Rolling your own collecting theme

stevereecy

I just said this in another thread:

"You also didn't ask about alternatives. But If you had, heres a recommendation for you: Theres no law that says you have to collect an entire set. For example, I'm only collecting the First Dansco Album page of Buffalo nickels because I find the second half of the series to be less challenging and less of an investment. What I'm saying is that you can roll your own. Here's some suggestions: Buy a blank Dansco album page and fill it only with bargains in some series you like. For example, try to fill a Dansco album page only with Seated Liberty Dimes or Bust Dimes that are problem free that you got at a good price. Alternately, buy a one a year set of Peace Dollars and fill it only with the most difficult mint mark (...S?...) to help insure your set will maintain its investment value. Or only collect the Liberty Nickels before 1900. Parsing sets in this manner helps ensure investment potential."

My thought is that if you make a shorter, more challenging set, you can use your hobby money to spend more money per coin....or stated another way...you will be buying more rare, and more key, coins which tend to have a better investment potential while still reaping the rewarding challenge of collecting a series.

So...what themes would be good to collect in this manner?

Right now, I have a Dansco album with pages inserted that include only the following: the first half of the Jefferson Nickel series in very high grade, the first half of the buffalo nickel series in a mid grade, and then I'm trying to fill one blank page with varieties, nicer Liberty Nickels, Proof Jeffersons from 1938 to 1954 only, and one row of Shield Nickels.

Ideas?

Steve

RedTiger

I am a fan of short sets, year sets, historical epoch sets, and other collector choices. One recent posted example was the 1892 proof set. That year probably has some meaning, but it may not.

Some are like the original poster, and prefer rarer dates and key dates. Some do first year of issue type sets, or key date type sets. Others may prefer more common coins to go after toners or high mint state examples. Some are building limited sets from one branch mint, or one of each mint. There are low ball sets, grading sets that span all grades, high grade MS sets. There is also nothing wrong with a traditional date and mintmark set, or a more traditional type set.

Whatever the choice, collect what you like (and can afford) and enjoy the hobby. As far as investment potential, no one really knows. Grading skill, connections and access to coins, and knowledge of current market conditions will have far more to do with how well a person does financially than what particular coins they choose to acquire. Any series can turn into a good investment if the coins are bought right with a discerning eye by a person with superior access. Any series can turn into a burial if a person can't grade, doesn't have any connections, and prices paid are above current fair market pricing.

/edit to add: for low value raw coins, the wholesale price is often 50% lower than the retail one-by-one price. So average collectors buying at retail, selling at wholesale for album sets, should not kid themselves as far as any investment return. Break even after five or ten years is good outcome for average collectors buying average raw coins from dealers and selling them back to dealers.

bigtonydallas

Another alternative to your buffalo nickle set would be to get mid grade for the first page, very high grades for the last 2 pages, and then try the varieties from the cherrypickers guide as an add on page.

Another alternative would to build a type set with the rarest coin for each type. 1877 indian cent, 1909-s vdb lincoln, 1970-d fs jefferson, 1880 shield 5 cent, etc.


I am always looking for a deal on ebay, at a coin shop or show. An example is I bought a 1909-O Barber quarter for $16.00 at a coin shop that had a G grade. I new this coin was very close to VG if not VG. This dealer always gives me a 10% discount because I ALWAYS ask if they can do any better. So this coin cost me $14.40 and as I pay cash they do not charge me tax! I have an OLD greysheet from Feb 2011 which lists this coin as $13.00 in good and $57.00 in VG. I put this on ebay and sold it for $47.50. This is where grading skills can make you money down the road.

I also buy this same way on ebay. I LOSE A LOT OF AUCTIONS but once in awhile I win and it pays. I won an 1888 Liberty 5 cent in G for $15.40 which includes shipping. Greysheet from Feb states $22.00 in good. I usually but coins for 30% less than greysheet. So $22.00 - 30% = $15.40 - $1.99 for shipping and I bid $13.40 and won the auction. Now this is my personal startegy and only works 5-10% of the time.

It is a lot harder to win the key coins this way as everyone is clamering for them but I am happy for the lower to mid coins.