Unobtainable Coin in a Set

SIowhand · October 20, 2020 9:09PM

Working my way through a AU S mint quarter eagle set. I knew going in that the 54-S wasn’t a possibility. But the closer I get to finishing, the sadder I get knowing it isn’t going to be 100%. I don’t want to trade a modest house for a coin.

Do you ever get bummed out on a favorite series with a coin/s you know you won’t be able to get?

Maybe if I ever get told I have 6 months to live, I’ll sell the house and try and find one.

airplanenut · October 20, 2020 9:32PM

Have you tried Alibaba?

Elcontador · October 20, 2020 9:40PM

Not at all. It took me 8 years to find a Heraldic Eagle Bust Dollar in a grade with a look I liked, and 10 years for the same re a Capped Bust Half.

There are three (for me) expensive type coins I am missing to complete my type set. They rarely become available, and I don't know if I want to fork out that kind of money for something that's a hobby. For that kind of money for one of these coins, when Covid ends, I'd be able to take a once in a lifetime vacation.

Mind you, some type coins are to me like rare pieces of art, also having all sorts of history about them. The last few years, when I attended a major show, I didn't go to buy or sell anything, rather to hold in my hand some amazing coin which I'll never actually be able to own.

Still, coin prices have been trending downward for the last thirty years or so for almost everything which isn't out of the reach of the most well to do collectors in the hobby; generally, the more recently minted the coin, the more severely this is noticed.

So if you want to stretch for something unique, have at it, but don't bust your pension plan or sell your house to do it.

BryceM · October 20, 2020 9:44PM

I dunno. Finishing a set is fun, but working on it is more fun.

MrEureka · October 20, 2020 9:59PM

@SIowhand said:
Working my way through a AU S mint quarter eagle set. I knew going in that the 54-S wasn’t a possibility. But the closer I get to finishing, the sadder I get knowing it isn’t going to be 100%. I don’t want to trade a modest house for a coin.

Do you ever get bummed out on a favorite series with a coin/s you know you won’t be able to get?

Maybe if I ever get told I have 6 months to live, I’ll sell the house and try and find one.

Don't give up. Your fortunes may change one day. The coin coin could be less expensive one day. You never know.

SIowhand · October 20, 2020 10:03PM

Maybe a hoard of them will surface one day and the price will crash.

neildrobertson · October 20, 2020 10:45PM

I can feel the same way sometimes. It's still worthwhile if you like the series. If you have six months to live, then start selling your coins rather than buy more!

AUandAG · October 20, 2020 10:45PM

I remember that some blue books holders had no place for the 1916d Merc. Made it easier to collect mercs when you know you don't have to "fill that hole".

When you hit the lottery, buy it then.

bob

Unknown · October 20, 2020 11:58PM

This content has been removed.

yosclimber · October 21, 2020 12:49AM

I feel that a set is essentially an excuse to go on a "shopping quest".
Eventually you will either:

complete it
be down to a small number of missing coins, with acquisitions becoming much less frequent

Either way, the set will no longer be helpful as an excuse for the shopping quest.
So you just start another one, if what you enjoy is the process of shopping and acquiring coins.

ricko · October 21, 2020 4:47AM

Completing a set can be a long project. Key coins are always a consideration - cost, availability, grade (to fit the set)...
There is no time limit on the hobby... except your life. So keep looking, maybe compromise a bit on grade. Or, move on to something else. This is a hobby, enjoy it and relax. Cheers, RickO

Boosibri · October 21, 2020 5:06AM

I can sympathize with your situation. The journey is so much a part of the collecting experience. If you bought that 54-S, then what, the set is complete and the hunt is over.

amwldcoin · October 21, 2020 5:11AM

At the moment that's my reason for not collecting Barber Quarters. Just don't want to plop down Nice Sports Car - Modest House money into a 1901-S in the grade I would want it in. Things could change if the right coin at the right price fell into my lap though. So if I do collect Barber Quarters the 1901-S will be the 1st coin in the set.

TurtleCat · October 21, 2020 5:17AM

Personally, I don’t worry about empty holes in a set. It doesn’t matter if it’s a virtual set like a registry set or an album. We’re all wired a bit differently I know a lot of people will buy a fake to put in to the hole.

Coinscratch · October 21, 2020 7:27AM

Well, apparently there are 234/5 more of them unaccounted for...

SmEagle1795 · October 21, 2020 7:35AM

If the rest of the set is roughly equal in value to the unobtainable coin, I would buy the unobtainable coin and sell the rest of the set.

You can always rebuild the other coins over time: it's much easier to come up with $5K than $500K at one time.

But, I'm a less-is-more and typeset style of collector so take that with a grain of salt!

BustDMs · October 21, 2020 7:36AM

I purposely have sets that are “impossible” to complete. The journey thusly never ends.
When I get close I just begin something else.

bolivarshagnasty · October 21, 2020 7:45AM

The 58 DDO for the LIncoln variety enthusiasts comes to mind. Three known, all originating from the same source. Blay owns two, Dr. Pete the other.

Yorkshireman · October 21, 2020 7:49AM

How about this:
In my opinion, too many collectors worry about “filling holes”. Instead buy coins that excite you to look at. If that means your set is not complete and never will be, So what?
Even Bob Simpson said in his recent Heritage interview that he would not buy a coin he did not like looking at. Some of his sets were never completed.
Buy quality.
Personally, if there are 50 coins in a set, I would rather have 20-30 that I never tire of staring at than 49 (or even 50) of which some are boring.
Does that make sense to anybody else?

cccoins · October 21, 2020 8:44AM

In my series the 1873 cc No Arrows 10c isn’t a possibility for me. However, I knew that going in and adjusted my vision accordingly. I still have a set and a goal, but it’s 110 cc coins instead of 111.

Coinscratch · October 21, 2020 8:52AM

@Yorkshireman said:
How about this:
In my opinion, too many collectors worry about “filling holes”. Instead buy coins that excite you to look at. If that means your set is not complete and never will be, So what?
Even Bob Simpson said in his recent Heritage interview that he would not buy a coin he did not like looking at. Some of his sets were never completed.
Buy quality.
Personally, if there are 50 coins in a set, I would rather have 20-30 that I never tire of staring at than 49 (or even 50) of which some are boring.
Does that make sense to anybody else?

Yes, and applies to life as well as golf. I would rather play 12 holes well than 18 rushed.

fathom · October 21, 2020 9:08AM

There are some very difficult S-mint dates in that set. I would be proud to complete that set minus the 54-S.

mvs7 · October 21, 2020 9:14AM

@slowhand, I collected that exact set for about eight years, retiring with the best registry set pre-Hansen: Pasadena Collection. I had grown up in California, always loved finding S-mint coins in circulation in the 1970s, and completed S-mint type sets and most of the circulation strike sets from 1c through $5 gold.

Going into the quarter eagles, I knew that I wasn't going to sell my house or forgo paying for my kids' college just to complete the "set" with the 1854-S. I examined two different 1854-S coins in lot viewing at Heritage, and that was good enough for me. In my personal coin database, I defined my own composite, and it started with the 1856-S and computed percent complete based on the obtainable 22 issues. My goal was 1856-1879, and when I finished that goal, it felt great, and I celebrated the achievement. For me, the enjoyment is mainly in the pursuit, and I define what I'm pursuing, not the Red Book, not a dealer, and definitely not a PCGS set composite.

Good luck with your set and good hunting!

BuffaloIronTail · October 21, 2020 9:18AM

@SIowhand said:
Working my way through a AU S mint quarter eagle set. I knew going in that the 54-S wasn’t a possibility. But the closer I get to finishing, the sadder I get knowing it isn’t going to be 100%. I don’t want to trade a modest house for a coin.

Do you ever get bummed out on a favorite series with a coin/s you know you won’t be able to get?

Maybe if I ever get told I have 6 months to live, I’ll sell the house and try and find one.

Yeppers. I couldn't afford a 16/16 Buff.

It's the only one I need.

Pete

messydesk · October 21, 2020 9:43AM

@SIowhand said:
Working my way through a AU S mint quarter eagle set. I knew going in that the 54-S wasn’t a possibility. But the closer I get to finishing, the sadder I get knowing it isn’t going to be 100%. I don’t want to trade a modest house for a coin.

Do you ever get bummed out on a favorite series with a coin/s you know you won’t be able to get?

I guess it wouldn't bum me out, because I'd have started the series with the expectation that the coin would be out of my reach.

Oh, to have had the $11K and foresight needed in 1990 to have bought the coin in the Father Flanagan sale.

badger · October 21, 2020 10:00AM

I did the same on proof half-dimes. I saw that the set had relatively few coins to complete the set. So I bought my first one then really looked at the rarity. LOL. Was an unobtainable set for me. Immediately turned the initial coin. But I just checked the PCGS Guide and think it is the same as it was 10+ years ago for that coin. So it held its value unlike my foray into moderns lol.

oldabeintx · October 21, 2020 10:16AM

Sort answer, yes. I've avoided series that are beyond my reach stopper-wise (and I like 63 and better for series) in the near term. One compromise that I found useful for series' that I really like is to complete a date set. An exception for me is type. I keep chipping away and expect to complete it one day (not 63 and better, F and better).

MasonG · October 21, 2020 10:24AM

@SIowhand said:
Do you ever get bummed out on a favorite series with a coin/s you know you won’t be able to get?

I don't do sets, so- no.

tommy44 · October 21, 2020 10:36AM

The bad news is I'll never fill the 54-S or 75-P holes in my half-eagle set.

The good news is I'll always have something on my want list when I go shopping.

jdimmick · October 21, 2020 10:44AM

Same here, love to own one of the 73-cc no arrows quarters, but that wont happen.

ReadyFireAim · October 21, 2020 11:00AM

1929, 1930-S, 1931, 1931-D, 1932, 1921, 1927-D
Have I left any out?...Oh yea the 1933

1907 UHR....1907 jed1776......

I feel your pain.

EDIT....AND all 8 proofs....Left them out

OKbustchaser · October 21, 2020 11:15AM

Bummed out? No, I simply recognize the fact that short of winning the lottery I'll never complete my half dollar year set (1796 and 1797) as I refuse to spend more on a single coin than I spent on my house. (and I didn't spend all that much on the house)

3stars · October 21, 2020 11:29AM

Interesting that some are counting varieties as part of set completion instead of just date /mintmark. With varieties, you will probably never complete a set as it seems new ones are discovered quite often.

ernie11 · October 21, 2020 12:03PM

This issue never stopped me from collecting Liberty Nickels or Barber Dimes. I just fudge things a little and say that I have a complete business strike set of each.

TradesWithChops · October 21, 2020 12:14PM

I thought there were coins in my set that were unobtainable: 1876-s DDO trade dollar with a chopmark. PCGS graded pop 1 in total all straight grades (with one more graded details).

but, I got it.

Maintain hope

Boosibri · October 21, 2020 12:34PM

I have generally rejected defined set building as traditionally defined and have picked a general collecting theme which has worked better for me.

Crypto · October 21, 2020 12:48PM

I start what I expect to finish, I would drift into Boosibri’s construction philosophy if the boundaries needed adjusting

jmski52 · October 21, 2020 1:14PM

Knowing that I'll never complete a Large Cent date set in the condition that I like does not deter me from the satisfaction I get when I look at the set that I've already assembled.

coinlieutenant · October 21, 2020 1:23PM

Normalcy bias is of great detriment to a coin collector. You don’t know what your future may hold. The 54-S will likely always be difficult, but the 76-S may be obtainable in a decade or two. Stay the course!

Walkerguy21D · October 21, 2020 2:52PM

@jmski52 said:
Knowing that I'll never complete a Large Cent date set in the condition that I like does not deter me from the satisfaction I get when I look at the set that I've already assembled.

>

Agree. My set is all over the map. Most of the later dates/varieties from ‘29 through ‘57 are XF-Unc, with the exception of the 39/6.
The remaining middle dates are F-Unc, with several needing upgraded. The early dates are a disaster, with a number of lower grade ‘genny’ coins, like the ‘93 and 1804. But even with those I tried to select coins that are relatively pleasing for what they are.

JBN · October 21, 2020 3:26PM

I am very much a set collector. That said, I truly enjoy assembling my Liberty Seated Dollar collection and my Liberty Seated Half Dollar collection. I will never have the 1870-S dollar, nor the 1853-O no arrows half dollar, as I'm not a billionaire. The fact that the sets are impossible for me to complete does not diminish my enjoyment of these sets.

rhedden · October 21, 2020 3:38PM

@jdimmick said:
Same here, love to own one of the 73-cc no arrows quarters, but that wont happen.

I was going to mention this coin too. the reason I won't ever buy one is that I would immediately imagine other things I could buy with that amount of money (which I would rather have). I have other hobbies besides coins, and at that price level, I'd get more enjoyment out of many other "toys" I can think of. For example, I could buy a whole box of nice Seated quarters.

savitale · October 21, 2020 8:05PM

In general, yes, it would bother me a lot not to be able to complete a set. But for a coin like the 54-S quarter eagle, I would be OK with it. To me it would be like saying don't collect bust dollars because I'll never have an 1804, or don't collect Liberty Head Nickels because I'll never have a 1913. I'd venture a guess that 99% of Barber collectors don't lie awake at night because they can't fill the 94-S dime hole. Some coins just belong to a different universe.

Walkerfan · October 21, 2020 8:42PM

For those 'Ultra coins' just buy the best grade that you can afford, then at least you can complete your set.

Baley · October 21, 2020 8:50PM

I'm collecting US circulation type 1793-2000, 1796-1814 halves by redbook variety, and 1796-1828 quarters by die variety and die state... and no, I do not expect to "finish" any of those sets.

Unobtainable Coin in a Set

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