Question for really low budget collectors or theoretical for everyone else.

alifaxwa2

To give you an idea of what I mean...i am getting back into collecting for the first time since I was 13 and am starting slowly by working on a 7070, buffalo and mercury series and figure it will be a while (years, if ever) before I can afford the keys.

I recieved my 7070, buffalo and mercury whitman in the mail today.

When working on series' do you all aim for as consistent condition levels through the series or the best you can afford based on the rarity of the coin?

My main concern is the 7070 since it covers everything...I know I can upgrade over time, but for the long run, same question as above. However, the 7070 is a little different since i could obviously get proofs for the more recent stuff.

So I guess the official question is...if you collect a series where the best you could afford for a handful of the coins in g-vg, would you collect all coins in g-vg, or just get the best condition affordable even if that means a few au/pr with those g-vg.

I know that I should collect 'what I want', but any opinions would help me focus better.

Thx much.
Jeffrey

Type2

I go for the best I can get for the price. I try for AU but it will cost you and if you ever have to sell you will get most or more of your $$$$ back but that is just me.

MidLifeCrisis

I'd get the best that I could afford.

This is true regardless of what I'm collecting - a series by date and mint, a type collection, or a small and very specialized area. Depending on what you collect and the rarity of certain coins and varieties, this may actually mean that you get the one that becomes available, whether it's easily within your budget or you really have to stretch to get it.

mrpotatoheadd

<< <i>To give you an idea of what I mean...i am getting back into collecting for the first time since I was 13 and am starting slowly by working on a 7070, buffalo and mercury series and figure it will be a while (years, if ever) before I can afford the keys. >>

I don't have a type set, but I have done buffalos and mercurys, and the way I did it was to start out with the lowest grade I'd accept (G for buffalos, VG for mercurys), and improve the condition gradually through the set until the end, where I was at XF/AU. That way, even though the whole set may not be matched, there isn't a radical jump in grade from coin to coin as you move through the years.

MidLifeCrisis

And another thing...

I know many people like to put together a collection of coins that are all matched very closely by grade and appearance (certain type of toning, for example). While this may be an added challenge and can really define a collection, to me they end up being rather boring.

TheRegulator

I would try putting together a collection of coins that have the same "look". This would put the emphasis on condition and surfaces rather than sharpness, and a choice, problem-free low grade early date coin would look right at home with a frosty, original higher grade 20th Century coin.

In my opinion, proofs always seem to look out of place with business strikes.

DaveG

Personally, I would spend less on the common coins and more on the keys and semi-keys.

I'm in the process of finishing a VF/XF Mercury set. the 1941-1945 coins are easily available in nice condition for only a few dollars each, but most of the mint-marked coins from the 20s aren't easy to find (even if they aren't that expensive). Should you ever sell some of the coins, the 1941-1945 coins are pretty much "junk silver" in circulated condition, but the mint-marked coins from the 20s aren't.

By the way, if you're using a Whitman folder for your Mercuries, I'd recommend replacing it with a Dansco or some other album - the Whitman folder turned my first Mercury set black around the edges and yucky. (I don't know if they've improved the folders recently though.)

alifaxwa2

Appreciate all the comments and welcome more.



<< <i>Personally, I would spend less on the common coins and more on the keys and semi-keys.

I'm in the process of finishing a VF/XF Mercury set. the 1941-1945 coins are easily available in nice condition for only a few dollars each, but most of the mint-marked coins from the 20s aren't easy to find (even if they aren't that expensive). Should you ever sell some of the coins, the 1941-1945 coins are pretty much "junk silver" in circulated condition, but the mint-marked coins from the 20s aren't.

By the way, if you're using a Whitman folder for your Mercuries, I'd recommend replacing it with a Dansco or some other album - the Whitman folder turned my first Mercury set black around the edges and yucky. (I don't know if they've improved the folders recently though.) >>



No surprise here about the 41-45, i have about 25 mercs from when I was a kid, and more than half are from those years. I am planning on getting the Dansco for the mercs and buffs at some point, but figured for now the whitmans keep me organized.