Classic Silver Commemoratives - Full Half Dollar Set in Gold CAC
pointfivezero
Posts: 2,003 ✭✭✭✭✭
For my 2000th post, I thought this collection was a worthy accomplishment. After two years, five months and five days, I have completed a full set of classic commems half dollars with the gold bean. I was able to acquire 40 of the 48 coins in the first year of the search but the last eight proved to be quite a challenge and the last two, an almost insurmountable task.
To quantify the challenge, here are some of the tougher pops in gold CAC:
Monroe - 2
Sesqui - 3 (including the one I "made")
Hudson - 4
Hawaiian - 5
Alabama/Missouri - 6
Lexington - 7
Finding willing sellers at acceptable pricing was a big challenge, especially when some owners are unwilling to sell at any cost. Thanks to many friends in the community who constantly alerted me to available offerings, the deed is now done:
The quest started with an innocent text from Ben "TheCoinGeek" on February 22nd, 2024 with an offer to purchase these two:

And the obsession was birthed, culminating with the arrival of a rare Missouri Rattler yesterday:

I also have an Isabella with a gold sticker but I have no hope of finding a Lafayette, as only a single coin exists. Now on to the 144 set. Only 60 left to find.....
Tim
Comments
Really awesome collection, congrats on putting together an impressive set!
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
Damn Tim, what a great accomplishment! It takes real dedication to see something like that through. Congrats on the getting the complete type set of Halves, good luck on the full set PDS Set!!
“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
thats totally awesome, love it
awesome indeed, great post, like!
Thanks guys - it's been a labor of love!
When the time comes to sell them you could have your own auction catalog.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
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This is incredible! I've been watching the set for a while and am amazed at it.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Very impressive indeed.
Now listen boy, I'm tryin' to teach you sumthin' . . . . that ain't an optical illusion, it only looks like an optical illusion.
My mind reader refuses to charge me. . . . . . .
@pointfivezero, Tim, what an awesome accomplishment! I appreciate your commitment to the gold CAC standard. I would never have that much patience.
I also share your enthusiasm for the classics, although not committed to your pursuit of such lofty levels. What a great job! Congratulations!
Zack.
That’s an awesome accomplishment! Sets like these are super hard to put together and you did it fairly quickly!
great accomplishment
Awesome!
Coin Photography
Thanks again for the nice comments. Two years ago, gold CAC commems were fairly plentiful and reasonably priced but anyone following them recently understands the substantial price increases for commems in general and gold CAC's in particular.
Oh well, I've heard retirement is drastically over-rated.
Tim
@pointfivezero, it’s not overrated! Don’t have to listen to any boss anymore that has ridiculous demands. Only the wife! It’s wonderful!
Numismatics at its finest
It would be really cool to have one solid set of PCGS coins and one solid NGC set. I’d say you should also go for a CAC set with gold beans, but those are quite difficult. 😉
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
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In my household, wife = boss.
Tim
Awesome awesome awesome!