A very informative thread and well worth reading more than once.
While it addresses putting together Registry Sets, the information contained in this thread can also be applied to putting together any collection, raw or slabbed.
I have worked on putting together a set of raw 1950-1970 Cameo Proof and SMS coinage off and on for the past 18 years (I posted a thread about this collection with photos of the coins on the US Coin Forum). I am still working on the set and am in upgrade mode.
Eventually I will have the collection graded, True Viewed and added to the Set Registry (1950 - 1964 proof sets, with and without varieties; 1965 - 1967 SMS sets; and the individual sets from 1950 - 1970).
In putting this collection together I find that I needed/need to have:
A real affection for the series (if the coins you are collecting do not make you go WOW!!! when you look at them, why bother?);
Patience to wait for the right coin to come along (do not settle for any coin simply to fill a hole, or settle for a barely there upgrade; wait for a coin to come along [they always do] which you will be proud to place into an empty hole, or which will be an upgrade that blows away the coin it replaces);
Dedication to the hunt (you have to put in the time to search for coins that will be a good fit in your collection);
Good relationships with sellers of the coins you are looking for (dealers and other collectors) in order to increase the chances that you will be offered the coins you want that they have;
Knowledge of your series; and
Money or trade material to use in purchasing or trading for the coins you want.
Putting together a collection following the advice contained in this thread will provide a collector with an extremely rewarding and personally satisfying experience.
To me, great does not always mean top pop. I agree with keoj & stguru paradigm.
I really do appreciate the tpgs, because they are sticking their necks out, but graders change and tastes change. What if toning is determined to be detrimental, surfaces are rethought by tpgs (i.e. matte vs lustrous high relief peace, what did the artist and or engraver intend the coin to look like)
Do side by side comparisons, you'll be surprised what the mind picks up.
Know your limitations, strengths and weakness, as well as the tpgs. My weakness is that I rate eye appeal over technical grading all day long, some dealers will want more than the next grade up for them, but that aint gonna help your rating, but it means the dealer/seller might know something more than you think. I also miss a lot because I don't always look close enough at the details (catches, marks, filing, etc)
Not only look at coins in hand, but a lot of photos, because the mind logs this info, and you can do it at home at your leisure. Example, IMO a fully struck 24p peace in 66 or above, without orange peel, is one of the rarest in the series, but costs peanuts compared to the all the others, why?
Be bold, I've never sent a coin in for crossover....
From a newby collector, at least compared to a lot of youins
This was a great educational thread and I'm glad it got bumped.
Short answer to question about pics:
Anyone can throw a lot of money at plastic and High insert numbers but it takes patience, knowledge and perseverance to build a truly high quality set. Dedication and focus are key, as well---You must have a passion for what you're doing in order to succeed and compete at a high level.
And yes, I think that all registries should have pictures, especially nowadays, with today's technology.
I would much rather have a more quality, eye appealing set instead of one that is only numerically Superior.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
It takes a great collection to help build a great collection. This is how the #1 1938 - 1964 Jefferson nickel Registry set got its start. I won't mention names to make this post short but the top 3 sets were bought up in one huge swoop to put together one super collection. If I had the resources to certified my collection and made countless resubmissions and buy up a few pop tops, I imagine I would have been close to the top. Before prices sky-rocketed on Jefferson nickels, before PCGS started grading them, I was doing just fine putting together a great collection. It does take a ton of money to get it done. When I helped someone with his #1 Registry set, he told me that he had a quarter million dollars in his set. I didn't believe this at first but add in all the air flights, hotels, dining out, car rentals, parking fees and $100 submission fees and spending an average $1750 per coin, it adds up. And let's not forget the hours of dedication spent to do all of this. Having the time and resources to experience the sheer enjoyment one receives taking on this type of endeavor. But I have helped other Registry contenders as well. Many high quality Registry set coins totaling $45,000 have come from my collection, 1959 MS66FS, 1953-S MS65FS, 1944-D NGC MS68 6 steps, 1943-P MS67+FS, 1943-S MS67+FS, 1942-D/horizD raw MS65, 1943/2-P, to mention a few that come to mind. But I still have many great coins and coins that PCGS has not started grading yet, Jefferson nickels with 6 full steps. But if this post serves any purpose, it helps me to cross paths with a buyer for the rest of my collection. Sure, it's great to have the money but it's also necessary to have a few great coins to work with in building a great Registry set. Click on the link below to see my collection.
Regards, Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
Establishing communication and a rapport with competitors.
This has been crucial for me.
In the Jefferson category I have climbed to top 5 in a few sets, and I got there trading and talking with other other top set owners. I helped them with their sets and they have helped me with mine.
There are more than a dozen coins I couldn’t find or afford outright, which I acquired through trading.
Patience,determination for starters. I have been working on my registry set for about 3 years now and still have a few left. The dates that I am down too for what I am building,are far and few in between. So sticking with you're original game plan is key.
Also building relationships with people.Heck if it wasn't for IG and making connections I wouldn't even have half of what I do now.
Probably many of the same things required to build a great collection of non registry set coins, including a great raw collection.
I got back into the hobby as an adult 20 years ago. I eventually found an area to focus on (1950-1970 Cameo proof and SMS coinage) and started building a collection of those coins, raw, by looking at OGP sets, aftermarket sets and raw singles. After almost two decades the collection looks very nice. Upgrades continue. At some point in time I will submit the collection for grading with our host. Should be interesting to see how the collection grades.
Comments
Bumping the thread for new ideas.....
A very informative thread and well worth reading more than once.
While it addresses putting together Registry Sets, the information contained in this thread can also be applied to putting together any collection, raw or slabbed.
I have worked on putting together a set of raw 1950-1970 Cameo Proof and SMS coinage off and on for the past 18 years (I posted a thread about this collection with photos of the coins on the US Coin Forum). I am still working on the set and am in upgrade mode.
Eventually I will have the collection graded, True Viewed and added to the Set Registry (1950 - 1964 proof sets, with and without varieties; 1965 - 1967 SMS sets; and the individual sets from 1950 - 1970).
In putting this collection together I find that I needed/need to have:
A real affection for the series (if the coins you are collecting do not make you go WOW!!! when you look at them, why bother?);
Patience to wait for the right coin to come along (do not settle for any coin simply to fill a hole, or settle for a barely there upgrade; wait for a coin to come along [they always do] which you will be proud to place into an empty hole, or which will be an upgrade that blows away the coin it replaces);
Dedication to the hunt (you have to put in the time to search for coins that will be a good fit in your collection);
Good relationships with sellers of the coins you are looking for (dealers and other collectors) in order to increase the chances that you will be offered the coins you want that they have;
Knowledge of your series; and
Money or trade material to use in purchasing or trading for the coins you want.
Putting together a collection following the advice contained in this thread will provide a collector with an extremely rewarding and personally satisfying experience.
To me, great does not always mean top pop. I agree with keoj & stguru paradigm.
I really do appreciate the tpgs, because they are sticking their necks out, but graders change and tastes change. What if toning is determined to be detrimental, surfaces are rethought by tpgs (i.e. matte vs lustrous high relief peace, what did the artist and or engraver intend the coin to look like)
Do side by side comparisons, you'll be surprised what the mind picks up.
Know your limitations, strengths and weakness, as well as the tpgs. My weakness is that I rate eye appeal over technical grading all day long, some dealers will want more than the next grade up for them, but that aint gonna help your rating, but it means the dealer/seller might know something more than you think. I also miss a lot because I don't always look close enough at the details (catches, marks, filing, etc)
Not only look at coins in hand, but a lot of photos, because the mind logs this info, and you can do it at home at your leisure. Example, IMO a fully struck 24p peace in 66 or above, without orange peel, is one of the rarest in the series, but costs peanuts compared to the all the others, why?
Be bold, I've never sent a coin in for crossover....
From a newby collector, at least compared to a lot of youins
This was a great educational thread and I'm glad it got bumped.
Short answer to question about pics:
Anyone can throw a lot of money at plastic and High insert numbers but it takes patience, knowledge and perseverance to build a truly high quality set. Dedication and focus are key, as well---You must have a passion for what you're doing in order to succeed and compete at a high level.
And yes, I think that all registries should have pictures, especially nowadays, with today's technology.
I would much rather have a more quality, eye appealing set instead of one that is only numerically Superior.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
Agreed. Looking at this thread periodically helps to ground me and keep me focused...
It takes a great collection to help build a great collection. This is how the #1 1938 - 1964 Jefferson nickel Registry set got its start. I won't mention names to make this post short but the top 3 sets were bought up in one huge swoop to put together one super collection. If I had the resources to certified my collection and made countless resubmissions and buy up a few pop tops, I imagine I would have been close to the top. Before prices sky-rocketed on Jefferson nickels, before PCGS started grading them, I was doing just fine putting together a great collection. It does take a ton of money to get it done. When I helped someone with his #1 Registry set, he told me that he had a quarter million dollars in his set. I didn't believe this at first but add in all the air flights, hotels, dining out, car rentals, parking fees and $100 submission fees and spending an average $1750 per coin, it adds up. And let's not forget the hours of dedication spent to do all of this. Having the time and resources to experience the sheer enjoyment one receives taking on this type of endeavor. But I have helped other Registry contenders as well. Many high quality Registry set coins totaling $45,000 have come from my collection, 1959 MS66FS, 1953-S MS65FS, 1944-D NGC MS68 6 steps, 1943-P MS67+FS, 1943-S MS67+FS, 1942-D/horizD raw MS65, 1943/2-P, to mention a few that come to mind. But I still have many great coins and coins that PCGS has not started grading yet, Jefferson nickels with 6 full steps. But if this post serves any purpose, it helps me to cross paths with a buyer for the rest of my collection. Sure, it's great to have the money but it's also necessary to have a few great coins to work with in building a great Registry set. Click on the link below to see my collection.
Regards, Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Establishing communication and a rapport with competitors.
This has been crucial for me.
In the Jefferson category I have climbed to top 5 in a few sets, and I got there trading and talking with other other top set owners. I helped them with their sets and they have helped me with mine.
There are more than a dozen coins I couldn’t find or afford outright, which I acquired through trading.
Great thread and input everyone
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/publishedset.aspx?s=142753
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
Patience,determination for starters. I have been working on my registry set for about 3 years now and still have a few left. The dates that I am down too for what I am building,are far and few in between. So sticking with you're original game plan is key.
Also building relationships with people.Heck if it wasn't for IG and making connections I wouldn't even have half of what I do now.
Probably many of the same things required to build a great collection of non registry set coins, including a great raw collection.
I got back into the hobby as an adult 20 years ago. I eventually found an area to focus on (1950-1970 Cameo proof and SMS coinage) and started building a collection of those coins, raw, by looking at OGP sets, aftermarket sets and raw singles. After almost two decades the collection looks very nice. Upgrades continue. At some point in time I will submit the collection for grading with our host. Should be interesting to see how the collection grades.