included the famed 1938-D walker (well...... famous back in the early 1970's before its reputation became diluted)

    I would consider the 1941-1947 short walker set similar to the 1941-1945 short merc set or the 1941-1964 dime and quarter sets, etc.

    Investor sets???? No, the ultimate collector sets, circulated or uncirculated.

    -------------------------
    Happy collecting,
    Oreville

    27 Jan 1967 Apollo 204
    28 Jan 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger
    1 Feb 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia.
    ========

    oreville sums the above up well i think it is a great looking set of coins affordable by many in uncirculated and again extremely beautiful coins even the silver american eagle took its design from the walker and the perfect set for silver eagle collectors to gravatite to

    and really higher mintstate walkers in the short set thaT have thick original undipped skins with rainbow toning are extremely rare and undervalued coins

    go try to find one

    as the walker with its design just does not lend itself well to developing rainbow target toning

    and with all the dipped out blast white even if lustreous white coins

    nothing compairs to gem and higher walkers that are eye appealling with great lustre and original thick skinned surfaces forget about the dipped blast white coins who cares

    go after the gem to superb gem eye appealling lusterous thick skinned undipped coins these are undervalued and hard to find in the short set dates and if the short set walkers are aLSO rainbow toned you got the ultimate walker a really rare and undervalued short set coin

    let the investors buy the dipped blast white coins a dime a dozen yuk yuk

    let the collectors obtain the thick skinned gem and higher short set walkers with great lustre and eye appeal and rainbow toned then you really got a good undervalued rare coin and this will beat any blast white dipped investor coin anyday of the week in demand and value
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    now a superb gem ms66 thick skinned great eye appealling lusterous rainbow toned both sides never dipped 1941-s walker is the ultimate short set coin a true collector coin that has great value and demand

    try to go out and find one...................................... i dare you


    michael
  • The short set fits in one box !
    best i could afford in 89 was the short set !
    had 16 MS65's and 4 in MS64,of course those would be the 41-2-3-4 S mints !
    had a spare 42 D in 65 that i sold for 750.00
    even the 45 S was about 475.00 back then
    sold the set for 7700.00 to a dealer at San Diego in the spring of 89
    if i had the bux today i would probably do it all over !
    nice coins and recognized as a set.
    if you do the homework you could get by for 4-5k in MS65 today.

    Proof
    image
  • HootHoot Posts: 867
    I began working on a short set two years ago and have not yet finished it. But! in the meantime, I have picked up a few coins from 1934-40, as well as a nice AU58 29-S and the same in a 16-D and a 17. My hope is to have a nice AU/BU set from 1933-47 and as many other sweet pieces as time/cash/interest allows before '33. The series is a blast to collect and I'm in no hurry.

    Hoot
    From this hour I ordain myself loos'd of limits and imaginary lines. - Whitman
  • pursuitoflibertypursuitofliberty Posts: 7,061 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think it's still a collected set ... it's a great set and fairly easy to complete in anything from nice AU to Gem. Superb's are tough.

    My youngest is working on one in AU/Unc, and I have one that is more of a middle set (or the final 40 as I call it; 33-47), although I'm still missing a few.

    “We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”

    Todd - BHNC #242
  • puffpuff Posts: 1,475


    << <i>oreville sums the above up well i think it is a great looking set of coins affordable by many in uncirculated and again extremely beautiful coins even the silver american eagle took its design from the walker and the perfect set for silver eagle collectors to gravatite to

    and really higher mintstate walkers in the short set thaT have thick original undipped skins with rainbow toning are extremely rare and undervalued coins

    go try to find one

    as the walker with its design just does not lend itself well to developing rainbow target toning

    and with all the dipped out blast white even if lustreous white coins

    nothing compairs to gem and higher walkers that are eye appealling with great lustre and original thick skinned surfaces forget about the dipped blast white coins who cares

    go after the gem to superb gem eye appealling lusterous thick skinned undipped coins these are undervalued and hard to find in the short set dates and if the short set walkers are aLSO rainbow toned you got the ultimate walker a really rare and undervalued short set coin

    let the investors buy the dipped blast white coins a dime a dozen yuk yuk

    let the collectors obtain the thick skinned gem and higher short set walkers with great lustre and eye appeal and rainbow toned then you really got a good undervalued rare coin and this will beat any blast white dipped investor coin anyday of the week in demand and value
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    now a superb gem ms66 thick skinned great eye appealling lusterous rainbow toned both sides never dipped 1941-s walker is the ultimate short set coin a true collector coin that has great value and demand

    try to go out and find one...................................... i dare you


    michael >>



    Honest guys..... michael is not my alternate!image

    Michael I don't have a picture of my 41-S in PCGS ms66 to show, but it's just as nice as my 1942-S PCGS ms66 below..... BTW... The bright patches in the photo ar enot there in person, it really isn't a very good photo but it's all I have..... Also I have the #2 all time finest of 1933 - 1947 "Late date set", which also includes the short set, (1941 - 1947), which is currently # 5 and still a work in progress..... 95% have gorgeous original toning.... One of these days I will have them all photoed and pictured in my set.
    image
  • Puff,
    nice reverse,little dark on the obv for my taste,but im sure it is nicer in hand.
    typical weak strike for a 40's S mint

    Overall ?
    SWEET coin !

    Proof
    image
  • michaelmichael Posts: 9,524 ✭✭
    wow puff that is an incredible 42-s

    original never dipped thick crunchy skinned lusterous white or lusterous toned walkers are where it's at

    i really like the 42 d in ms68 and the 47 in ms67 fantastic coins



    i think the collector of these coins will be rewarded by not only nice coins that a pleasure to own but will be in demand when you decide to sell them

    leave the non special stripped dipped blast white available by the dozen short set walkers to the investors and dealers to obtain by the dozen to place with investors

    only buy coins with extraspecial extraordinary qualities coins that are always in demand

    michael
  • puffpuff Posts: 1,475


    << <i>Puff,
    nice reverse,little dark on the obv for my taste,but im sure it is nicer in hand.
    typical weak strike for a 40's S mint

    Overall ?
    SWEET coin !

    Proof >>



    Proof..... The obverse or reverse isn't near that dark in person, or does it have the white splotches that the photo shows.image
  • XpipedreamRXpipedreamR Posts: 8,059 ✭✭
    I never "got" the 41-47 short set. It just has always seemed like a really random grouping (OK, the endpoint makes sense). Same with the Merc short set. Can someone explain the rationale behind these, or how they came to be the short sets?
  • Yes, why are these dates the short set? ttt
  • JrGMan2004JrGMan2004 Posts: 7,557
    For me, the Merc short set is '34-'45 And it's a clear and definite break... it's also where the coins become much more affordable...
    -George
    42/92
  • Puff,
    can i come over and look at your walkers ?
    will bring my welding helmet as im sure its required to look at those gems !
    image
  • michaelmichael Posts: 9,524 ✭✭
    YES THE ORIGIN OF THE SHORT SET

    OH AND GREAT QUESTION BY THE WAY

    whitman had the blue folders for the coin sets like lincolns indians mercs buffs walkers etc starting back in the 1950's

    well the walker set is such a long many coin set with all the mintmarked coins
    and they could not fit the whole walker set in one whitman blue folder
    and with even half of the coins in the set the album was heavy and just did bode well
    with too many coins for the simple foldout boards

    so they came up with a solution ..................ingenious i might add they separated the sets into the first set in one holder and then the short set 1941 to 47 in another holder

    the first set is a really expensive task for unc grades
    so many started to collect the second album the short set so to speak short set in higher grades of unc as it was a more reasonable completeable set in really nice choice and gem unc for many more collectors

    i think the whitman album for the short set i think they started doing this in the middle 1950's or thereabouts??

    so it became popular and it stuck i think even pcgs has a registry short walker set too

    and in choice and gem unc the coins are one of the most attractive coins these walker half dollars and collectors always have liked bigger more substancial silver coins to collect


    same thing with the 55 dolubled lincoln cent die and the 37-d three legged buffalo nickel if not for the red book listing these two die varities in the red book and whitman putting them all in their albums since the 50's they created demand to such that both error coins are now part of the set

    which they are not
    but the red book and whitman coin albums have included these two coins for decades in the red books and whitman albums that well they became part of the set and remember whitman i think was for many decades publisher of the red book?? see the connection they created demand

    same thing with wayte raymond he only created the national coin albums to promote collecting sets coin sets by date and mintmark he did this to sell his way oversupply of dated coin rolls he had by the thousands and created overnight demand you buy an album to collect you fill it!!

    just like whitman did with the short set walkers and by putting the 55 doubled die and 37-d three legged buff in the red book everyone bought a red book then got an album now it created demand and has stuck to this day


    michael
  • puffpuff Posts: 1,475
    >>>so it became popular and it stuck i think even pcgs has a registry short walker set too<<<

    PCGS and NGC both have "3" Walker sets.... There's the Complete set (1916 - 1947 total 65 coins), then there's the intermediate set comonly known a s the "Late Date set" (1933 - 1947 total of 40 coins), then the "Short Set" (1941 - 1947 total of 20 coins)....

    NGC's Late Date set starts at 1934 instead of 1933-S, (39 coins), why I don't know except that the 1933-S gets rather expensive in grade of ms65 up.

    My main focus at present is the 1933 - 1947 late date set which is currently ranked #2..... But it's still a work in progress.image
  • I started out doing a short set in a dansco because I love the Walker design and it was a reasonable set to do in UNC condition.

    It did cause me to expand to finish the set...but most of my pre-41s are in VG-VF condition....now working on upgrading them a bit at a time....but I still love looking at that pretty short set dansco album...
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,389 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Forget short sets and look for the Walker varieties... look for the 1918-d, 1929-s and 1943-s no initials and some of the better double dies... that task should keep one occupied for awhile...image

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • Apparently, they are still sorta popular. Sold last night for well over $13,000:

    https://scoins.com/lot.aspx?a=30&l=815

    James at EarlyUS.com

    On the web: http://www.earlyus.com
  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 13,900 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OldeTowneCoinShoppe said:
    Apparently, they are still sorta popular. Sold last night for well over $13,000:

    https://scoins.com/lot.aspx?a=30&l=815

    I don’t disagree that the “short sets” might be popular. However, I wouldn’t use what looks to be an unusual, attractively toned set of unknown grades/quality as an example to support that viewpoint.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • fluffy155fluffy155 Posts: 268 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The "short set": staple of COINage full page ads in a "deluxe album" alongside worn Bust Halves (dates our choice) and $400 $20 libs.

    Kind of miss those days...

  • WalkerfanWalkerfan Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 29, 2023 8:59AM

    When people (collectors) are paying nearly six figures for finest known pop 1/0 short set Walkers; they have elevated FAR BEYOND the level of simple bullion investors.

    Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍

    My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):

    https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/

  • OKbustchaserOKbustchaser Posts: 5,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Back in May I finally finished the short set in 65 to 66. I have a couple from the 30s and I will probably go ahead and finish the middle set.

    Just because I'm old doesn't mean I don't love to look at a pretty bust.
  • breakdownbreakdown Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Boy I hope whoever won that Scotsman lot actually viewed the coins in person. Scotsman certainly knows how to submit to PCGS or NGC and chose to auction as an album. Although I guess the consignor could have insisted on selling raw.

    "Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 29, 2023 10:34AM

    I buy those short set pieces MS64-66 as type material for retail inventory as deal permits. Not a set builder just stack some assorted pieces of those in show case. If the deal is there (say 10 pct behind CDN Bid - sure I may buy some). I like wellstruck white, gemmy, pieces with super luster. They are strong sellers. Then I might have a PMG graded large size NBN next to them or for that matter stack of graded notes. Maybe a 1930 PCCGS MS64 SLQ w super luster nearby (a $375 coin). Then a PCGS 1918 SLQ MS64 at $415 next to it.

    Coins & Currency
  • steve76020steve76020 Posts: 367 ✭✭✭

    yes ive spent a while collecting morgans, then peace dollars, now im going for the half dollars specifically the walker but also the franklin ive gotten to that spot collecting morgans where they are just too expensive for me bei(g disabled. anyway wish me luck on my quest

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,401 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Started looking for slabbed Franks they seem really cheap (CPG mag). Many around slab cost. Want pickup some for show retail.

    Coins & Currency
  • bagofnickelsbagofnickels Posts: 349 ✭✭✭✭

    I've been building a long short set of walkers for about 4 years now. I started with the late dates as I love mint state walkers but now collect the 30s dates as well. 40s are all Gem or near gem and the 30s are all (lightly) circulated. Only missing one lone 40s date and then I need 6 from the 30s. They're great coins and I love collecting them. Building this set will be one of the few hobby endeavors I actually think I will see through.

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,260 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have thought about it because I have World War II sets of the cents, War Nickels and a Mercury Dime short set. The World War II Walkers interest me, and it's not that much more effort to complete the short set. I have just never gotten around to it. It's also a bigger investment than the cent, nickel and dime sets.

    I suppose I could do the Washington Quarters too, but among all the modern coins, they are my least favorite. I think that the pre-statehood quarters and dull and boring.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • braddickbraddick Posts: 24,179 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Dansco came up with the quintessential perfect method of collecting Walking Liberty halves for those not interested in the "Short Set".




    peacockcoins

  • WalkerfanWalkerfan Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @braddick said:
    Dansco came up with the quintessential perfect method of collecting Walking Liberty halves for those not interested in the "Short Set".




    CHALLENGING set but WELL worth the effort!

    Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍

    My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):

    https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/

  • Mr_SpudMr_Spud Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 29, 2023 1:39PM

    I’m very slowly working on 2 album sets of Walkers in Wayte Raymond albums. The first one is the earlier dates and these are circulated. The second one is the short set later dates where I’m collecting them as uncirculated. I don’t like mixing circulated coins with uncirculated ones in the same set and I think dividing them up as 2 sets is great, otherwise I’d end up with all the late dates as circulated. Here’s one of the coins from the late date set album, just cause I like pictures. It’s getting some peripheral rainbow toning after being in the album for about 15 years

    Mr_Spud

  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,527 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Never been a fan of the one a year sets, sorry.

    The short set used to sort of be mandatory for walker collectors, as the Whitman album second collection was 1941-1947. But even in high school in the mid-1970’s I was working on the early dates as well, just in much lower grades Lol! The short set in AU/BU was quite doable back then, even on a modest budget….and remains so.

    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • rip_frip_f Posts: 368 ✭✭✭✭

    The classic beauty and feel of Walkers was my passion back in the oughts. Couldn't get enough of them!
    Built a half dozen complete sets and a dozen AU-Unc short sets. I started the short sets with 1940 - they fit nicely on two pages of the Dansco 2x2 stockbook. Nothing slabbed, just nice mostly matched raw sets.

  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,558 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They remind me of the 38 D Buffalo Nickel on steroids. Beautiful coin and an attractive one is available for not much money, but I wouldn't consider it to be a collector or an investment coin. Just eye candy.

    "Vou invadir o Nordeste,
    "Seu cabra da peste,
    "Sou Mangueira......."
  • @breakdown said:
    Boy I hope whoever won that Scotsman lot actually viewed the coins in person. Scotsman certainly knows how to submit to PCGS or NGC and chose to auction as an album. Although I guess the consignor could have insisted on selling raw.

    I did review it in person, and found a majority of the coins to be astoundingly beautiful. However, in my notes, I only graded them MS-63/4 with a couple exceptions. I was told multiple dealers were battling over the set and it ended up going to a dealer on the floor.

    Incidentally, the very next lot was the same short set of Walkers, only it WAS certified MS-65/7, and incredibly, that set sold for only about a third of what the non-certified album set went for!

    James at EarlyUS.com

    On the web: http://www.earlyus.com
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,444 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Short sets were for collectors who were short on cash for the long set. Plus they didn't used to be hard to put together with uncirculated specimens. 20 years later, it was probably a good investment for collectors.

  • Manifest_DestinyManifest_Destiny Posts: 6,900 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's a nice set but if I were doing something less than the entire Walker set, I'd probably do all the San Fran coins. It's almost a date set.

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 7, 2023 8:22AM

    They one of my fav RCI. Inexpensive, historical, easy to manage.

    A coin club friend has a short Walker set in PCGS. It’s compl but he’s upgrading. With them on his PCGS app he has all info from his phone, etc.

    I like these as they affordable, etc. Collect what you like, fits your budget. Many type investors like this material.

    Coins & Currency
  • ElmerFusterpuckElmerFusterpuck Posts: 4,743 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I completed mine not all that long ago, in MS-66 or better. It becomes tougher if you want half way decent strikes on the S mints (especially the '41, '42 and '44).

    https://pcgs.com/setregistry/alltimeset/140787

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