Good grief, I have a long way to go ...

LanLord

So, years and years ago I began collecting bust half dollars by date (after my father left me a couple when he passed away).

I thought, eh, a date set couldn't be that hard to do. This was 1995.

I then was somehow infected with some Overton virus and began collecting not just dates but various die marriages.

I then realized that there were die states to modify the die marriages, ughhhh.

So anyway, if my count is correct (based on the 2004 rarity scale addendum put out my the BHNC) there appears to be 453 various die marriages (not counting the die states).

Of these 453 DMs, I currently have 129 (28.47%).

I always felt like I had SO MANY of the die marriages, until I actually counted.

This is madness, madness I tell you.

LanLord

Just wait until I total up my Browning, JR and LM completion ratios.

Raybob15239

I suffer from the same fate... I collect VAMs.

mumu

Just how are die state thresholds measured? It seems to me that technically each and every strike changes the state of a die by some minute amount.

Bochiman

And, that's why, when I began doing half-cents, I decided to stay with the date set.
I may grab a die variety if it amuses me, but I am not doing them all, and will not even think of that.

It's cool if you like it, but I am ok not doing it ... thank god!

fc

it seems if i got feelings of dread due to the amount needed to feel that the
collection is complete i would sell off the excess and use that money to rev
up the date set completion time frame. that sounds much more fun to me
if i was you.

but i am not you... so... good luck :-)

LanLord

<< <i>Just how are die state thresholds measured? It seems to me that technically each and every strike changes the state of a die by some minute amount. >>

There are many here that could answer this better than I, however, it seems like when something (permanent) on the same die pair shows up, for instance, a new die crack, a chip or major clash etc.

Bear

Sometimes, It can take a lifetime. That is not so bad as it gives you
something to do in your old age.

keyman64

And I thought I had it tough with the complete Merc variety set I just started. It makes me feel good knowing that others have it much harder.

airplanenut

This explains why some people collect moderns

Mowgli

Years ago Sheridan Downey told me that people start off wanting to do a date set but invariably get hooked into doing the Redbook varieties and then go to the Overton die marriages even though someone has to die before you would ever complete the set even if you had the moon money it takes to do a complete set.

I told him that I would never fall into that particular addiction and so far that is true - I did a date set and stopped. However, a lot of people do what you are doing.

LanLord

<< <i>Sometimes, It can take a lifetime. That is not so bad as it gives you
something to do in your old age. >>

This is good news, I'm going to wait forever to get that last die marriage, Methuselah, move over!

jonathanb

I recently did the same exercise for my So-Called Dollar collection. Counting just the design types (not counting different metals), I had 349 / 744, or 48%. Counting all of the metal compositions separately, I had 443 / 1379, or 32%.

A *long* way to go!

(If anyone wants a blank copy of the spreadsheet I used to put together that tally for So-Called Dollars so you can tally your own collection, pm me with your email address.)

TennesseeDave

You are not alone.I have a date set minus the 1815 and several of the overdate varieties,but thus far have not been bitten by the Overton bug.

LindeDad

Still working on the date set, still filling holes and upgrading for now.
But my date set has all the types in it. Think I still need halves for fifty of the years now. Last addition was 1892 in AU53.

LanLord

I guess I should have also mentioned that this calculation was for capped bust only.

Browning (quarters) I have 25 of 75 or 33.3%
JR (dimes) I'm at 46 if 91 or 50.5%
LM (half dimes) I have 35 of 122 or 28.6%

The number of die marriages was taken from old books with the exception of quarters which is Steven Thomkins latest work, therefore, I may (and probably am) short a few die marriages in the total number available.

This would all be so much easier if some of them weren't darn near impossible to obtain.

anablep

Did you just call Bear Methuselah?

lol

Good luck with the set. Goals are more fun during the process, and not once they've been accomplished.

johnny9434

i wish finances were better for the bust halfs. will keep at it thou and keep at it lanlord it will come

zap1111

It's the search, the chase... Good luck to you.

I've always thought that collectively all the nuts on the forum ought to pool their coins together (in a census) to see how close we might collectively be to a full set.

You could always sell off the half dimes, dimes, quarters, etc... and plunge those resources into CBHs
zap

morgandollar1878

OCD at its best. I think many of us know the feeling.

BECOKA

I'm right there with you on my Half Eagles. I started a date set (1834-1838) 5 years. Then it became date + mint mark. no problem only 2 more. Then it became die marriage. Hmmm now I'm up to 34. Now I am looking at die states as well. unkown as far as additional coins but this will bring it to around 100. :-(

droopyd

<< <i>infected with some Overton virus >>

melvin289

Take 2 Bust Halves and call me in the morning.

Ron

robkool

I've given up collecting bust halves by dates altogether... Long ago.

fishteeth

My disease developed along the same path. type coin, date set then full blown Overton madness. A little rehab and some finacial
reality and I refocused on a redbook set. A few hard ones, but all except the 1817/4, are obtainable. I acutally enjoy the collection much
more now that I know I can actually complete it some day