Thinking of Parting w/ Barber Quarters

ChuckC

Looking at my Barber Quarter Whitman Folder (19 coins total, AG to G), I can't help but think how much I'd like to sell it so that I can buy mint state coins. I mean, some of these quarters have ugly deep scratches and junk on em. On the other hand, most quarters are over 100 years old with mintage volumes of under 10M plus it's always nice to have a variety of coins in the collection. So here are my questions...

How is the Barber quarter market right now?
Sell now?
Sell later?
Keep?
Consolidate to buy one slabbed AU/MS barber?

XpipedreamR

I would:

Sell all the circulated junk (yes, I'm a little biased toward UNC ) when you've got just the right MS quarter in your sights. I wouldn't worry about the "market" for AG-G coins unless you've got the rare, rare dates.

Save up $$$ along with the $$$ from the circs you're selling, so you can get a good one. There's a lot of lame Barber coinage out there, so be picky! Don't bother with AU.

You won't miss your worn-down slugs when you've got a primo MS specimen!

dorkkarl

i suggest: cash out this junk, then start another collection of ORIGINAL FINE coins. you can easily assemble 80% of the set on a budget, it will look awesome, & you can plug in the keys as you get the resources to do so.

why bother w/ bu? you have no hope of completing such a set, & really, how much fun is it to stare at a collection of ONE freaking coin???

K S

XpipedreamR

<< <i>collection of ORIGINAL FINE coins >>

TahoeDale

Chuck,

Barber quarters are a great series to collect, and you don't have to complete the set to feel good about them. The grades you have will never increase in value, and selling them now or later will not make much difference. I collected them in the same grades as a teenager, many years ago. And I still have the blue Whitman folder and the 16 or so coins.

Start by buying some VF to XF dates, and learn about the condition of the coins. Look for old cleanings, and deep gouges, and avoid those coins. Then move up to AU, and see the differences in strike, lack of serious marks, and hopefully some original surfaces and toning. Once you have been bitten by a real original one, you will be wanting to find more.

12 years ago I decided to collect Barber halves. I bought a MS 1912-S and knew I could never complete the series in MS. So I started buying AU raw ones, from David Lawrence Rare Coins. I learned the important characteristics, fairly cheaply, and then set off to try to complete the series in Gem ! This year I finished the set with an average grade of 65.79.

Good Hunting, and take your time

ChuckC

TahoeDale: I've been bitten by the Mercury Dime Bug the same way you've been bitten by the Barber Half Bug. If I'm gonna complete a Gem set, it's gonna be with mercs.

JrGMan2004

I personally, am working on a Dansco album of low-circ grade Barber Dimes. Looking for original greys, generally going to be G/VG, but I do like a couple of F/VFs here and there. But I picked the lower grades, primarilly because I could do a matched set that way, and because they are found cheaply in dealer junk bins and binders for a couple of bucks, which is what I need right now. I've just started college, and I have to drive quite a bit to and from campus, and gas is gonna kill me, so, to satisfy my collecting needs... here's this cheap set Only have 4 coins so far... but I'm happy with all of them

tgilliams

I'd sell all your "junk" coins and buy a nice MS Barber. Then find an AA Hall for your other problem.

ccex

Most Barber Quarter collections are like yours. I'd keep it unless you really need the $50 or $60 it would raise on eBay. (If you are much happier with a single $50 coin, then sell your 19). I doubt your 19 Barber Quarters will skyrocket in value soon, but they could be the start of an interesting quest.

I rediscovered my incomplete Whitman folder of low grade Barber Dimes five years ago and returned to them as a series with lots of challenges and generally stable prices. I have enjoyed upgrading these one or two at a time and now have two complete sets. I have sold off lower grade duplicates to help pay for a better coin, and have learned to refrain from buying the most commonly offered Barber coins (AG to VG).

NoGvmnt

Sell the junk, and buy all the 55-58s you can afford. In 5 years the "Top Three" will be crossing them into MS plastic.

Jim

lordmarcovan

<< <i>i suggest: cash out this junk, then start another collection of ORIGINAL FINE coins. you can easily assemble 80% of the set on a budget, it will look awesome, & you can plug in the keys as you get the resources to do so.

why bother w/ bu? you have no hope of completing such a set, & really, how much fun is it to stare at a collection of ONE freaking coin???

K S >>



I'm with the Dork on this one. More bang for the buck and completability with a Fine set. That sounds like more fun to me. And the end result would still be quite respectable.

eyoung429

Post some pics and let us judge what you have.....I may be interested in them for my kids....I only have 4 for them....2 42, 1 45, 1 no date

Coinerww

I would also be interested in buying them.

ChuckC

Well, I made up my mind and OUT they go. Like I said, my goal is MS mercs (full band), and I need to scrape together some bones to move forward. I'll post a pic in a little bit, but I think I may sell them on ebay to help build positive feedback from buyers and b/c ebay is really fun (bidding is about to close on my first auction ever!).

ChuckC

Not Pictured: 1902, 1903-O, 1903-S, 1904-O, 1905, 1905-O

Conder101

I agree completely with Dorkkarl. And even in F you will find them tough to get. Barbers come either very nice (And very expensive), or very low grade. Middle grades are hard to come by.

dorkkarl

caution - BE CAREFUL!

mercs in ms full bands? have you LOOKED at what that's gonna cost you???

your looking at $15K for the key, $5K for the 21s, $20K for the overdates, not to mention probably $20K for the conditional rarities. your already at 60K, & that'll only fill 2 rows in your whitman album!!!

dude, seriously consider a NON-FB ms set. then at least you have A CHANCE to actually complete the set!

why start up something you KNOW you can never finish?

K S

ChuckC

dorkkarl -- I'm gonna be rich.

Coinerww

How much are you going to sell them for?

dorkkarl

if your gonna be rich, then DO IT!!!

(but maybe you should consider just donating your junk barber quarters to a yn auction or something)

K S

ChuckC

Hey, I ain't rich yet!!

I sent you a PM, coinerww

XpipedreamR

Why does someone have to have a "complete set" of a given coin? I personally wouldn't want a set of worn down coins, just so I could say that I have a complete set of worn down coins.

What's wrong with a "nice assortment" of awesome pieces instead?

Sounds like OCD to me

Conder101

<< <i>What's wrong with a "nice assortment" of awesome pieces instead? >>


Absolutely nothing, but that is exactly what it is, a "nice assortment", an accumulation, a bunch of "stuff", not a collection. The kind of thing gathered by a speculator or "investor type". Not the kind of activity I would associate with a collector.

XpipedreamR

I guess it just comes down to personal preference. There are series that I wish to complete, and then there's coins that I'm less interested in, where a few nice piece will satisfy my interest. I'm not a speculator, nor any less of a collector. How dare you!

XpipedreamR

PS: That was a very mild "how dare you," by the way



PPS: ChuckC...don't let anyone tell what or how you should collect!

MFH

I agree with all the posts saying to rid yourself of the junk. Concentrate on a nicer set ( VF 30 - XF 45 ) but they are alot harder to come by not messed with.

If finances allow, upgrade into AU 50-58.

ChuckC

UPDATE: sold the album (16 coins in all) for $61.50 on ebay...thanks to paypal fees, ebay fees, free shipping, and the cost of the packaging, I made a net profit of only about $50, not too shabby for a nice set of slugs. I attribute the nice final sale price to my ebay rating; simple, honest, and detailed description; free shipping, nor reserve/true auction, and concise payment policies, but next time, I'd probably have to say $3 for shipping, cuz the free shipping is killing me!

LINK TO BARBER QUARTERS AUCTION (ENDED)

sliderider

Even though Barber coinage doesn't really strike my fancy, I do have to say that I have been seeing some very nice photos of AU pieces that forum members have been picking up lately, and they do look very nice in that grade. Most of the luster of an MS without all the ugly wear of an XF. I would seriously consider a nice, lustrous AU set, if I ever decide to branch out in that direction.