How many Bust half collectors are there that collect Overton varieties?

Manorcourtman

Any ideas how many Overton variety Half dollar collectors there are in the US? 100? 200? 50? Maybe some our Dealers here have an idea?

coin22lover

I'm pretty sure your estimates are very low. It's probably in the thousands. Bust quarters and especially dimes/half dimes are much lower.

rec78

If you mean serious collectors that want to try to get every variety possible variety-probably about 10-15. I think a lot of people may collect only certain years by Overton number or just want to know what varieties they have. Many collectors have the Overton book as a reference only--just in case they may run into a rare variety somewhere. Others may collect only interesting or R4's or rarer. Collecting every variety may take many years to complete - and much more money than most collectors have. The 1817/14 comes to mind. Maybe you could try a poll and see how many collectors here are trying to get every Overton variety. You could try to find out how many members there are in the bust half nut club and ask them. You need at least 100 different varieties to join this club-so I've heard.

I collected bust halves for years many years ago and still have them all and may qualify for the bust half nut club but I have not added to this collection in about 20 years.

Bob

oldhobo

I'm interested in the die pairings and the overton may influence my purchase, but I realize I'll NEVER complete an overton set.

Bust Half is my series and my primary goal is the a set of the redbook varieties.

123cents

Probably in the thousands.

astrorat

I think coin22lover and 123cents is right that the number is in the 1000s if you consider all that are collecting CBHs based on varieties (whether or not they are thinking "Overton" die marriages. Putting together a "Red Book" set is very popular but not based on knowing Overton numbers, just specific varieties.

The number of "serious" Overton collectors can be estimated by the number of members of the Bust Half Nut Club. To join the BHNC a member must have 100 verified die marriages (of the 450 possible). Currently, the membership reached a little over 200 (albeit some members are no longer as active). Several BHNC members are on this Board. There may be other nuts who have not joined, but still passionately collect Overton varieties, but I think a good estimate of the number of serious Overton die marriage collectors is around 200-300.

Edited for spelling

Nysoto

Capped bust half dollars about 300 that are relatively serious collectors by Overton variety.
Flowing Hair and draped bust half dollars about 40.

Of these, there is only one collector that I am aware of that wants all 1794-1836 Overton varieties, and owns most of the R-8 die marriages. The 1794 O.109 in silver wiil be tough, as the coin in silver exists but nobody knows where it is.

edit - if you include those who collect bust halves and attribute the Overton variety, but are year, Redbook, or "interesting variety" collectors, its over 1000.

mozin

I was trying to decide what to write in response to this thread question. Nysoto has expressed my thinking quite well. The number of REDBOOK collectors far out distances Overton collectors, simply no comparison. I do both, but my duplicates are of REDBOOK varieties. I see no use in duplicates of regular Overton marriages, unless one wants to study the die states within a marriage.

LanceNewmanOCC

.
the BHNC would probably have some great input about this
.

messydesk

I like them, and I put my attribution labels them, but I'm more likely to finish a Red Book series, or at least come close to doing that, before really getting into it, and I'm far from finishing the Red Book series. Becoming a Nut is not currently in the cards for me. I'd assume a lot of collectors fall into this category.

RedTiger

If there are 200+ members of BHNC (Bust Half Nut Club), I'd guesstimate 10x to 20x as a ballpark for the number of collectors with a decent level of expertise. So 3000 would be the round number guess. It is a non-trivial matter to join the BHNC (must own and be able to attribute 100 varieties). Many folks that have that level of skill and level of collection may not want to join the club. Many more with some expertise don't have that the desire or have not yet acquired 100+ bust halves varieties.

mozin

I would personally like to invite any serious collector of Capped Bust Half Dollars to apply for membership into the Bust Half Dollar Nut Club. You may think you are only a REDBOOK CBH collector, but you may well soon qualify for membership into the Nut Club. We have quite a number of new members the past two years. Our Nut Forum alone is certainly worth the effort to join the club.

RichieURich

I'm not sure, but as a dealer specializing in Bust and Seated silver coins, I would say that there are many, many collectors that collect the Overton varieties.

In addition, there are several collectors who collect by die state.

mozin

The number of Overton collectors collecting by die state is very small, so small that I do not think it should be of concern to many Bust Half Dollar collectors.

LizzieCoggan

Hi all: Speaking of collecting Capped Bust halves by Overton variety, beginning on Monday, I will be uploading a nice consignment of circulated grade (Everyman Registry) Capped Bust halves all with Overton numbers on the slabs. I just received the coins back from PCGS late Friday and we will be offering them on our new online auction site at www.jjteapartyonlineauctions.com.

Registration on the auction site is simple and FREE for a 90 day trial period. Simply click on the Registration link once there, or if you prefer, call Gail or I at 1-800-343-6412 and we will set you up.

We hope this will be the beginning of many nice collections offered on our online auction site. There are more Bust halves at PCGS so be sure to visit the auction site often as we will be adding additional parts of this consignment as they come back from grading and attribution.

Best wishes,

Liz Coggan
J J Teaparty, Inc.

123cents

I collect Red Book varities.