The easiest series to collect in the highest grades to completion is
mt_msla
Posts: 815 ✭✭✭✭
SBA's?
Ikes?
Franklin Half Dollars?
State Quarters?
Note - The series must be "complete" at time of this writing ... aka - Nat'l park quarters would not count since that series is going to be accruing new designs for awhile to come.
What's your opinion?
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Many NCLT sets including proofs. Circulation business strikes would be harder.
I'll say Ike's...plenty of high grade examples already slabed, and on the cheap...even the type 2 1972 and 71d friendly eagle you can find high grade on the cheap...cooler series for a Dansco IMO...but I could see some coolness in a complete "high grade" set in plastic with TrueViews
Maybe not the easiest but have some fun!
What about a 1936 to 1942 proof run of your favorite denomination
7 coins, some classic designs , Mercs, walkers, and a couple of Buffaloes.
Semi easy on the wallet,..........
And there was just a blue sheet article on these being a good value at this point in time.
It would depend on the budget for each coin, nearly any set can be completed easily if your pockets are deep enough.
Everything is relative. Each Proof coin from the 1936 - 42 era ranges in price from $100 or so to a few thousand, more if you are collecting them in PR-66 or higher. That does not look like a cheap collection to me.
Now the modern Proofs from let's say 1957 to date are cheap for the most part, especially if you collect them raw in the original mint packaging.
Going strictly by your question... it would likely moderns and either the new Jeffersons or Lincoln cents would be easily done from proof sets. Cheers, RickO
susan anthony dollar
No one care for it. And some had already forgot about it.
A set of proof Ikes in PR69DCAM can be had for $300-400 if you forget about the 71-S Type 1 silver. All 11 coins have populations of tens of thousands in PR69DCAM.
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All of the moderns are easy, as long as the collection is limited to "what the mint made" 1 coin per, and not the collecting every possible Type 42.67 DDO R23.9a PW F%^ variety out there.
Lincoln Memorial Cents.....
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I got a call the other day and the caller asked " How much is a 1979 coin worth"
I am like "umm, I don't know, describe the coin or send me a photo of it" (I'm thinking some kind of error coin)
Then the caller says, "It's a women with a bun"
I say, "You mean a Susan B Anthony Dollar?"
Caller,"yes"
I then say, "It is worth a dollar"
Caller, "Thank You" and hung up.
American Silver Eagles..................... currently over 1200 registry sets all graded MS or PF 69 and 70.
No, I do not participate.
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My sets: [280+ horse coins] :: [France Sowers] :: [Colorful world copper] :: [Beautiful world coins]
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Some of those are very expensive in pop top grades of MS67/68/69. The complete set in PCGS MS66+ lists for $5500 or so. If you then have to go for all the pop tops I think the set would easily run over $200,000! There are some pop tops well into the 5 figures....and dozens at 4 figures. The REG SET notion makes very little cheap in the upper reaches....as there are always finest graded coins that sell for $thousands or tens of $thousands.
I would submit there is probably NO set can easily complete to the "highest grade." Not even ASE's as some of those MS70 examples run thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. SBA's, presidential dollars MS, presidential dollars PF70, they still run $20K-$50K for the top set. Jeff nickels aren't cheap either. Just the 8 dates/mm from 1961-1964 with flat steps run $13,000 in PCGS price guide at the highest levels. Full Steps are Moon Money. Of all the ones I just scanned, maybe proof 70 presidential dollar sets are the cheapest.
If your saying TOP Pops then none are easy or cheap.
Almost all have a stopper that will only become available if the holder dies.
I am talking about professionlly graded coins on this forum not raw.
I don't know about easiest but as for affordable, I've put together a couple different Franklin albums with raw BU coins.
It was relatively cheap and fun. I like the fact that I have an album full of 90% silver to boot.
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Silver Roosevelts
Not in the "highest grades." Even a top pop MS67/68 no band coin set would run $50,000 per PCGS price guide. A full band set a cool $235,000.
Shield reverse Lincoln's.
Washington Q....32 64 in MS66.Less the key dates,
My signature represents a cheap quest with a twist, making the set a lot more interesting.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Not really a series, but a type set, that is, a high end set (grade not important) of different "types" of Major modern error coins that have superb eye appeal.
It has to be the state quarters. You can have a full set of silver proof PF70s for under $2000. (With a Delaware 69). It would be hard to get a higher graded series that easily and relatively cheap.
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With these many sets in which also make them affordable years to come , I see a bright future among the collectors with this series.
I forgot about the OP's highest grade part. I know there's some tougher high grades/FB's out there, i was lucky enough to make a pop top or two.
I said silver Roosevelts as the easiest because it seems most dealers have a few complete sets laying around, priced a little over melt and they sit-- colorful toned sets aside.
Modern Commems.
I would say in terms of circulating coins: state quarters. Simply because there are so many of them, you have a good chance of finding a high grade one in circulation, or paying 30 cents for one someone else found. Otherwise, I would modern commemoratives or silver eagles.
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If all you're looking for is a nice cheap complete set in choice and superb Gem then clad dimes are your baby. These are really pretty easy in high grade though the '82-P in well made Gem will prove very elusive. Graded examples often have very poor strikes from worn dies.
The next easiest is the Lincoln memorial set. These are probably even more common but there is more competition so prices will tend to be higher and coins tougher. The toughest coin will be the '84 with nice pristine surfaces.
The only other modern that's even really doable in good condition with clean strikes are the eagle reverse clad quarters. There are more stoppers here but most can be found in high grade Gem with effort. Indeed, it is the relative availability of Gems that makes the quarters so attractive to me.
A lot of the moderns barely exist at all in MS-65 and above because they weren't produced or were damaged before leaving the mint. Cu/ ni is a tough metal and the mint didn't care what the coins looked like so they were poorly struck by dies which wore quickly and then dumped into bins and counters. Nice well made coins can be very highly elusive. Now days coins in the highest grades from the grading services are out of reach to most collectors but very rare and very spectacular sets can still be assembled for little money and lots of work. Just try to stick to series where there are enough Gems to pick and choose well made coins.