Key coins

ricko

Does there exist a comprehensive listing of key coins in each series? For example.. key coins in Morgans, Indian Heads, Lincolns, Mercury Dimes, etc etc etc? I had an idea of collecting only keys... never mind the whole series.... would be fun, and very tough - but a challenge. Cheers, RickO

goose3

the easiest way to find out on the series that you are unfamiliar with would be to peruse the redbook.

Regarding your plans...Very smart.

ricko

Thanks Goose,
I figured the Redbook - was trying to avoid the clerical and focus on the search - silly me, part of the hunt. Cheers, RickO

BillJones

Yes, you can run down the listing in the Red Book, and see which coins have high prcies.

Here's a few to get you started -

Indian cents - 1877, 1909-S. Generally all the coins from 1866 to 1878 are key or semi-key dates. Within this group in addition to the 1877, the 1869 to 1872 dates stand out.

Mercury dimes - 1916-D followed by the 1921 and 1921-D. The 1942 over 1 is also a key if you choose to include it in your set.

Morgan Dollars - In this case the word "key date" is very condition sensitive. Some issues are common in the circulated grades, but get expensive in Mint State. The 1893-S, the 1895 PS and O coins are all expensive in circulated grades, and some like the 1879-CC and 1889-CC will set you back some cash too.

I kind of shake my head at you guys only collect key date coins. Some of the common dates can have an interesting story too, and they are a lot more affordable.

ricko

Bill,
I just had the idea (after completing my Morgan CC set), that a key series would be interesting.. I agree, common dates hold interest as well. I had never heard if a 'keys only' collection.. so thought it would be interesting - albeit almost impossible to complete. Thanks for your information.. Cheers, RickO

ColonialCoinUnion

I've always been intrigued by this method of collecting, but then so have (seemingly) many, many other people.

Which is why if you go to a show or peruse online dealer inventory you'll find literally tons of 1909-S VDBs, 37-D Three Leggers, 1932-D and S quarters, etc. Many of these are called keys, and they are priced accordingly, but they sure do seem to be readily available everyday.

Cladiator

A Dansco Type Set with nothing but key dates in it would be very impressive.

topstuf

Cladiator, the late Leo Young of Oakland, CA did exactly that. Dunno that it was in a Dansco, though.
His Barber dime was the 94s.



The EASIEST way to do it is to get a Grey Sheet. Really REALLY quick to see in a column where the "keys" are.

MrBreeze

CoinAge magazine has a list in the pricing section every other month or so.

BillJones

<< <i>Bill,
I just had the idea (after completing my Morgan CC set), that a key series would be interesting.. I agree, common dates hold interest as well. I had never heard if a 'keys only' collection.. so thought it would be interesting - albeit almost impossible to complete. Thanks for your information.. Cheers, RickO >>



I know of a Civil War token collector who ONLY varieites have a rarity rating of R-8 or higher. The rarity scale states than R-8 means 5 to 10 pieces known. Tokens rated as R-9 and R-10 are even tougher. Actually a fair number of R-8s have become more common than that because more pieces have cropped up since more collectors started looking for them. At any rate I think that this collector is missing on a lot of interesting (and scarce) tokens given his policy. BUT as collectors we are certainly free to build our collections however we like.

Newcomp103

RickO...I don't put full sets together...the last few years I have set out to find coins that are becoming scarce in certain grades...certain Buffalo nickels that show higher mintage figures are tough to find in higher circulated condition...I have also been told similar situations exist for Barber half dollars and Indian Cents, although I don't have much knowledge in those 2 fields. I also like to think of these types of coins as "keys"...since some are tougher to find than a 16-D Mercury Dime...it is a great coin to have, they are out there for the right money. Good luck!

Cladiator

Beginning with the Draped Bust series. I'm not including the real nasty keys so this list should actually be doable.


Draped Bust Half Cent:

1804 Plain 4, Stems or 1805 Small 5, Stems or 1806 Small 6, Stems


Classic Head Half Cent:

1811 or 1831


Braided Hair Half Cent:

1857


Draped Bust Large Cent:

1796 Reverse of 1794 or 1801 3 Errors or 1804


Classic Head Large Cent:

1809 or 1811/0


Coronet Head Large Cent:

1823 or 1823/2


Flying Eagle Cent:

1856 or 1858/7


Indian Cent:

1877


Lincoln Wheat Cent:

1909-S VDB or 1922 No D or 1955 DDO


Lincoln Memorial Cent:

1970-S Large Date DDO or 1992-D Close AM


Shield Two Cent:

1864 Small Motto or 1872


Three Cent Nickel:

1884 or 1885


Three Cent Silver:

1869 or 1872


Shield Nickel:

1880


Liberty Head Nickel:

1885 or 1912-S


Buffalo Nickel:

1921-S or 1924-S or 1926-S or 1936-D 3-1/2 Legs or 1937-D 3 Legs


Jefferson Nickel:

1942-D/D D/Horizontal D or 1945-P DDR or 1946-D/D


Draped Bust Half Dime:

1797 13 Stars


Capped Bust Half Dime:

1837 Small 5C


Seated Half Dime:

1838-O or 1846 or 1853-O N/A


Draped Bust Dime:

1804


Capped Bust Dime:

1822


Seated Dime:

1860-O or 1872-CC or 1873-CC Arrows or 1874-CC Arrows or 1885-S


Barber Dime:

1895-O or 1903-S


Mercury Dime:

1916-D


Roosevelt Dime:

1964-D DDR


Seated Twenty Cent:

1875-CC


Draped Bust Quarter:

1804


Capped Bust Quarter:

1822 25/50C or 1824/2 OverDate


Seated Quarter:

1842-O Small Date or 1854-O Huge O or 1860-S or 1870-CC or 1871-CC or 1873-CC


Barber Quarter:

1896-S or 1901-S or 1913-S


Standing Liberty Quarter:

1916 or 1918/7-S or 1927-S


Washington Quarter:

1932-D or 1934 DDO or 1937 DDO or 1942-D DDO or 1943 DD


Draped Bust Half Dollar:

1801 or 1802


Capped Bust Half Dollar:

1812/1 Large 8 or 1815/2


Seated Half Dollar:

1847/6 or 1855-S Arrows or 1870-CC or 1871-CC or 1874-CC Arrows or 1878-CC


Barber Half Dollar:

1892-O Micro O or 1904-S


Walking Liberty Half Dollar:

1921 or 1921-D or 1921-S


Franklin Half Dollar:

1953-S (Full Bell Lines)


Kennedy Half Dollar:

1970-D


Draped Bust Dollar:

1797 9X7 Small Letters


Seated Dollar:

1851 or 1852 or 1871-CC or 1872-CC or 1873-CC


Trade Dollar:

1873-CC or 1878-CC


Morgan Dollar:

1879-CC or 1884-S or 1886-O or 1889-CC or 1892-S or 1893-CC or 1893-O or 1893-S or blah...too many to mention.


Peace Dollar:

1928 or 1934-S


Eisenhower Dollar:

1972 Type 2

vega1

What you describe is already the dream of every type collector (I believe).

ricko

Thanks Cladiator.... very good list.. saves some clerical work... did not know others were interested as well.. informative replies. Well, I do believe I will launch what I believe will be a long quest.... but fun... gives purpose to attending coin shows and estate sales. Cheers, RickO

Aegis3

<< <i>Beginning with the Draped Bust series. I'm not including the real nasty keys so this list should actually be doable.


Draped Bust Half Cent:

1804 Plain 4, Stems or 1805 Small 5, Stems or 1806 Small 6, Stems >>



I wouldn't call the 1804 plain 4, stems a key date. The other two could be, and you might want to consider adding the 1802 (reverse of 1802 for realists, reverse of 1800 for dreamers).



<< <i>Braided Hair Half Cent:

1857 >>



I really don't think any braided hair half cent business strike can be called a key date.




<< <i>Draped Bust Large Cent:

1796 Reverse of 1794 or 1801 3 Errors or 1804 >>



1799 and 1804. The large cent collectors will need to translate 1796 reverse of 1794 into Sheldon for me.




<< <i>Classic Head Large Cent:

1809 or 1811/0 >>



1809

jmski52

Well, I do believe I will launch what I believe will be a long quest

I think that Laura has a nickel that would jump-start your quest.

ricko

I think that Laura has a nickel that would jump-start your quest.

Well, perhaps some slots will not be filled.... at least I always have an objective with this search. Cheers, RickO

cladking

Key date takes on a different meaning and becomes grade sensitive especially after
1933 and more especially after 1963. Many of the Morgans in collections were released
after 1963 and this is part of the reason they are so grade sensitive: not all dates were
released but most of those which were were unc.

There's also a tendency for key date moderns to be rare rather than simple key dates.
Coins like the '82-NMM dime with a mintage around 10,000 or the WI leaf quarters with
mintages around 8,000 would be among the exceptions.

There is actually an inverse relationship between mintage and availability in unc for mod-
erns and, perhaps, ultra-moderns.

JJM

I kind of shake my head at you guys only collect key date coins. Some of the common dates can have an interesting story too, and they are a lot more affordable

I agree with you, I only get what keys I need to complete a sets

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>1879-CC or 1884-S or 1886-O or 1889-CC or 1892-S or 1893-CC or 1893-O or 1893-S or blah...too many to mention. >>



The 84-s and 92-s Morgans are condition rarities along with the 97-o in that they are scarce in uncirc grades, but common in circulated grades. The 81-cc 85-cc and 1903-o OTOH are scarce in circulated condition.