Addition to my Barber Half VF-XF Album

greghansen

Here's the latest edition to my Barber Half album set. Only 72 coins more to go!!! (That's a joke. For non Barber collectors....there are 73 coins in the Barber Half series) Seriously, I just recently decided to undertake this challange. I haven't even bought the album yet, but I wanted too get a couple of sample coins bought with the color and degree of wear I'm trying to match. This is the first coin to arrive. This is probably about the high end of what I'll be going for, maybe willing to drop down to the VF20-25 as the lowest end. Should be fun!



P.S. Do most albums have a spot for the 1892-micro O? Including that coin in my set would increase the cost of the overall set by close to 50%, but I'm wondering if it wouldn't be worth it. Opinions from Barber-aholics solicited.

Barberman55

Greg,

Nice, original looking coin and good luck with the series. There are a few of us, on the CU boards, who are collecting Barber halves in the VF-XF grades. It is a tough series, alot of patience is needed, and quite a bit of frustration can develope. I've been working on the series for about 8 months now, and have about 13 halves, out of 73, to my credit. I'm also working on a Barber quarter set, in the same grades, which keeps the frustration level down. This way, I have a better chance, of adding coins to my collection each month, which keeps it interesting and fun.

ARCO

Awesome first coin! That is the look I just love. Darker, orignal and more original. Even though most would consider the 1906 a more common date, I bet that in five years of collecting you don't come across more than two or three examples as nice as the coin you have in that same date.

One of the biggest problems of starting the Barber half series with such a nice coin are the future expectations. You get a beaut' and thereafter it is hard to settle for anything less.

Nice show, and welcome to the club!

Tyler


As for the 92-micro o, get it if you can find it. There are only a few coins in the midgrade range so you will either have to settle for an AG or MS coin. I let an NGC F12 pass that cost a measly $4500.00 and I am still kicking myself daily.

morganbarber

Congratulations on a noble mission. Keeping your set as nice as that coin will require big bucks, access to tons of coins, and a very great deal of patience. Nice coin!

MFH

Tyler...

Looks like you have another customer !

Greg, watch for Tyler's ebay auctions, he lists quite a few coins that you'll fall in love with. Your 1906 is exactly what Tyler likes to buy and sell.

Congratulations and good luck... you'll be at it for about 5 years but you'll enjoy every minute of it.

jdimmick

Nice looking 06. Yet another Barber half collector!

I believe with all the additional barber half collectors that have come on board, prices will only continue to get stronger from the ever increasing demand, especially on nice original coins such as this. I think limited collector base held prices back for years compared to others series stronger advances, but that is changing fast.

jim

TheRaven

Nice coin.....

I purchased my Half Album a few months ago and the Micro-O is not in the Album.....

I am only working on a VG set as that is more in my price range, currently have 34/73 so far.....

Have fun with the challenge.....

Baley

That's a beauty of a coin, and if it's indicative of your tase, your set will be a joy to behold!

Dave99B

Greg, nice half!

Rich original toning.

Oh man....I have a feeling eBay VF-XF material is going to take another 20% jump.

Are you sure you aren't interested in Kennedys?

Dave

coinkat

great looking coin. best of luck in your efforts to find ones this arrractive.

TomB

That's a beautiful coin. I've been working on an F12-EF40 (mostly VF) set for a few years and I have about ten left to complete the set. I do not know of any albums that include the micro-O, and I think it would be ridiculous if they did include it. Good luck.

Casey

Nice half Greg. Collecting nice Barber halves can be extremely frustrating. Have patience and expect significant wait times in adding pieces to the collection. I agree with watching for Tyler's auctions. He parts with some nice coins on occasion.

DrPete

A VF-XF set of barber halves in original condition is a challenge that will keep you going for some time. The cost will be more than you expect, but when you are finished (however much you complete) the coins will almost certainly have appreciated in value. Besides, who wants to build a set that is no challenge?

I put together a very nice F/VF set over about 8 years and it still wasn't "complete" to my satisfaction in terms of looks and originality, yet I had easily sunk about $6000 into it. I tried once to sell it on eBay and nearly sold it for $6000 which would have been break-even. Splitting the set and selling singles would have yielded more on eBay, but the time involved was too much for my comfort level. I waited another year and watched the F/VF prices rise 10% about every two to three months per the CDN Montly Summary. I sold the set a few months back for $8000 wholesale! It was nowhere near as nice as the set ARCO has put together, either.

I am mostly concentrating on my mint state set which is nearing completion to my goals.

Some day I plan to start collecting the circulated halves again.

DrPete

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, the 1892-O micro O. There are very few mid-grade micro O halves known. Mike Flanagan has done a comprehensive study of all known and reported micro O halves of 1892 and the latest population is 43 or 44 coins. Most are AG and a handful are mint state. Very few are F to EF. I own three now, down from six at one time not long ago. My three coins are all graded by PCGS and are: MS 63, VF20, and VG8.

dorkkarl

WOW! if you match a whole set to that coin, you'll have 1 he11uva set!!!

K S

Barberman55

<< <i>A
I put together a very nice F/VF set over about 8 years and it still wasn't "complete" to my satisfaction in terms of looks and originality, yet I had easily sunk about $6000 into it. I tried once to sell it on eBay and nearly sold it for $6000 which would have been break-even. Splitting the set and selling singles would have yielded more on eBay, but the time involved was too much for my comfort level. I waited another year and watched the F/VF prices rise 10% about every two to three months per the CDN Montly Summary. I sold the set a few months back for $8000 wholesale! It was nowhere near as nice as the set ARCO has put together, either. >>



Most of the fun in collecting circulated Barber halves is tracking down nice examples of each date. I would feel guilty buying a complete set for myself, unless the set was bought with the intention of reselling at a profit.

wam98

That's a lovely Barber half Greg. I had my eye on a 95-O in PCGS VF-35 the other day, someone beat me to it.

Good luck with your set. It will be a nice set with coins like that 1906.

bushmaster8

Really nice! Got to love those darkies, so few and far between!