Buff collectors
LincolnCentMan
Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭
How hard would it be to assemble a primarily full horn set of Buffs? I'm talking XF/AU... not registry level. What would be the toughest dates to find with a full horn?
Thanks,
David
Thanks,
David
0
Comments
The coins are available, but the mid-20's mintmarked coins are going to be the tough ones.
If you're wanting to do slabbed coins, keep in mind that PCGS will grade coins as XF/AU
based on wear with no regard to full-horn status. When you find these coins with full
horn, the price will most likely be well above the XF/AU level.
Ken
The most difficult Buffalos to find fully struck are 1919-D, 1919-S, 1920-S, 1921-S, 1925-D, 1925-S and 1926-S.
Buying a coin graded XF/AU for the above dates is no guarantee that the coin will have a full horn. The coins are graded based on overall wear and the sharpness of the horn, is for the most part, not a major consideration in the grade assigned. These are not dates to buy sight unseen.
Be aware that finding the above dates with a full horn is not synonomous with fully struck. Often when a coin with a full horn is found there are problems with strike in other areas of the coin. For example a 1924-D with a full horn, will typically have a weak tail. Coins with a fully struck reverse, often have a poor obverse.
Being a popular series to collect by date, these dates are in great demand. Not only are they difficult to find with full horns, they are usually scarce dates as well. Dealers have no problem asking for multiples of greysheet ask prices for fully struck coins and finding many takers. As a buyer, if you insist on a fully struck coin, there are some dates such as the 1924-D, that you may never see offered for sale in XF/AU. You may find one with a full horn, but it will have weakness in some other area. A fully struck, problem free 1924-D buffalo in XF/AU would likely sell for tens of thousands of dollars and a great number of collectors would be happy to pay that amount.
As a suggestion, I think you should focus on overall eye-appeal for these dates rather than the horn. As so many coins with a full horn have other deficiencies, I think the overall appearance of the coin should be of prime importance. A coin with a 90% horn which is otherwise fully struck and problem free, is a prize coin for these dates.
Joe.