Years in the making, and pretty much done now - my US Gold Type Set

@lordmarcovan said:
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.

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.

Absolutely fantastic set. Congratulations on (basically) finishing it!

love the set ... congratulations and thanks for sharing !!

Awesome collecting achievement - thanks for posting!

@lordmarcovan said:

@Morgan White said:
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.

I gather that album included the Classic Heads, then? Essentially the lineup that I have above (excluding commems)?

Yes, here's one from ebay. They call them "large heads".

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.
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Yours is really nice. Thanks for sharing.

very nice set, well chosen; i especially like the strike of the 1899 DE

This is my favorite coin in your set.

@lordmarcovan said:

@Morgan White said:
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.

I would have picked the T2 dollar if it weren't for the weak date (common problem I know).

Great looking set! Nothing left for that set now except pride of ownership. I love the strike on your $3 gold piece.

Great set! I hope you get your Charlotte or Dahlonega some day!

A set that takes a little time and effort to assemble is quite rewarding.
You did a nice job, it's beautiful !

Rob:

Is there a reason you got an error (though not a huge error) coin for your $5 Indian Head type?

That's a great type set.

LM, Congratulations, that's an excellent looking set!!!

Very cool, Rob!!