What do you do when upgrades to your registry set become too hard to find?

Oney

I have a registry set, lin below, for 1950-1964 proof Roosevelt dimes. The set is 100% complete. I tried the approach of creating the highest ranked set without the inclusion of CAM/DCAM coins. I have a couple left to complete the goal but I just can not find them anywhere. What do you do when you have come to these cross roads. I have considered selling so I can continue to work on my Morgan Date set. Any suggestions or comments.......

REX

That's the $64,000 question. When upgrades become too hard or you are being held up by dealers on these coins in my opinion it's time to sit back and remember why you did the set in the first place. Investment? Ego? Challenge? Sense of accomplishment? or some combination of the above or it could be for a multiple of other reasons. I am putting together a set of Liberty nickels-NOT A TOP SET-That's just too expensive for me as a challenge. I know Bill R and Dale F are putting the best set's they possibly can without being held up by others.
I chose Liberty nickels as a challenge and because I think they are grossly undervalued
I think in your heart you will know when it's time to move on

DMWJR

If you think you would regret selling it, just put it on the shelf for awhile and continue to look for the upgrades. If you look at the list, you will see my old set "White Fang" that I sold this past summer. I was frustrated because the only coins that could upgrade me were held in other sets, plus I was selling my other Roosevelt sets also. If I had kept one of the sets, this one would have been it.

coolkarma

I'm about at that point where upgrades are difficult to find and very costly (for me). I still enjoy the coins (perhaps more now than before) and I still look for upgrades However, I really need a coin fix every now and then My solution has been to start MS and Proof years sets for my parents' birth years, 1899 and 1914 (1914, talk about a difficult year). This gives me lots of coins to look for, without a sense of urgency, and takes me into several series I hadn't collected recently. This gives me an opportunity to learn, and to get my coin fix I also feel this will be a good start toward a type set at some point in the future. This seems to work for me

saintguru

ENJOY YOUR SUCCESS!! It's not Journey To Sysyphus where you let the boulder roll down the mountain after pushing it all this time. You have made an achievement. Consider another set...or rest.

rainbowroosie

I empathize with your plight -- consider keeping what you have and continue looking, but I added a new set to allow me to "enjoy buying." I'm again collecting early Lincolns, but I chose specifically AU+ coins. I only select PQ+ specimens....makes for a great looking set in a Capitol Holder, doesn't cost much, and is challenging to find with no imperfections....you could try the same, or Lib nickles, or Peace dollars in 64+++, or....

LindeDad

Ran into the same Wall with my Franklin set. It's in hibernation waiting till I win the Lottery fat chance but if it happens watch out. Now I look for quarters. Working on the date set 1932 to present, and I'll never have the top set but it's still fun.

COINDOG

:
Take a break for awhile. Rome wasn't built in a day !!

Mistercoinman

I think most of the Roosey collectors are experiencing the same thing right now. There are about ten to twelve strong collectors in the series right now. I am going to hold on to my sets and upgrade when they become available. I have moved on to other things. I am working on a type set, and the lull gives me a chance to investigate other areas. If your not selling then your collecting enjoy the quiet time!!!!

dpoole

Times are tough for registry sets that have topped out.

With the market moving up so smartly for quality coins, it becomes prohibitive to upgrade ("What?! $10,000 for .01 points???), and the pressure builds to sell-out ("Look at all the money I have tied up in this stuff! And the market's gonna come DOWN someday!!).

If you're not rich, it's hard to ride this wave.

Oh, for the days when the coin market was sputtering along, and all the big boys were out buying real estate.

Justhavingfun

I've done two different things ...

The first, as many have suggested, is to start a new series. That's how I got into full step Jefferson Nickels -- when it became too hard to find upgrades for my Standing Liberty Quarters. I needed a new challenge, a new mountain to climb as SaintGuru suggests, and that was a nice, fun set.

But when my Jefferson Nickels became good enough that upgrades became too hard to find, I started collecting a date set of the Jeffersons in off-metal. And that's been a fascinating and difficult challenge. Each individual coin is a trophy -- a 1953 full-stepper, as it were -- by itself. I even have a few Jeffersons in MS65 RED!

If I ever come close to completing it, I'll list that in the Jefferson Registry Set -- just for the fun of it.

Enjoy!


Just Having Fun!

raycyca

I've started a type set and then another set. The other set I'm putting together as an investment. When completed, I can sell it, hopefully for a profit and be able to afford one of those upgrades I require for my primary set. Good luck. Ray

marcalan84

SELL.....that is what I did.

Colorfulcoins

Common problem..........

I think Rainbowroosie is about as good of an example as any.....Mr RB has been collecting and building a Rainbow toned Rosy set for 18 years - and it was probably 100% complete 17 years ago but he has continued to strive by making, finding, buying and searching the cracks for ever nicer, ever higher grade, ever better coins.....and many of the coins in his set didn't exist (in slabs) 5 years ago. That's persistance and dedication. Coins don't stay in sets forever - the coins you want and need will appear in their own good time but in the meantime, have you tried making them? If you enjoy the set and the hunt(frustrating as it may be) stick with it - odds are pretty good that you will look back on this time and be glad you did....

rainbowroosie

Craig,
Thanks, I know where several of those roosie upgrades came from!

Typetone

Brian:

Why not add some CAMs and DCAMs. These are really nice coins in the 1950 to 1964 era. I am working on a set of CAM Lincolns (50 -70) and really like them. That way you could continue adding to the registry set.

Greg

LincolnCentMan

What do you do when upgrades to your registry set become too hard to find?

Concider the set complete and move to a different one.... or sell out and move to a different set. Building the sets is the fun part. When it loses the fun, time to move on.

David

fantasiize

When you can't run with the big dogs, you have to just sit on the porch ... for a while ... and wag your tail ... and roll around in it until you want to run with them dogs again ... (it=your collection) ...

You can also sell excess items to consolidate and be ready for the point in time that prices come down (maybe) or you have enough money to buy the coin you need. Some collectors (myself included) at some point in time, do consolidate (i.e. lose interest in other series and realize, wow, I have quite a bit of $$$ tied up in what I do not like any more).

Do you sell below market (perhaps yes, if today's market is higher than what you bought it for or perhaps no, and let your beneficiaries sell it much more below market).

I guess it all comes back to whatever makes you happy ...

Cocoinut

Brian,

My advise is not to be so caught up in the competitive aspect of the Registry. If you enjoy your set for what it is, why not keep it and concentrate on your Morgans for awhile? Completing a set doesn't mean it has to be sold, unless you need the funds to begin another set. It's kind of nice to have finished a set and be able to hold onto it. Isn't that what collecting is all about? Then there's always the possibility that the Roosevelts will appreciate if you hang onto them. I completed my silver Washingtons 3 years ago, still enjoy looking at the coins, and am pleased that the key dates have doubled in price since I bought them. My set was ranked #1 for a couple of weeks, but I haven't done a lot in the way of upgrading, and am currently #19. It doesn't bother me a bit, and I have no intention of selling in the foreseeable future.

The Morgan date set provides a real challenge, and unless you're very wealthy, you'll never have the top set there either. It would be a fun set to attempt though, even if a few of the coins were "only" MS63/64.

Jim

Oney

Thanks everyone for your input. You've convinced me, I'll stick with it and wait. Someone did see this posting and had an upgrade coin for my set and I purchased it today. I do enjoy the set and perhaps it might even break the top ten when I'm done with the waiting game. Again thanks for the encouragement and taking the time to respond.

Lakesammman

I like buying and selling. It helps to pass the time while waiting for the occasional upgrade. Heck, I've been waiting almost 8 years for the right coin to come along (and I'm not telling what it is!!). Take advantage of what you've learned and know to make some money for the coins when they do come available.

Mistercoinman

khayse

I keep that collection but start working on something else to pass the time.

-KHayse

oreville

I think you all missed the boat on this one!

Brian: You need to re-evaluate why you did this registry set in the first place. If you really enjoy collecting these proofs why not take the time to make the set more interesting! Make it "ANA exhibit quality" by doing any or all of the following low cost fun projects:

1) Buy books on roosie proof dimes
2) Make sure you have the original US Mint proof envelope, package, box for each year of your proof coins.
3) Write some articles and research what you have learned and share them with us.
4) Buy one CAM and one DCAM proof dime to "dress up the set."
5) Make it REAL INTERESTING and buy one proof dime (pick any date) and just try to get an example of such proof dime in EVERY grading service slab or holder.
6) Buy sample slabs of some of the proof dimes. Will make the set VERY interesting.
7) Find one or more error proof struck coins
8) Purchase one slabbed mint state dime to accompany your set.
9) Could go on but you get the drift?

This low cost way of dressing up your set will keep you "engaged" in your set until the next dime comes along for your set! It also keeps you from spending too much money so that you will have a chance to accumulate funds to be able to strike when the right coin comes along.