Realistic stretch goal / "dream coin"

While we can all dream about owning multi-million $ rarities, most will have to settle for more modest centerpieces for our collections.
So what is your "dream coin" - something that may be a stretch but you can still realistically imagine acquiring one day? (Or maybe you already have it!)
For me it's a high relief Saint in 64. I have never spent that kind of $$ on a coin but I can imagine someday finding a way to pull it off if the right one comes up at the right time.
Photo from coinfacts.
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For me it’s probably the Merc overdates or an S VDB or 55DDO in UNC. Maybe if the career takes off in a few years those won’t be such a stretch, but from where I sit now, they’d take an awful lot of planning, pleading and explaining.
I know they’re not super exotic, but they’re popular for a reason and I’d like a pretty one.
For a long time it was having southern gold but I’ve now got a Charlotte coin and soon a Dahlonega. But the big stretch one that may happen someday is a 16 star 1797 coin. As a native Tennessean it means a bit more to me to have that 16th star.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about trading a group of lower grade saints in order to obtain one also. Just waiting for the “right” piece to show itself I guess.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
Does the sum of your collection have a greater value than the HR in 64? If so I would perhaps make some choices on having several coins vs. have a dream coin.
Latin American Collection
1848 Cal 2.5 in XF or AU. Nice CAC coin
A HR Saint is a drool worthy dream coin
1795 dollar or maybe draped gold. Not mintstate, probably F-XF
"Dream coin" is maybe a little too dramatic... I would like a HR Saint some day but not to the exclusion of all others. Having said that, I think "trading up" is about the only way I'd be able to get one.
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I think this is wise. Often one wants that one coin that's exciting and has a high cost. Instead, one procures a 1924 Saint, then a 1927, maybe expand to a 1910, then an Indian eagle or two, a few half eagles, some quarter eagles, a branch mint, more odds and ends, $1,000 here, $2,000 there--and after a number of years you could have bought one or more HRs.
It may in fact be easier to consolidate into one coin from several than laying out the funds for that one big coin. You realize you're already made the investment or outlay, it's now just about allocating it where you want it to go.
He who knows he has enough is rich.
61D gold dollar in reasonably high grade . More of a dream, unless I live under a bridge.
Buy a beautiful counterfeit omega HR, to have the design cheap, and then the $1 and $3 gold you need to make a complete type set?
My 1866 Philly Mint Set
I guess that I'm far from the norm as I really do not have a dream coin. The closest I can come to a dream coin would be an MS early draped bust gold coin, I really like that design so maybe one day I'll consider selling it all for one coin. The problem is I'm just not a box of one type of guy.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
A nice 1929 MS64 comes along about once every 5 years.

This one popped up recently and is now gone.
If it happens again, I'm going to the bank.
My Saint Set
It's going to have to be a 1794 dollar. There's no way I could ever afford a straight graded piece, but maybe someday I'll be able to stretch to a nice F/VF details coin. As long as it has a date and isn't too marked up. Here's one from this year that I bid on but went just a bit too high.
Re: 1929 Saint, looks like a nice coin for the grade. Not too many holes left in your set!
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The current PCGS OGH 65 1795 $ in Larry Miller, that coin is to die for.
A realistic dream coin for me is a nice 1/2 disme. Wil probably be the last type coin I will need for my set.
I have a stretch dream piece coming.
It was a dream piece but it was never supposed to be a stretch piece!
I am currently unable to stretch for any dream coins. And I don't know that I will ever be able to. Washington Quarters 32-98 are my favorite series. I'd love to someday own an amazing 32D and 32S and then bookend those (sort of) with an amazing lot of 82 p &d and 83 p&d. I honestly don't even own any graded examples from the eagle reverse series other than the four I broke out of a souvenir set and had graded by NGC. ,(82 and 83 both mints).
Realistic stretch, if it became available and had the right look ... 1805/4 Draped Bust Half in AU or better
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
A 1793 Half Cent in VG with beautiful color.
Working on a 1793-1967 set of made for circulation major and minor US types... 40+ years now.
Intend to someday obtain 1793 half cent, chain, wreath, 1796 quarter, 1797 half dollar, dollar, and 1795-1797 and 1813-29 gold coins, and Gobrecht dollar and 1907 high relief 20. Have most of the rest, and is why new purchases are few and far between.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I have had such 'dream' coins... the octagonal PanPac was one. I have since determined that stacks of gold are far nicer than one gold coin...
So as I mature, (a gentle way of saying I am old) my focus changes.... Cheers, RickO
It'll take me a couple days to go through list.
I haven't bought what I consider a coin in almost 3 years now. I did buy an Apollo 11 50th anniversary commemorative 5 oz. last year, but I'd consider that more a medallion than anything else. I still have my eyes open for various business strike 1858 pieces, but I've gotten around half (14 pieces) of the set (29 pieces) now, and finding attractive coins at the appropriate prices is MUCH more difficult now that I've picked up the more common Type/MM and am well on my way in the semi-key coins. Given my age I'll probably never complete the set, but that's OK too. After all, a lot of the thrill is in the chase.
U.S. Type Set
Did you buy any of the Robbin's restrikes?
A realistic dream coin of mine would be a straight graded C. Bechtler coin. For now, I’m content with this A. Bechtler piece that looks like it was shot with a shotgun or pellet gun, but someday...

Mr_Spud
Draped Bust Dollar, VF

POST NUBILA PHOEBUS / AFTER CLOUDS, SUN
Love for Music / Collector of Dreck
Hmmmmm. @Bailey and I are pretty much navigating the same waters. As a US type guy, the 1792 half disme, and the small eagle half dollar each present a bit of a problem. The small eagle quarter would be in there somewhere too.
I guess you could fudge a bit and call the half disme a pattern, but there's no getting around the half dollar. One of those in XF would pretty hard to ignore in a collection. This one (XF45), which is quite certainly not mine, would scratch the itch pretty well. Realistic? Maybe, possibly, someday, if all the stars line up. More realistic would be one in lower VF grades.
For me, a Gobrecht dollar, original issue, in nice VF to EF would satisfy the itch. for a while.
Of course, here's the thing: you don't have to be. After you trade it all for your draped bust gold, you can buy more $100-500, or whatever sandbox you play in, as the opportunity presents itself. It's not as though there is a limit of $100,000 or whatever on your collection and if you reach that limit you're never allowed to buy a coin again.
A 1936 Gem proof Walker is probably about as far as I will ever reach. I haven’t done it yet.
A mundane Morgan for moi. 1889-CC in the low MS range...
Nope. To me they are somewhat equivalent to a mid-level counterfeit. Actual Apollo 11 Robbins medallions aren't that difficult to find, 450 of them were minted, and all of them flew on the mission. They are actually the most minted of all the Apollo Robbins medallions by a significant margin, They are kind of like 1893-S Morgans. You can find them, but they cost. Generally an actual Apollo 11 Robbins medallion will cost you in the $25,000 - $35,000 range depending on condition. Needless to say, an Armstrong pedigree will jump the price a significant amount beyond that.
Apollo Robbins are neat medallions, but for my space artifact collecting money, I'd rather spend it on something that was actually used on a flight, like a piece of hardware or a checklist.
U.S. Type Set
I always wanted a Pan Pac octagonal when I first started collecting
Latin American Collection
I want a 1879o or 1861s paguet Rev double eagle. Always have (70cc would be great too)
I don’t seem to enjoy any of the coins I have had as much when they go above 10k each. Shifts the priorities of the hobby and it becomes so much more transactional and worried about loss or sharing. I don’t know if I’ll pass into the big money area of coins
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
SkyMan would buy the real deal. I liked the design and bought a silver and gold restrike.
I still need a 34-S Peace Dollar, I'd like to get one in 63 or 64.
Collector, occasional seller
I actually have 3 "dream" coins--2 of which are true "stretchables" 1827 O-137 and O-148. Both are doable in VF or so...it is simply a matter of availability and funds coinciding. The O-149 probably isn't even stretchable for me. (Unless @BustDMs wants to adopt me.
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That depends on your age, if I was 30 then yes that would be a possibility but at my age I plan to spend very little to nothing moving forward.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
I'd like to acquire a 1942/1-D Mercury Dime in 64FB, to bring my set up to all 64FB or higher.
Wayne
www.waynedriskillminiatures.com
A 1796 Half Dollar.
An 1870 cc gold $20 piece ms 65 works for me
Interesting question, I like the 1911 D $10 Indian.
Dream: MS66
Realistic: AU58
The finest known is an AU53 so this is quite a dream.
I don’t really have a dream coin as I can’t imagine spending all that much on any single coin. Even as a Morgan set collector I don’t think I would get $1M of happiness out of an 1893-S in 67. I could certainly see that much enjoyment from a similarly-valued complete and beautiful Morgan set though.
Pretty much every coin bought now at my age is a stretch. Must feel comfortable that it’s truly a discretionary purchase and not one that makes me sweat or doubt my judgment. Anything above $2500 would make me anxious.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
I've always wanted a $20 gold piece and a 17XX Silver $. Both have been within my budget for a while, but I just can't seem to pull the trigger.
Huh. Honestly, I doubt I'll ever buy anything that costs very much more than my three or four most valuable present holdings. I've been pretty focused about buying one super-cool addition each winter within whatever feels like truly discretionary funds for me that year. Some items that make the aspirational list include a no-motto $5, $10, and $20, and perhaps a classic head piece or two. I doubt I'll ever want to pay what it takes to chase older gold types than those. Someday maybe a sweet Pan Pac gold dollar. Beyond that ... probably not.
After I get mine I’ll think of you for my duplicate when I upgrade. 😉
I thought at one time a 137 and 148 would be only a dream. Things went well for me and they eventually found their way into my collection. The same May very well go for you also. Good luck!
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
A stretch coin for me is a proof morgan or a Charlotte or Dalahogna half or quarter eagle.