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At what level of rarity does set-builder interest drop?
DHeath
Posts: 8,472 ✭✭✭
Thinking about rarity as defined in the traditional sense, at what point does rarity cause set builders to lose interest? Proof Barber halves, for example, enjoy tiny mintages but remain relatively inexpensive. Many keys to the most popular 20th century sets are not rare at all, and collector interest is enormous. Is there are relationship between rarity and disinterest?
Developing theory is what we are meant to do as academic researchers
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
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significance will always have great demand. Yet there are other
similar patterns or proof coins that will never have that awww.
<< <i>I think coins with 10 known say that have a great story or historic
significance will always have great demand. Yet there are other
similar patterns or proof coins that will never have that awww. >>
awwwweeeee!
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Great question, rarity is an absolute general collectibility killer although it often opens up a new market of trophy hunters.
<< <i>Thinking about rarity as defined in the traditional sense, at what point does rarity cause set builders to lose interest? Proof Barber halves, for example, enjoy tiny mintages but remain relatively inexpensive. Many keys to the most popular 20th century sets are not rare at all, and collector interest is enormous. Is there are relationship between rarity and disinterest? >>
I dont know for sure but as a set collecter myself if a set has 3 or more stoppers I'm not very interested in collecting that series; by stoppers I mean that those dates/mm would be very difficuilt or super expensive to purchase. The example you listed proof barber halves, I have never looked at them but did a quick Heritage search and found that every single one in the grade PR63 (what I would consider the sweet spot grade) that has crossed the block recently there was close to or over 1K. Now I did not look to see how many proof barber halves would be needed but for myself baised on that quick search I would not consider that series as relatively inexpensive and would cause me to lose interest.
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<< <i>Take away the 96-s, 01-s, 13-s barber quarters, and a dozen of the dates in that set could be worth triple what they are in XF/AU and MS from demand of set builders cracking away at it to completion. It's an example, might be off, but the 01-s is ridiculously priced and does hold the others down I imagine. >>
This is a great point and I wanted to make sure it didn't get overlooked.
I think a date set collector would be much more likely to attempt something like Standing Liberty quarters, where there is only one major stopper, versus Barber quarters. Then again you have series like Barber dimes where the stopper is so rare (1894-S) that most set builders don't even consider it part of a complete set.
Personally my interest in set-building drops when a single coin in the set is worth more than the rest of the series combined. I don't enjoy starting a project that I know with near certainty I'll never be able to finish.
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
After all, some collectors (not me) have been known to build sets of $20 Saints!
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and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
<< <i>We all know that there are many coins that are easily obtainable but called rare to influence demand and consequently their prices such as 1909-s vdb, 1955 DDO etc. >>
Do you really think calling those coins rare does anything to influence demand? I don't think so.
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Matt’s Mattes
If you are talking about building a set with all date/mm, then you've added a good chunk of people.
Probably the biggest dividing line would be between building a set with all date/mm and building a set with all dates. Most people that are interested enough in a series to try and collect it could build a date set for most post-Civil War sets. Obviously people who would try and put together a gold set would need deeper pockets to begin with.
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