The semi key dates. Always fun, somewhat affordable, and necessary. Overall a great and undervalue

wingedliberty · October 15, 2003 9:46AM

I always start my sets with the semi keys. Great bargains in all series. You Barber and Indian guys know what I'm talking about. Gotta love the semi keys. Share yours. Here is my recent win on Ebay.
1926-S 10c PCGS-30. One tough date in any grade!

Your thoughts!
and share yours also. Any series!

fivecents · October 15, 2003 10:18AM

Neat coin wingedliberty.

I agree 100%, you gotta love those semi keys. I like them in the lower circulated condition.

RGL · October 15, 2003 10:44AM

Nice ... I am particularly enamored of the "semi-key" Buffs ... trying finding those in decent grade and when you can, the price seems a relative bargain ...

wingedliberty · October 15, 2003 10:44AM

"NGC fatties". Paul:
You just coined a new frase.

wingedliberty · October 15, 2003 10:46AM

You're right about the Buffs. They are riddled with them.

coinkat · October 15, 2003 10:52AM

If you are comfortable with your grading skills, its okay to jump into the semi-keys and keys...if not, start with lesser expensive coins in the series first and develop a comfort level before spending $$$.

fcloud · October 15, 2003 10:56AM

Brian,

I just received my grades today on some coins I sent in. Included in the group was a 1926-S XF45! I just added it to my set.

Congrats on your score!

Tony

wingedliberty · October 15, 2003 11:06AM

Tony:
COngradulations on your 26-S in XF. Excellent!

jdimmick · October 15, 2003 11:31AM

The 26-s Merc is a toughy along with that semi forgotten semi key the 25-d.

A lot of people forget about how tough some of the semi-keys can be to locate unless there set building. A majority of these coins are way undervalued IMO. But it takes a collector driven market to put enough demand on them to raise the market value, which has been occurring in some series.

Some collectors who don't build sets, simply either select a high grade specimen (usually common) for a type set or grab one of the widely known keys instead and dont really know what dates are tough in a specific series.

mgoodm3 · October 15, 2003 11:39AM

I always find myself buying key and semi-key from various series and forgetting the rest. I like the rarity.

wingedliberty · October 15, 2003 11:51AM

Good observations.

tjkillian · October 15, 2003 11:51AM

On my Indian Cent set I"ve been working hard and thus far have the 1868,1969,1872,1909-S as those are the semi-keys in that series. You can't just get all the easy ones to start: you need to go for the semi-keys or you will get discouraged when you've finished with all the easy ones.

Tom

wingedliberty · October 15, 2003 12:00PM

Tom:
You're 100% correct. Its easy to get discouraged when you've spent all your money on the commons and discover that it may cost you more for one key or semi key than the entire group of commons. Its good to alternate and spread the wealth, so to speak.
That 26-S is $100 in VF and a 16D is $400 in AG3, so thats $500, that would translate into 20 common date MS65 Mercs. Nice 20:2 , or 10:1 ratio. An approximation, but the message is clear. Spread the wallet around and make it easier and more enjoyable for yourself.

Jamericon · October 15, 2003 12:07PM

Another good choice is the 1894 Liberty nickel. You do not see many around. Their POPs in choice/gem grades are comparable to the '85 and '86 but they sell for much less in the same grades.

Do not need to worry from my end. Got my 63 last year at ANA NYC. Pretty soon I will be sending it to PCGS in hopes of getting back a 64! Mighty good chance.

Fairlaneman · October 15, 2003 12:14PM

Tough date that old 26S is.....

wingedliberty · October 15, 2003 12:17PM

Nice coin Ken!

coinkat · October 15, 2003 12:27PM

Is someone pulling the wool over our eyes?

Senlathiel · October 15, 2003 12:30PM

That "S" looks photoshopped if you ask me.

fcloud · October 15, 2003 12:32PM

Ken,

With that one, I'm drooling all over the key board.

Cam40 · October 15, 2003 12:35PM

If you are comfortable with your grading skills, its okay to jump into the semi-keys and keys...if not, start with lesser expensive coins in the series first and develop a comfort level before spending $$$

Sage advice there.

Cam40 · October 15, 2003 12:37PM

how come yall can see, but i just get two red Xs.

Fairlaneman · October 15, 2003 12:38PM

Hey do these two guys think I do not own that coin ? Check the Set Boys. Its in there.

Thanks Brian and Tony. I finally just this afternoon got a decent picture of the coin. Whoever had the slab before me trashed the thing.

Ken

Fairlaneman · October 15, 2003 12:41PM

Cam I have been getting Red X's also. I right click the coin and then it shows up. Hope this does not start to happen again like it did a couple of months ago.

Ken

fcloud · October 15, 2003 12:41PM

Cam,

<< <i>how come yall can see, but i just get two red Xs. >>

I had to right click and then click on show image.

Tony

BigE · October 15, 2003 12:49PM

About ten years ago I went to a coin show that was relatively small but it was the largest one in my small town area, I think there was 75 tables. I knew the guy who ran the show and I was looking for a 21 and a 21-D dime to fill out my wifes raw set and got really aggravated because I couldn't find any. He announced by intercom that I wanted these dates and I think I paid a huge amount for the only two that were there, I think it was 60.00 for both in EF. There were a couple of 16-D's and some of the overdates-but I was happy with the ones we got----------------BigE

Cam40 · October 15, 2003 12:51PM

Wow. Thats a neat trick. The obv pic was up but the rev pic was still an X. I right-clicked, chose show picture
and BOOM there it is.

Cam40 · October 15, 2003 12:55PM

I think it was 60.00 for both in EF

O-M-G....I know that seemed like alot 10 years ago but today?
What-A-Bargain. $60 for both in EF?

Ya, Thats a bargain today buddy

BAJJERFAN · October 16, 2003 9:57AM

A few semi-keys from the BAJJERFAN collection:

79-CC acpped die

BAJJERFAN · October 16, 2003 10:00AM

Semi key #2. Maybe I should learn to type.

A Nice 95-S

BAJJERFAN · October 16, 2003 10:02AM

Another tough semi-key Morgan.

A Tough To Find 79-CC

BAJJERFAN · October 16, 2003 10:04AM

A fairly nice 95-S.

95-S PCGS AU55

BAJJERFAN · October 16, 2003 10:11AM

I have a few more but they are in hiding and unavailable for pics. Good advice to get those keys and semi keys first or when they become available. Many are scarce in a nice circulated grade; just ask those trying to find em. Besides if YOU don't I will and the prices just keep going UP!
Got this one off eBay awhile back when no one else was interested. The seller was auctioning off coins from his registry set.

A Toughie but a NICE one

Typetone · October 16, 2003 10:11AM

Even in type collecting, I like to try for the "better" dates. I guess I rank dates as key, semi-key, better, and common. Often the better dates only cost a little more. In proof seated halves, something like the 1877 is a great buy. Much harder to find then a common grade for grade, yet it costs the same.

Greg

coinkat · October 16, 2003 10:27AM

Fairlaneman:

I have no doubt whatsoever that you have a nice 1926-s Merc... I just saw the scan that you posted, noticed the angle of the "s" mintmark and thought that you were having alittle fun with us. BTW, FSB on a 1926-s is not all that common...at least from where I sit.

Fairlaneman · October 16, 2003 11:53AM

coinkat

You made me look at the position of the S on some of my other dimes. It appears that around 1925 the position was moved upward and with some of the dates to follow there is a little more slant. Apparently a new person started punching the mint mark in and liked it a little higher. The 26S does appear to have the most slant though. If you were to view the dates before 1926 it would be quite easy to say, Hey this guy is goofing around with us.

Here is the reverse of my 25S that shows the S more upward on the coin but with less slant than the 26S. A Semi-Key the old 25S.

Ken

The semi key dates. Always fun, somewhat affordable, and necessary. Overall a great and undervalue

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