How to complete a tough series...
TahoeDale
Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭
I really never thought I would do it. It took 12 years, though it was complete by date (not in PCGS holders, and not the grades I wanted) in 10 years. The series is MS Barber halves. The problems and successes can be transferred to any series you choose, but my comments are most relevant to a series before 1900.
The order of the comments are not necessarily first to last. All were important.
1. Get the help, advice and viewing of 1 or more dealers who have your denomination in their inventory, and buy and sell your coins on a regular basis, ie, go to an orthopaedic surgeon, not a family doctor.
2. Buy the finest grade you can afford. If it is an AU collection, do not get the 01-S in VF just because you cannot wait any longer. Same is true for gem, MS or any other grade range. I must have bought 10 to 15 64's while waiting for the 65 or better.
3. Patience. See No. 2
4. View thousands of coins. This probably will require going to major shows, as well as seeing everything there is on the internet.
5. Look at coins though you may already own the date. This will increase/decrease your confidence in what you have previously purchased.
6. Look at and buy both PCGS and NGC coins. When complete by date, my collection was 2/3 PCGS, 1/3 NGC. This has been true for the other Barber half collectors I know, but their great eye for quality has allowed many cross-overs. I too have a good success rate.
7. Be cordial to the dealers and collectors you meet, as you will need their help.
8. Have a criteria in mind for the appearance of the coin you want. All mine are toned originals. Some dates in MS 65 could have been upgraded, but I have passed on higher grades where the surfaces were white or mottled. So the collection has an aura.
9. For the real expensive coin(s) you have to have, sell something dear to you, and you will really appreciate the new possession even more. I could not afford the micro-o in 68. I probably still can't. But I wanted it bad enough that it cost me my Stella, and a big check. I'm sure I will remember the transaction forever.
10. Patience. See no. 3
11. I had difficulty using coins I owned in trade for a new coin. Better to negotiate a fair price for the new one, and sell/auction the duplicate. Or don't buy the lower grade in the first place. See no. 2
12. Don't be afraid to give a want list to Dealers you trust. I have heard of many complaints about gouging, where the public knows you may need the coin and up the price. I personally have never been "gouged" though my needs are /were known.
13. A good word for the dealers I have relied on:
U S Coins
Heritage
Superior
Larry Shepherd
Larry Whitlow
Harry Laibstain
David Lawrence
14. And also to the 2 guys I have corresponded with and bought from and sold to over the last 3 years: Steve Duckor and Peter Shireman.
Good Hunting
The order of the comments are not necessarily first to last. All were important.
1. Get the help, advice and viewing of 1 or more dealers who have your denomination in their inventory, and buy and sell your coins on a regular basis, ie, go to an orthopaedic surgeon, not a family doctor.
2. Buy the finest grade you can afford. If it is an AU collection, do not get the 01-S in VF just because you cannot wait any longer. Same is true for gem, MS or any other grade range. I must have bought 10 to 15 64's while waiting for the 65 or better.
3. Patience. See No. 2
4. View thousands of coins. This probably will require going to major shows, as well as seeing everything there is on the internet.
5. Look at coins though you may already own the date. This will increase/decrease your confidence in what you have previously purchased.
6. Look at and buy both PCGS and NGC coins. When complete by date, my collection was 2/3 PCGS, 1/3 NGC. This has been true for the other Barber half collectors I know, but their great eye for quality has allowed many cross-overs. I too have a good success rate.
7. Be cordial to the dealers and collectors you meet, as you will need their help.
8. Have a criteria in mind for the appearance of the coin you want. All mine are toned originals. Some dates in MS 65 could have been upgraded, but I have passed on higher grades where the surfaces were white or mottled. So the collection has an aura.
9. For the real expensive coin(s) you have to have, sell something dear to you, and you will really appreciate the new possession even more. I could not afford the micro-o in 68. I probably still can't. But I wanted it bad enough that it cost me my Stella, and a big check. I'm sure I will remember the transaction forever.
10. Patience. See no. 3
11. I had difficulty using coins I owned in trade for a new coin. Better to negotiate a fair price for the new one, and sell/auction the duplicate. Or don't buy the lower grade in the first place. See no. 2
12. Don't be afraid to give a want list to Dealers you trust. I have heard of many complaints about gouging, where the public knows you may need the coin and up the price. I personally have never been "gouged" though my needs are /were known.
13. A good word for the dealers I have relied on:
U S Coins
Heritage
Superior
Larry Shepherd
Larry Whitlow
Harry Laibstain
David Lawrence
14. And also to the 2 guys I have corresponded with and bought from and sold to over the last 3 years: Steve Duckor and Peter Shireman.
Good Hunting
TahoeDale
0
Comments
U.S. Nickels Complete Set with Major Varieties, Circulation Strikes
U.S. Dimes Complete Set with Major Varieties, Circulation Strikes
For those who don't know him, Dale is a great collector and his advice is certainly worth following.
Will you be working on completing your bust half set now?
Hoot
Also, unless one expects their income to rise considerably in the years ahead, I'd recommend getting the key as soon as possible. For one thing, they tend to appreciate more and become even *farther* out of reach in the future; for another, it's a big emotional hurdle to overcome. Before I had the 1877 -- a hole I stared at for 30 years -- I felt like I was miles away even though I needed only three more coins in a set of over 55 coins and even though I had all of the other tough dates from the 1866-1878 range exactly as I wanted them. But now it's very easy to feel the finish line in sight; if I can find a way to get the '77 in a grade that fits in with this collection, anything else is gravy. Getting that key out of the way is a wonderful feeling, indeed. Get it as soon as you reasonably can, even if it means selling other coins (as you mentioned, and see below). Now all I lack is the '09-S, which is tough as well, but heck -- if I got the '77, I can manage the '09-S.
And finally, yes, I understand about having to sell coins in order to buy coins. In order to keep the domestic peace, l had to promise my wife that I'd at least partially fund the purchase of the '77 by selling some coins. So I listed six coins or coin sets which I weren't terribly attached to (or were duplicates), raised about 60% of the purchase price of that coin, and I avoided a complete bank-breaking.
I am completing a set of Barber halves in Good/VG and am half way there. I did get a few AG's along the way, but I just replace them and now have more pocket pieces.........I have a few semi keys and have enjoyed the heck out of it for the last month......obviously an easier task in Good/VG, but its what my budget allows for now.
Great advice.......enjoy the set.
Excellent points, especially #8 – “Have a criteria in mind for the appearance of the coin you want. All mine are toned originals…”.
Sets with a somewhat uniform look have always impressed me more that sets that are all over the board in grade and color. Your set must scream “This was difficult as HELL to put together!!!!”
I would differ with you only on #6. I would not eliminate raw material, or “lesser” slabs……..viewing thousands of coins in a single series should give you a good eye for authenticity, originality, and grade.
So can you list your set, showing year, MM, and grade? Which were the killers to locate? We need details!
Once again, contrats…
Dave
siliconvalleycoins.com
I've come to learn that a coin collection is more than a mere collection of items, but a reflection of the time, effort and personality of the person putting the collection together.
Nice work!!! And congratulations....
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
~Wayne
To Nysoto: I am working on the Bust Halves, never to be completed, as the 1817/4 is not obtainable. This set will run from AU 50 thru MS 67. But all are original toned beauties.
To Ziggy: Totally agree on the keys first. It did seem to be a lighter load after they were obtained.
To Dave 99B: I didn't mention raw coins or lesser slabs for a reason. Even after 10 years, I had difficulty with a high end raw coin not being in a holder if it was all there. But I have purchased a few, mostly from The Queller sale, auction by Stacks. Only one is now in the set. The ICG and ANACS coins never made the grade, and were sold or auctioned.
To Coinlieutenant: Sorry, no pics. I wish I had the experience to do it and would like some references to those who do it for others.
To Scott: Sell me some more coins like the 1898 in MS 67
And to all others: post your ideas, problems and successes with your attempts to complete a series It gets all of us thinking about how to find the next coin we need.
Since I no longer work for Pinnacle, perhaps I can ask this without it sounding self-serving - shouldn't they have been included among the dealers on your list? There, you have just received your first official flame on the forum.
Super post, w/great advice!
I was doing everything possible to avoid this, trying to include all, responding to all with specific questions, and look what happens. This forum is the best place to be if completeness is an asset. If you aren't, some one will tell you.
Yes, Pinnacle and you did assist. I forgot. While you will probably forgive me, Katy won't.
<< <i> While you will probably forgive me... >>
Dream on!
I'm glad to see you posting here and hope that your experiences and advice are as widely read and appreciated as they deserve to be.
Seriously the Barber halves are such a difficult series to complete in so many ways, especially if nice eye appeal is part of the equation.
Kudos, and hopefully photos are forthcoming.
Tyler
Arco, your set of Barbers you posted recently is one of the coolest collections I've seen on this forum. Would love to see some of Tahoe's coins too.
Clankeye
And might I add that Patience is a valuable asset as well.
Terry
Thank you for taking the time to post and your observations are well received by us all.
Each set should show a continuity in grade or look. Well toned coins that matched are far nicer in set form than blast white mixed in with beautifully toned coins. If your MS 63 coins look like the surrounding MS 65 coins in tone/color the set shows off alot better, IMHO.
I also agree to get the keys first, as they will escalate alot quicker than the more common dated pieces.
Selling your Stella for the Eliasberg 1892-O Micro O was a wise investmant. Knowing a fellow collector who sold off another rare coin ( which appears far more frequently ) was able to get a far more scarcer item (but not as well known) will net him far more when its time to disburse his collection.
The 92-Micro O in MS 68 is on par with the highest echelon in numismatics; its far rarer than any Stella (although I may have cringed selling off a Stella ) .
Everyone seems to be asking the same question: when will you post pictures ? I know you don't have the expertise as yet , but there are collectors (Jeremy ...aka: Airplanenut) who have substantial experience in this (far more experience than his tender years would normally attest to).
Possibly when the "Big Three" Barber Half Dollar collections are gathered in one location, all the sets could be photographed at the same time, and we, who only dream of inspecting these coins, could more easily compare these great sets.
Thank you again for your post. Look forward to reading more of them.
Mike
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
“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
I give both of you credit for putting together these sets. I got so grossed out by the MS Barber Halves I saw, that I wound up buying a Barber Half in PF 65 (and THAT took some doing as well).
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
Good to see you active on these boards. Can't help but notice you are using the icon of my MS 63 micro O which pales by comparison to your Eliasberg acquisition. PCGS allows you to upload icons every so often, and that is how I did it. I did it with my scanner.
I just finished capturing my whole set by digital camera, but have some work to go to get them to the right size for posting to my set. On the whole the digital camera photos are more accurate representations than those obtained by a flat-bed scanner.
Your advice for collecting is right on the mark and speaks volumes of your experience.