Dansco for Kennedy's

drjules

Hi

I am just starting a collection of Kennedy half dollars and I would like to file them in a Dansco album. My first choice is to go for all the varieties as well, for completeness. My question is: when I get the proof and SMS versions is it easiest to get them from the US Mint sets? If I crack one out of a set what is the best thing to do with the rest of the set? Sell the other components on ebay?

Dr J

drjules

ttt as this question was sinking fast

MadMarty

spend them?

snapmohr

Collect the other coins in a Dansco also. Thats what I do.

Russ

<< <i>If I crack one out of a set what is the best thing to do with the rest of the set? >>



Spend them. That's what I do.

Russ, NCNE

drjules

<< <i>Collect the other coins in a Dansco also. Thats what I do. >>



Many thanks for this good suggestion

cladking

The best way to assemble the Kennedy set or any of the modern sets is from proof
sets and mint sets. Many of the needed coins don't appear in these sets so they can't
be used exclusively, but most are available this way and the quality is usually much
better than what you'll get if you buy the coins individually or as complete all ready
assembled sets. There are some companies that take some pains to ship out only the
nicer coins, but usually even nicer coins will be available in the proof and mint sets for
no premium.

All the moderns sets have at least some great attributes so collecting all of them is
an option for many collectors. If this isn't for you then it is possible to find buyers for
the broken sets and rolls. In fact the demand for these coins is so great that the
wholesale price of the individual coins usually exceeds the price of the intact proof or
mint set. Finding the best price for a single coin may not be easily done, but it shouldn't
be overly difficult to sell them through a classified ad or to trade them to other collectors
for coins within your specialty.

Very choice Kennedy sets can be assembled one at a time from the proof and mint sets
for no real premium and when you're done there will be lots of gems in your set.




In light of TheNumish's post below, edited to add that there are
certainly some date sets that have a substantial premium. Cer-
tainly there are not many 1997 mint sets being cut to sell the parts
for a profit.

TheNumish

90% of the time it's not worth buying a set for just the half. A 1997 Mint set will cost $35 and you can get the halves for $2 each. Once you cut the halves out of those sets the rest of the coins are just worth a few dollars. Why pay $14 for a 1973 proof set when the half alone is $2. There are a few freak years that you're better off buying the sets and selling off the rest of the coins. For example 1997 silver proof set runs about $80 and dealers charge about $80 for the half. You could buy that coin and sell off the rest of the coins and save some money. You just have to go through each year and figure out what makes the most sense.

Baley

Consider buying a set already assembled (these are widely available from various dealers) and then going about selecting "weakest links" to upgrade by cherrypicking the coins individually or from sets.

Doing it one by one starting from scratch, with the combined costs of "other coins" you don't need, and shipping and handling and insurance, and/or travel time and searching time, can be kind of expensive and inefficient.

especially when all the coins look alike anyway..



(double winky to emphasize, "just kidding!" on that last part)

ksteelheader

My set is only missing the 97 silver proof. I am lucky in that my dealer has in stock all of the mint state coins.

If you start the set and find that you need certian coins, PM me and I'll see if I can get them for you. Also, send me a list of the proof coins you need and I'll see if I have any in stock. I may even send you a couple just for the heck of it. I've been known to do that...

Ken

TheNumish

I think Baley did give some good advice. It's not as much fun buying the whole set at once but buying them one at a time will raise the price of the set considerably.

cladking

The retail price of all the mint and proof sets (including silver) is only about $1,550.
Most dealers sell these for less when purchased individually. The total cost of the
coins which don't appear in these sets but are needed for the denominational sets
is about about $75. The brown and blue Ikes would add another $70.

The total wholesale price of all the modern sets added together is $1,600 exactly.

While obtaining wholesale for a modern set can be difficult the statement stands that
it is cheaper to assemble these sets individually.

Of far greater importance though is that most of the pre-assembled sets are going to
have few or none choice and gem coins. Yes, some are much better than others but
even the better ones would usually be mostly improved by ones picked from a few mint
and proof sets.

Probably the best bet is saving the cost of busting up sets like the '97 mint set by buying
slabbed coins and just looking at lots of coins and sets to flesh out the rest of the col-
lection.

Anyone contemplating these sets might be well advised not to delay. There is a finite
supply of the sets from which most of the denomination sets are assembled and when this
dwindling supply is spoken for by the intact set collectors then there will likely be increases
in the prices of the sets. There will definitely be increases in the parts of the sets.