@dogwood said:
Well my efforts of the past year to finish my Whitman Album of 1892-1906 Barber Halves is almost finished. Still have the 92P and 94O left. Those always come in AU but almost never with the look I like in VG10 to VF20. Its been nice to commit to this set. Should have stuck with it 25 years ago.
Haven't sent anything for grading in a couple of years now. I'll probably do so this spring. Among the coins I'd like to have validation for is this 1914S quarter, which is a deep blazer, sadly uncaptured in my photo, but should garner a straight 55 I suspect.
I like the coin for a 55+ ...wish the luster were more evident !
Very tough coin, that's for sure.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
I have been working on another area of the collection for the past year but (finally) having looked through the past 20 pages of the Thread I have seen a bunch of great Barber material! The 1895-O Barber Quarter notes caught my eye and reviewing my notes I am pleased to have found a 64+ and two 58's in the old Barber Bin. Since I only have one 58's imaged, please see the attached. I guess it's time to find those few missing dates to get back in!
Awesome '95-O Craig. Immaculate quality and color. Your note reminds me how honored I feel to be sharing the passion of Barber collecting with all of you! Keep it going Craig!
ps. I submitted my '06-D 25c to our hosts this morning. Will see if they agree with my assessment that it is a 58.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Here is my '95-O quarter NGC30 and an undergrade IMO:
Mike, I always like seeing and hearing about your 'memory lane' coins... both '95-O specimens are nice! Do you ever regret selling your 2011-versioned 58 CAC? nice again!
Nice shift in mintmark placement by the way... one was centered the other shifted right.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
This thread has slipped way down the line so in an effort to bump it up I'll post my 1893 S Barber Half. I purchased this in a NGC MS 61 holder, cracked it out and submitted it raw. It returned in a PCGS AU 58 holder:
And no, I didn't slip it into my pocket for a few days before submitting it- this is exactly the way it came out of the NGC holder.
Very nice coin Jeff... One of the tougher dates, IMHO
Looks nicer than a 58.... What do you need to do to get
an AU 58+ ? Oh, yeah, I should know....Brad's set has about
Nine AU's of mine, now in 58+ holders.
Just got a Secure Plus Cross Over with True View ....
"SROTAG" Collection.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Freshly minted Mike... very clean looking... you bought it in holder? or was that a result of your raw submission? Nice Gem '96! (originally speaking did you place it in holder)... I see it was a crossover.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Great looking '96 MS 65 Half Mike. What holder was it in previously? You know by now that the PCGS bylaws state that JeffM shall NEVER receive a "+" grade, no matter how nice the coin.
Vern, that is a great looking '96 O Quarter; is it in a 58 holder now?
Following in Jeff's footsteps.... here's a raw { I hope AU 58 } Dime
I have this date in MS 63 CAC & PR 64 CAM
AU 58's are just harder to find...
The 1915 Dime arrived today.... And the OBV has enough rub to show a
luster break on her cheek. The REV has a luster break over ONE.
Not to worry, Tim, I'm not going to carry it raw in my pants pockets.
Update: The 1896 Half was in an NGC 65 holder - and it crossed at PCGS
as a MS 65. As many of you know, I've been handling SROTAG's collections.
This is one of his.
Vern.... The 1896-O....looks every bit a MS 64... Nice coin, that's for sure !!
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Mike - I was operating under the assumption the '96-P you posted was in a 58+ holder, which didn't make sense to me. The 96-O qtr I posted is in a 65 holder, and was my facetious attempt to point out that I do not understand what makes a coin a 58+, as opposed to just a nice 58.
DancingFire - Nice '97 dime.
Jeff - Good luck with the roll of the dice.
Pics for this AM, my only MS barber half, PC62:
Vern l It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Nice coins, guys !! Especially like the 01-O Half, Vern.
I finally found an AU 58 - 1889 Nickel - too bad its in an ATS Holder -
still, its a nice coin - and I was the high bidder at Great Collections
this afternoon:
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
I've been curious about which set was financially more difficult to assmble in AU 58- a Barber Half set or Quarters.
The Quarter set has the big 3 that list at $8,750, $34,000, and $13,000. There are 6 or so that list between $1K and $2K. Most list for under $300.
The Barber Halves on the other hand have only one coin listing for more than $10K; the '04 S at $14,500. On the other hand there are 23 coins that list over $1K, many of those for quite a bit more. An average date lists between $600 to $750.
We all know that the common dates can be purchased below list and the key dates will sell for MUCH more than list; this is true in both series.
The PCGS Price Guide values an AU 58 Quarter set at $87,040 and a Half set at $103,935. The Half set would appear to cost more to assemble, but is it easier or tougher to assemble? There are two known AU 58 sets of Halves in existance and no known AU 58 Quarter sets.
Vern, You are probably right. It hasn't come by mail yet and may not be promising but final determination will be evaluated once in hand. Color is nice. Thanks for the input.
Jeff, Absolute rarity (# known at any given level) vs. Quantity available (# of people who are after the available specimens) can have "swings" depending on current popularity and population (more clear with 3rd party grading but not the complete answer). For example, reading older BCCS Journals at Newman showed me that 20 years ago the quarters were most likely the mainly collected item. I would say that is not necessarily the case today and that half dollars are the king of the heap currently. Vasilation on these two factors between supply and demand will vary our theoretical position on "what is tougher"... what is not as tough vs. tougher price points. My two cents...
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Jeff... The Big Three prices you quoted are " you're dreaming" prices.
Show me where the 01-S Quarter in 58 is valued at $34,000. A 50 might get $34K.
I paid $42,500 for my AU 55..." back a few years ago"... its now valued at $37,500 IMHO.
Plus: I hated the coin because of the neck gouge. The only AU 55 out there that I would
ever consider is George Harrison's AU 55 { the one he's "never selling" } I offered him
$50K for it, and he almost laughed in my face. I liked it a whole lot more than the AU 58
I saw once in auction.
I found Labelman's 1896-S Quarter in AU 58 CAC - at Liz's table - I should have kept it for
myself - but Gail had been writing up a huge Dime order for me - had I seen the Quarter
first, I could have saved her an hour's writing.
Vern bought my 13-S in PC 55 and subsequently sold it to GlenM in Cleveland. Its as nice
a 55 as I have ever seen. Wish I had kept it for myself...oh, well.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
There are numerous "you're dreaming" prices for the Halves as well. My guess is there are far more Halves that actually sell for 1.5X to 2X list than Quarters, but I agree that if one could find an AU 58 '01 S Quarter it wouldn't sell for anywhere near $34K; maybe $100K?
Jeff
I'm a half collector as you know. But I would be firmly in the quarter camp for level of difficulty. There are certainly extremely difficult halves, but they can be found as the registry proves. But quarters are a whole new level. The 01-S and the 13-S are mind blowing in difficulty. Makes for a fun discussion. Good topic Jeff
Jeff! There is a very easy answer to your question! Since there is only 1 1901-S quarter graded in 58 only 1 set can be assembled. Currently the lowest POP Half's are the 96-O and 01-S with Pops of 4....so 4 sets could be assembled provided the 58's are still in their holders. There's a 96-O in NGC 58 up for grabs in stacks Baltimore auction. Looks like it might cross form the pictures,but the description makes me think it would cross at 55. I would also think surely someone has tried to cross it!
The Barber Quarter / Barber Half rarity discussion prompted me to review high end AU's "tagged" by CAC. What was interesting (to me) that there are no CAC AU58 Quarters of the following dates: 1897-S, 1899!, 1901-S, 1911-D & 1913-S. Now, as far as I'm concerned, there are many terrific coins that are not stickered by CAC. There are 11 AU58 CAC quarters with a population of 1. Most of these are somewhat difficult to locate without beans. However, I have seen several of these dates on this Thread that are quite nice and not necessarily CAC'd.
It's time again (as we had done this before) to list opinions as to the 5 most challenging Barber Quarters (outside of the big three) and the 5 most challenging Barber Halfs in XF and AU.
Jeff - A very thought provoking question. To me it's pretty clear cut, the barber quarter set would be the most expensive if the one and only 01-S ever came on the market and it was a solid, original coin. I've not ran across anyone who has seen it, or even knows where it is. If it is a nice coin, it will bring a lot of money. Even it it's a dipped white coin it will fetch a large number (it just won't have me bidding on it). The only 01-S I'm aware of being at auction was an NGC-58 that was listed on ebay in July 2013, and I'm pretty sure it was a scam listing.
Tim - Interesting numbers from 5 years ago, and I think you hit the nail on the head with the fluctuations between quarter and half collectors.
Mike - Hope your '89 crosses, to complete your set.
Jeff - Congrats on the '97-S upgrade.
Pics for this PM, I hope the 01-S in 58 looks like this, and that it comes to auction at the ANA this summer (I can dream, can't I?) . It would make the trip to Denver a necessity.
Vern l It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
On the topic of Barber Quarters vs. Halves let's allow an AU 55 '01 S Quarter to populate that set in lieu of the unique 58; there are 5- AU 55 '01 S Quarters. At least there's a legitimate competition.
Now which set would be pricier/ easier to complete?
On the question Labelman asks here's my opinion on the 5 most difficult Barber Halves to obtain (nothing to do with price) in XF to AU:
1. 1897 O
2. 1905 O
3. 1913 S
4. 1907 S
5. 1909 O
I'll mull over the top 5 Halves in rarity "XF/AU" in awhile. In the mean time, I mentioned I was following
Jeff's lead - picking up raw coins and winging it in the Grading Room at PCGS.
One date that eluded me, was the 1899-Phila Dime. Common all day long - until you need one. I found one
on EBay in mid January - sent it to our hosts - Economy Submission - Secure Plus - True View { I was hoping
for an AU 58.... }
PCGS AU 55 ...Ta Da ...With COLOR !!
a few days after I sent the above to PCGS, I ran across the below coin, an AU 58 in a PC holder.... { Figures !! }
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Is the issue with 58 quarters that they all reside in 63 (or higher) holders? I don't collect quarters, but I know that's a significant issue in other series.
shorecoll, help me understand. You are stating AU-58 graded quarters are in MS-63 holders? so indirectly, grading is inconsistent to you? I don't think that has been the case in my experience. When you say "other series" - what series are you referring too?
Quarters... I currently have not been pursuing AU but I am embarking on XF and haven't gotten to that point of understanding resistance for obtaining certain grades. Nevertheless, here is what I perceive in my high AU assessment (quarters):
1909-O
1901-O
1897-O
1907-S
1897-S
Honorable mention and a secret at AU58 is the 1909-S. Tough to find without impaired surfaces and minimal marks IMO.
The closer you get to VF, the '92-S and '99-S come into play a bit (especially the '99-S which is surprisingly tough at VF grade levels and is way to cheap in light of its scarcity).
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
@JeffMTampa said:
A nice trifecta of MS 63 Halves! A great condition to collect; nice looking but not insane prices.
Thanks, IMO MS63/64 Barber halves are at a very reasonable price.
I agree with you. They are not only reasonably priced with respect to their quality and eye appeal, but they are also fairly tough, in my opinion, to find really nice. Therefore, in most cases one doesn't have to worry about burning through funds since the opportunities are limited.
Comments
I like the coin for a 55+ ...wish the luster were more evident !
Very tough coin, that's for sure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
I guess you're right= I shouldn't be so confident.
Hope for better than 45 Jeff... looks about 50 to me.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
I hope so...
I have been working on another area of the collection for the past year but (finally) having looked through the past 20 pages of the Thread I have seen a bunch of great Barber material! The 1895-O Barber Quarter notes caught my eye and reviewing my notes I am pleased to have found a 64+ and two 58's in the old Barber Bin. Since I only have one 58's imaged, please see the attached. I guess it's time to find those few missing dates to get back in!
Awesome '95-O Craig. Immaculate quality and color. Your note reminds me how honored I feel to be sharing the passion of Barber collecting with all of you! Keep it going Craig!
ps. I submitted my '06-D 25c to our hosts this morning. Will see if they agree with my assessment that it is a 58.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Craig...Very nice 95-O and I'm sure your back up's are equally as nice !
For comparison's sake...my 95-O - [ CAC ] Current collection:
[These above images are the seller's images] ...
Here's my old 95-O in 58 - which CAC'd before I sold it in 2011.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Here is my '95-O quarter NGC30 and an undergrade IMO:
Mike, I always like seeing and hearing about your 'memory lane' coins... both '95-O specimens are nice! Do you ever regret selling your 2011-versioned 58 CAC? nice again!
Nice shift in mintmark placement by the way... one was centered the other shifted right.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
This thread has slipped way down the line so in an effort to bump it up I'll post my 1893 S Barber Half. I purchased this in a NGC MS 61 holder, cracked it out and submitted it raw. It returned in a PCGS AU 58 holder:
And no, I didn't slip it into my pocket for a few days before submitting it- this is exactly the way it came out of the NGC holder.
Very nice Jeff! 61 grade doesn't work for me. If it's MS it's certainly better than a 61. Nice catch on that one.
Jim
Jeff, Congrats on that one. Tough coin and quite the eye appeal!
Very nice coin Jeff... One of the tougher dates, IMHO
Looks nicer than a 58.... What do you need to do to get
an AU 58+ ? Oh, yeah, I should know....Brad's set has about
Nine AU's of mine, now in 58+ holders.
Just got a Secure Plus Cross Over with True View ....
"SROTAG" Collection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Freshly minted Mike... very clean looking... you bought it in holder? or was that a result of your raw submission? Nice Gem '96! (originally speaking did you place it in holder)... I see it was a crossover.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Jeff - I think the 95-O qtr is underrated. I'll guess your's goes 45 if it grades.
Craig - Glad to have your focus back on barbers. Real nice 95-O.
Tim - Nice orig 95-O, looks 35 to me.
Jeff - Your 93-S half is special, a near perfect reverse, and so tough to find in anything XF and above without real issues.
Mike - That's one frosty 96-P. But what made it a 58+? It could have graded 64.
Pics for this PM, maybe a 58+:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Great looking '96 MS 65 Half Mike. What holder was it in previously? You know by now that the PCGS bylaws state that JeffM shall NEVER receive a "+" grade, no matter how nice the coin.
Vern, that is a great looking '96 O Quarter; is it in a 58 holder now?
The 1915 Dime arrived today.... And the OBV has enough rub to show a
luster break on her cheek. The REV has a luster break over ONE.
Not to worry, Tim, I'm not going to carry it raw in my pants pockets.
Update: The 1896 Half was in an NGC 65 holder - and it crossed at PCGS
as a MS 65. As many of you know, I've been handling SROTAG's collections.
This is one of his.
Vern.... The 1896-O....looks every bit a MS 64... Nice coin, that's for sure !!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Nice '97 Dime.
Here's a new 1906 D Half I purchased in a ICG MS 63 holder:
I plan on submitting this to PCGS for crossover. Hopefully it makes the same grade, hard to tell.
Nice coin, Jeff..... Good luck !!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Mike - I was operating under the assumption the '96-P you posted was in a 58+ holder, which didn't make sense to me. The 96-O qtr I posted is in a 65 holder, and was my facetious attempt to point out that I do not understand what makes a coin a 58+, as opposed to just a nice 58.
DancingFire - Nice '97 dime.
Jeff - Good luck with the roll of the dice.
Pics for this AM, my only MS barber half, PC62:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
This is the '06-D I hope our hosts will return with a 58 holder. I put a TrueView on it to get a better picture set than this one after it is graded:
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
VERY nice '06 D Quarter. The photo is small but I would guess it's 58 or better.
Nice coins, guys !! Especially like the 01-O Half, Vern.
I finally found an AU 58 - 1889 Nickel - too bad its in an ATS Holder -
still, its a nice coin - and I was the high bidder at Great Collections
this afternoon:
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
I have been tugging in a few circulated Liberty head nickels lately. Here is a recent acquisition, a '91:
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Mike-
Will the '89 complete your Everyman set?
Tim - Nice '06-D, I think you have a good chance of getting the 58. Your '91 V Nick looks a little rougher than you usually acquire.
Mike - Congrats on the '89 V Nick.
Congrats Jim, on the acquisition last night.
Pics for this AM, from Jim's No Headlight collection, PC45:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Thanks Vern. Now if I could find a 93-O with the look and even a decent strike.
I've been curious about which set was financially more difficult to assmble in AU 58- a Barber Half set or Quarters.
The Quarter set has the big 3 that list at $8,750, $34,000, and $13,000. There are 6 or so that list between $1K and $2K. Most list for under $300.
The Barber Halves on the other hand have only one coin listing for more than $10K; the '04 S at $14,500. On the other hand there are 23 coins that list over $1K, many of those for quite a bit more. An average date lists between $600 to $750.
We all know that the common dates can be purchased below list and the key dates will sell for MUCH more than list; this is true in both series.
The PCGS Price Guide values an AU 58 Quarter set at $87,040 and a Half set at $103,935. The Half set would appear to cost more to assemble, but is it easier or tougher to assemble? There are two known AU 58 sets of Halves in existance and no known AU 58 Quarter sets.
Anyone care to comment?
Vern, You are probably right. It hasn't come by mail yet and may not be promising but final determination will be evaluated once in hand. Color is nice. Thanks for the input.
Jeff, Absolute rarity (# known at any given level) vs. Quantity available (# of people who are after the available specimens) can have "swings" depending on current popularity and population (more clear with 3rd party grading but not the complete answer). For example, reading older BCCS Journals at Newman showed me that 20 years ago the quarters were most likely the mainly collected item. I would say that is not necessarily the case today and that half dollars are the king of the heap currently. Vasilation on these two factors between supply and demand will vary our theoretical position on "what is tougher"... what is not as tough vs. tougher price points. My two cents...
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
January 2012 PCGS data MS60...
Quarters Set w/ MM $87,790.
Half Set w/ MM $85,355.
They were about equal 5 years ago.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Yes - once its crossed....I have an 1889 - PCGS AU 58 - w/ 20% O/C.
which I can not use in my sets...
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Congrats Mike!
Jeff... The Big Three prices you quoted are " you're dreaming" prices.
Show me where the 01-S Quarter in 58 is valued at $34,000. A 50 might get $34K.
I paid $42,500 for my AU 55..." back a few years ago"... its now valued at $37,500 IMHO.
Plus: I hated the coin because of the neck gouge. The only AU 55 out there that I would
ever consider is George Harrison's AU 55 { the one he's "never selling" } I offered him
$50K for it, and he almost laughed in my face. I liked it a whole lot more than the AU 58
I saw once in auction.
I found Labelman's 1896-S Quarter in AU 58 CAC - at Liz's table - I should have kept it for
myself - but Gail had been writing up a huge Dime order for me - had I seen the Quarter
first, I could have saved her an hour's writing.
Vern bought my 13-S in PC 55 and subsequently sold it to GlenM in Cleveland. Its as nice
a 55 as I have ever seen. Wish I had kept it for myself...oh, well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Mike-
There are numerous "you're dreaming" prices for the Halves as well. My guess is there are far more Halves that actually sell for 1.5X to 2X list than Quarters, but I agree that if one could find an AU 58 '01 S Quarter it wouldn't sell for anywhere near $34K; maybe $100K?
Jeff
I'm a half collector as you know. But I would be firmly in the quarter camp for level of difficulty. There are certainly extremely difficult halves, but they can be found as the registry proves. But quarters are a whole new level. The 01-S and the 13-S are mind blowing in difficulty. Makes for a fun discussion. Good topic Jeff
Good summary Jim. Thanks.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Jeff! There is a very easy answer to your question! Since there is only 1 1901-S quarter graded in 58 only 1 set can be assembled. Currently the lowest POP Half's are the 96-O and 01-S with Pops of 4....so 4 sets could be assembled provided the 58's are still in their holders. There's a 96-O in NGC 58 up for grabs in stacks Baltimore auction. Looks like it might cross form the pictures,but the description makes me think it would cross at 55. I would also think surely someone has tried to cross it!
Does anyone know who owns the lone 1901 S Quarter? It could come up for sale.
I won a PCGS AU 53 '97 S Half in an auction last week:
This upgrade completes my AU Everyman Set; all 53 and above.
Jeff, the green intertwined with the brown hues on that '97-S reverse is just wonderful. Nice! Tim
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
The Barber Quarter / Barber Half rarity discussion prompted me to review high end AU's "tagged" by CAC. What was interesting (to me) that there are no CAC AU58 Quarters of the following dates: 1897-S, 1899!, 1901-S, 1911-D & 1913-S. Now, as far as I'm concerned, there are many terrific coins that are not stickered by CAC. There are 11 AU58 CAC quarters with a population of 1. Most of these are somewhat difficult to locate without beans. However, I have seen several of these dates on this Thread that are quite nice and not necessarily CAC'd.
It's time again (as we had done this before) to list opinions as to the 5 most challenging Barber Quarters (outside of the big three) and the 5 most challenging Barber Halfs in XF and AU.
PC62
Jeff - A very thought provoking question. To me it's pretty clear cut, the barber quarter set would be the most expensive if the one and only 01-S ever came on the market and it was a solid, original coin. I've not ran across anyone who has seen it, or even knows where it is. If it is a nice coin, it will bring a lot of money. Even it it's a dipped white coin it will fetch a large number (it just won't have me bidding on it). The only 01-S I'm aware of being at auction was an NGC-58 that was listed on ebay in July 2013, and I'm pretty sure it was a scam listing.
Tim - Interesting numbers from 5 years ago, and I think you hit the nail on the head with the fluctuations between quarter and half collectors.
Mike - Hope your '89 crosses, to complete your set.
Jeff - Congrats on the '97-S upgrade.
Pics for this PM, I hope the 01-S in 58 looks like this, and that it comes to auction at the ANA this summer (I can dream, can't I?) . It would make the trip to Denver a necessity.
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Beautiful '96 S, Vern.
On the topic of Barber Quarters vs. Halves let's allow an AU 55 '01 S Quarter to populate that set in lieu of the unique 58; there are 5- AU 55 '01 S Quarters. At least there's a legitimate competition.
Now which set would be pricier/ easier to complete?
On the question Labelman asks here's my opinion on the 5 most difficult Barber Halves to obtain (nothing to do with price) in XF to AU:
1. 1897 O
2. 1905 O
3. 1913 S
4. 1907 S
5. 1909 O
I'm sure there will be other opinions!
Here are my 5 toughest halves in XF/AU.
My opinion is no doubt affected by personal experience. I'm anxious to see others lists
Jim
I'll mull over the top 5 Halves in rarity "XF/AU" in awhile. In the mean time, I mentioned I was following
Jeff's lead - picking up raw coins and winging it in the Grading Room at PCGS.
One date that eluded me, was the 1899-Phila Dime. Common all day long - until you need one. I found one
on EBay in mid January - sent it to our hosts - Economy Submission - Secure Plus - True View { I was hoping
for an AU 58.... }
PCGS AU 55 ...Ta Da ...With COLOR !!
a few days after I sent the above to PCGS, I ran across the below coin, an AU 58 in a PC holder.... { Figures !! }
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Top 5 Difficult Halves in XF/AU....
1) 1897-O - definitely !!!
2) 1905-O
3) 1896-O
4) 1907-S
5) Three Way Tie ...sorry...
5A) 1893-S
5B) 1901-S
5C) 1906-S - Leaning very heavily for the 06-S in XF/AU
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
I'm pretty solid on my assessment of the top 5 Barber Half's in XF-AU
1 1897-O
2 1901-O
3 1905-O
4 1913-S
5 1904-O
Is the issue with 58 quarters that they all reside in 63 (or higher) holders? I don't collect quarters, but I know that's a significant issue in other series.
shorecoll, help me understand. You are stating AU-58 graded quarters are in MS-63 holders? so indirectly, grading is inconsistent to you? I don't think that has been the case in my experience. When you say "other series" - what series are you referring too?
Quarters... I currently have not been pursuing AU but I am embarking on XF and haven't gotten to that point of understanding resistance for obtaining certain grades. Nevertheless, here is what I perceive in my high AU assessment (quarters):
1909-O
1901-O
1897-O
1907-S
1897-S
Honorable mention and a secret at AU58 is the 1909-S. Tough to find without impaired surfaces and minimal marks IMO.
The closer you get to VF, the '92-S and '99-S come into play a bit (especially the '99-S which is surprisingly tough at VF grade levels and is way to cheap in light of its scarcity).
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Dogwood...I see you disagree with my rarity ratings of XF-AU Barber Half's! Care to list yours so I can pick it apart!
I agree with you. They are not only reasonably priced with respect to their quality and eye appeal, but they are also fairly tough, in my opinion, to find really nice. Therefore, in most cases one doesn't have to worry about burning through funds since the opportunities are limited.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson