Anybody collecting varieties out there please read...

DIMEMAN

Hi, I'm Dimeman and collect all dimes and all varieties. Anyone collecting varieties knows how addictive this can be once you start. Well PCGS finally started doing varieties, but for the most part only use the cherrypickers guide except for the early bust coins where they use the main books for each series. Like overton for halves and the JR numbers for early dimes.

To make a long story short a lot of the varieties are not in the cherrypickers guide. In dimes I would like to see David Lange's book used for Mercurys and Brian Greer's book used for Seated and David Lawrence's book used for Barbers. I'm sure you guys collecting other denoms have series that have a book just for that particular series as well.

If we would all get together and email or call Mike Faraone at PCGS, he is in charge of varieties, and let him know how much we want MORE varieties and to use the main books for each series, maybe we could persuade him in that direction.

Please anyone collecting varieties help. Even if you don't you can still help. The more emails and or calls he gets the better. Of course always ask in a very nice way.

Mike's phone number is 800-447-8848 ext 110

Mike's email address is mfaraone@collectors.com


Thanks in advance to ANYONE who helps.

Jon

dbldie55

Given that the charge to attribute a variety is more than the grading fees, I would think it would be in their best interest to do this. For my series (Liberty Nickels), just doing the varieties noted in "Treasure Hunting Liberty Head Nickels" would be great.

However, I would be happy if I could get them to denote the two reverse types of 1901/1902.

coolkarma

Hello Dimeman,

I'm hooked as well, although on Buffalo nickel varieties. I'll contact Mike. One issue I see is just the sheer number of varieties in some series. The thought of expanding my Buffalo nickel set from the 71 coins in the Major varieties to the 117 coins in the "Complete" varieties was quite daunting. Forty six more coins. And as you note, the "Complete" set includes only the Cherry Picker's varieties. In "The Authoritative Reference on Buffalo Nickels" by Wexler, Pope and Flynn, there are about 118 rpms, about 60 doubled dies and 6 three and a half (or just three) leg abraded die varieties. Plus another 29 "two feather" varieties and 26 "no F" varieties in Pope's "The Abraded Die Varieties". That's about 239 varieties (and there are still others), of which only about 53 are in the "Complete" set. Adding 186 more varieties would be a serious challenge!

One approach might be to have a "Double Die" variety set, an "RPM" variety set, etc. This might make the jump to varieties more manageable for many collectors. I'll talk with Mike.

Richard

DCW

Another approach would be a set consisting of ONLY varieties. This would cut out collecting the common coins of the series which cost more to slab than to aquire. It would also free up $$$ from those expensive key dates for that matter. Can you imagine a set with a doubled die or rpm for every year? The lincoln cent series comes to mind...

DIMEMAN

I'm not really looking for ways to cut down the number. I am more of the "more the merrier" type of person. Right now the complete dime complete vatiety set is at 716 coins. I want to add a few hundred.

coolkarma

DCW:

<< <i>Another approach would be a set consisting of ONLY varieties. This would cut out collecting the common coins of the series which cost more to slab than to aquire. It would also free up $$$ from those expensive key dates for that matter. Can you imagine a set with a doubled die or rpm for every year? The lincoln cent series comes to mind... >>



Actually, I've already started a Buffalo "Date" set where each coin will be a variety. It's here. I still have a ways to go.

And Mark Hess has a Buffalo "Short" set where each coin will be a variety, here.

I think there are a lot of approaches. The questions are which varieties will PCGS attribute and which approaches would get significant collector interest.

Enjoy!

Richard