The frustrations of collecting (i.e. building a set)

shirohniichan

Have you ever come across a bargain and not known it until much later?

Here are two examples:

I bought an Egyptian (Ptolemy I) tetradrachm a few years ago because it looked cool (like a famed shekel of Tyre) and had bankers' marks on them. I think I paid about $150 for a nice example. Now that I'm considering other ancients, I'm finding a got a great deal on the coin and probably can't afford to build a collection of similar tetradrachms.

I also found some nice Canadian large cents on a bid board and bought the best looking ones. Whoever was selling them didn't know how to grade, so a cleaned EF coin was listed as "BU" and toned MS coins were listed as EF. Even though I already have some of the keys, I can't afford to collect the rest of the set.

Do you have any similar experiences?

Maybe I should just be thankful at having picked up some bargains.

JCMhouston

Yep, a good deal many years ago led me in to 18th and 19th C. British copper, more specifically halfpennies. They are a bit costly now in dollar terms, but the worst part is that to get a couple of the dates in choice unc. or better, I have to wait for one of the five other collectors to die. And then hope the heirs decide to sell.

MacCrimmon

<< <i>Yep, a good deal many years ago led me in to 18th and 19th C. British copper, more specifically halfpennies. They are a bit costly now in dollar terms, but the worst part is that to get a couple of the dates in choice unc. or better, I have to wait for one of the five other collectors to die. And then hope the heirs decide to sell. >>




Has Wybrit been sick???

TwoKopeiki

<< <i>Maybe I should just be thankful at having picked up some bargains. >>



I have been lucky, so far. I don't think I've sold anything that I regret. There have been a few "lessons" in my early numismatic life when, for example, I sold a newly graded (ANACS 55) toned 1836 1.5 Roubles / 10 Zloty piece to a dealer using Krause as a pricing guide ($60, if I remember correctly).

worldcoinguy

<< <i> There have been a few "lessons" in my early numismatic life when, for example, I sold a newly graded (ANACS 55) toned 1836 1.5 Roubles / 10 Zloty piece to a dealer using Krause as a pricing guide ($60, if I remember correctly). >>

JCMhouston

Not that I know of, but if you hear different from Wybrit (or his heirs) let me know.

Just kidding, I've never met Wybrit, just seen some of his pics.

OK, I'm not kidding, let me know what you hear.

RareBronzeCollector

Although not all are in high grade, I have a mostly completed Freeman circulation strike halfpenny and penny set, lacking some of the mostly almost unique varieties, and a complete Freeman farthing set.....

The copper farthings are mostly by date and the half pennies and pennies by Peck, including some that are unlisted.....



***** NOT FOR SALE THIS TIME THOUGH *******

rec78

Many times. It really does not matter what set you are trying to build. Finding just the right coins requires a time consuming effort. However the reward is usually worth it. Completing a set, any set, can sometimes be a lesson in futility. Buying an already complete set takes the fun out of the hunt.
Putting together a set of anything is a worthwhile effort because of what you learn. (For instance what dates are really tough and what dates are way overrated, what varieties can be easily cherrypicked,etc.) Book value becomes meaningless sometimes. Bob

coinkat

Two K:

I remember buying two raw 10Z/1 1/2R that were dated 1834 and 1835. I submitted them to ANACs and one graded 53 and the other was graded 50. I never really appreciated these coins until I saw them... unfornately, these coins were underappreciated by collectors for years and today they are no longer afforadable

these have done remarkably well over the past few years

weresteve

I think if someone had an obsessive compulsive streak in them ... imagine trying to do a complete set of German Empire coinage ... 1 Pfennig thru 1 Mark by date and mint mark. What I find funny is that PCGS has the registry sets up, but for some reason the sets end in 1916 instead of 1918. Just a tad on the odd side since I have some 1918 German Empire as a part of my dark side collection.

JoesMaName

<< <i>
...
I also found some nice Canadian large cents on a bid board and bought the best looking ones. Whoever was selling them didn't know how to grade, so a cleaned EF coin was listed as "BU" and toned MS coins were listed as EF. Even though I already have some of the keys, I can't afford to collect the rest of the set.
... >>



If your willing to stick with year and mintmark sets (opting on varieties) and are ok
with grades as low as EF, you can still put a complete Canadian large cent set
together for a reasonable price. I’ve been thinking of doing so for years….