Years in the making, and pretty much done now - my US Gold Type Set
lordmarcovan
Posts: 44,950 ✭✭✭✭✭
Well, I can now proudly proclaim myself pretty much done with my US gold type set.
I probably do not need to tell you what a challenge- in fact, what a near impossibility- it would have been to complete this set on my modest earnings as a low-ranking hotel clerk. In fact, had it not been for some inheritance in early 2022, I never would have been able to acquire most of these coins. Prior to 2022, I couldn't even afford the melt value of any US gold coin larger than a quarter-eagle!
After 2022, and after paying off my debts with the inheritance money, I decided to put most of what was left into my coin collection. Maybe coins are not the smartest "investment" vehicle, but the enjoyment I get from owning them makes up for that. Not all of the dividends of this investment are tangible and monetary- some are more intellectual.
This is only a basic design type set of the post-1834 gold coins. I did not bother myself with the subtypes (No Motto, With Motto, etc.) I did add an additional pair of classic gold commemoratives- because I could.
As of this posting (February 2026), I've got everything in Mint State except for the Type 1 and Type 2 gold dollars (which are both AU58), and the Classic Heads and $3 (which are XF40, XF40, and AU58, respectively). I might try to upgrade those gold dollars to MS examples, but I'm not so sure I feel the need to upgrade the Classic Heads or the $3. Because this is a mixed PCGS and NGC collection, I do not have it on the PCGS Registry, though I've tinkered around a bit on the NGC Registry and MyCollect.
Since I've pretty much spent up all the "mad money" from my inheritance now (though I did save some in the bank for a rainy day), I'm back to having only my regular salary to shop with, so there won't likely be any more big gold purchases unless I sell something else. It is now time to turn back and focus on the minor denominations for my US type coins, though I remain an avid Ancient & World collector foremost, so my budget and attention are divided amongst the different categories of my very eclectic collection.
Since I bought most of these coins in 2022-2023, before gold prices doubled, it looks like I had fortuitous timing.
Here they are. I welcome your comments.
Gold Dollar, Type 1 (1849-1854)
Gold Dollar, Type 2 (1854-1856)
Gold Dollar, Type 3 (1856-1889)
Classic Head $2-1/2 (1834-1839)
Liberty $2-1/2 (1840-1907)
Indian $2-1/2 (1908-1929)
Indian Princess $3 (1854-1889)
Classic Head $5 (1834-1838)
Liberty $5 (1839-1908)
Indian Head $5 (1908-1929)
Liberty $10 (1838-1907)
Indian $10 (1907-1933)
Liberty $20 (1850-1907)
St. Gaudens $20 (1907-1933)
Commemorative Gold Dollar
Commemorative Gold $2-12
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Comments
Absolutely fantastic set. Congratulations on (basically) finishing it!
"Another day, another Collectors Universe forum scrolling session."
- Someone, probably
Thank you, @Goob. Wow, you responded only moments after I posted this, and before I was done editing my description!
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
love the set ... congratulations and thanks for sharing !!
Top 10 Cal Fractional Type Set
successful BST with Ankurj, BigAl, Bullsitter, CommemKing, DCW(7), DesertMoon, Downtown1974, Elmerfusterpuck, Joelewis, Mach1ne, Minuteman810430, Modcrewman, Nankraut, Nederveit2, Philographer(5), Proofcollection, Realgator, Silverpop, SurfinxHI, TomB and Yorkshireman(3)
Well done LordM. Very nice set.
Cool.
A 14 piece set is unusual (not counting commems). Most people do a 12 or 20 piece set.
The old Whitman Bookshelf was a 14 piece set however.
Great looking set.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Awesome collecting achievement - thanks for posting!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Copperindian II
Indy Eagles
Gold Rush
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Nickelodeon
Early Walkers
Successful transactions: redraider, winesteven, renomedphys, splitaces, oreville, ajaan, Cent1225, onlyroosies, justindan, blitzdude, DesertMoon, johnnyb, Heubschgold, SunshineRareCoins, ParadimeCoins, ndeagles, Southern_Knights, pcgsregistrycollector
Congtratulations! I remember when I reached this milestone. It felt great!
Now all you need are the 12 major types from 1795 to 1834.
Believe me, that's when things get really hard, especially the quarter eagles.
You might consider adding the No Motto $5 and $10 gold coins. Those are not that tough if you stay away from Mint State.
I'd love to pursue that, but alas, on my modest salary, and with most of my inheritance "mad money" now spent, that is unlikely to ever happen. Not in this lifetime. I'm 60 years old now, after all.
It's a nice dream, though.
Now I will shift my focus to the minor denominations in 19th century US Type coins that I still lack (there are still plenty of those), and continue working on my eclectic Ancient & World collections.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
I gather that album included the Classic Heads, then? Essentially the lineup that I have above (excluding commems)?
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Yes, here's one from ebay. They call them "large heads".
Welcome back into poverty! I thought we lost you for a few years.
I had purchased a partial set in a Capital holder missing 7 coins. It took a couple years to finish. Then last month a fellow came into the shop and bought it for $8 over melt price when gold was about $4200 per Oz. That huge drop in gold prices last week hasn’t hurt him. He is a collector, like I wannabe.
.
Yours is really nice. Thanks for sharing.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
I had one of those albums many years ago before there were slabs. I had trouble with the gold dollars slipping in between the blue paper and the slides which was not good for the coins.
Awesome! ...and thanks for sharing!
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
LOL! Nope. Just as po' as befo', now that the "mad money" is spent.
But happily debt-free and much less reliant on credit cards nowadays, which means that I might actually get to keep my coins instead of having to sell one every time there is a household crisis...
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Good for you! I hope your gold set is well protected from theft. While I'm debt free now, it looks like I'll be cherry picking and selling my coins to stay solvent in retirement.
Yes. All in safe deposit boxes.
Retirement? Solvent? Yeah, I'm having to think about that. I honestly don't think I'll be able to truly retire in the traditional sense, though I may be able to cut back to part-time work as long as (cross fingers) I remain healthy enough. But for the next five to ten years at the very least, I remain a working Joe...
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
very nice set, well chosen; i especially like the strike of the 1899 DE
Thanks. That one was a very recent upgrade, at the FUN show last month. I traded in my same date 1899-S $20 in a PCGS MS62 holder. It was a slightly scuzzy looking coin. Not awful, but pretty generic. Traded that old coin plus 75 bucks to upgrade to the much nicer looking NGC MS63 (old holder) coin seen above.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
This is my favorite coin in your set.
Really? Interesting, since it’s the first one in line for an upgrade (due to its numerical grade alone, not because it’s lacking in appeal for me).
Somebody else mentioned it being a PQ 58, and that I should think very carefully and be very selective when upgrading to an MS example, because a nice 58 can be more appealing than a generic, lower MS coin, sometimes.
If you look closely, you’ll see that it does have a faint hairline above Liberty’s head, but obviously that didn’t preclude it from getting a straight grade.
I do think it’s a nice, eye-appealing little coin overall.
I would love to swap it out for a Charlotte or Dahlonega piece, but that would involve selling something else out of another part of my collection, and a downgrade into the lower circ grades. Which might not match so well.
I’m on the lookout for an upgrade there, but it’s not a burning top priority. Until that happens, I’m content to keep this one.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
I would have picked the T2 dollar if it weren't for the weak date (common problem I know).
Fantastic set! Nicely done Buddy!
Great looking set! Nothing left for that set now except pride of ownership. I love the strike on your $3 gold piece.
Well done, love this set.
Complete Set of Chopmarked Trade Dollars
Carson City Silver Dollars Complete 1870-1893http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=2722"
Great set! I hope you get your Charlotte or Dahlonega some day!
Custom album maker and numismatic photographer.
Need a personalized album made? Design it on the website below and I'll build it for you.
https://www.donahuenumismatics.com/.
Nice Rob.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
I did once have a Dahlonega coin, but sold it to buy my daughter’s first car.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Absolutely a great Gold Type Set! I love your passion for our wonderful hobby, as well as your coins!
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
Thanks. I wanna be YOU when I grow up. 😉
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Beautiful set, @lordmarcovan. That is a great accomplishment.
A set that takes a little time and effort to assemble is quite rewarding.
You did a nice job, it's beautiful !
Congrats. I finally completed my 12 piece gold set recently.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
Rob:
Is there a reason you got an error (though not a huge error) coin for your $5 Indian Head type?
I needed the type, and just thought one with an error was interesting. I’d never had an error coin in gold before.
It was different. But it was still a MS example good enough to be a type coin.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
That's a great type set.
A sublime set, my lord.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
At least you found a good home for it.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Congratulations on this challenging accomplishment! Truly.
LM, Congratulations, that's an excellent looking set!!!
U.S. Type Set
This forum does weird stuff to the pics. All of my photos are a uniform 800 pixels wide, but they display with different widths on this forum (on desktop), and they look really wonky on mobile.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Very cool, Rob!!