In general terms, how do you feel about Varieties and collecting by Variety??
keets
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Although Die Variety collecting may seem to be a new phenomenon of the Hobby, enjoying an unheard of BOOM since the Internet came of age and we reached the turn of the Century, it has actually been around ever since collectors started to look at coins. What I wonder is how members feel about this simple fact: The shape of a numeral or letter, the curve of a loop on a MM, a certain die crack location or other seemingly insignificant anomaly can be the source of great monetary value. While I do admit to having a slight interest in certain Varieties, the trend as a whole perplexes me. Am I alone in that??
Al H.
Al H.
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these are both good examples of why a Variety is cool since they can both be seen with the naked eye. the kind of stuff i'm talking about is like a T1/T2 1981 SBA. with stuff like that it can be difficult for an experienced collector to tell the difference even with a 10X loupe!! graders for PCGS/NGC have even mistakenly called T1's the scarcer T2.
19th Century varieties can often be discerned with the naked eye, whereas 20th/21st century varieties slowly become more microscopic and miniscule in comparison.
The easier to see and make-out a variety, the more desireable (in general) and appealing the variety is to collectors.
Rarity and Popularity also take a part in value, along with catchy nicknames of different varieties!
I like varieties/die marriages from the 19th century Bust coinage for a number of the reasons listed above
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Morgans are a good example. You can get a set of PCGS MS64 Morgans that all look alike. If you add some varieties, like some repunched dates, doubling, or a listable die crack or gouge, it just adds an interest factor to the set.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
mbogoman
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345Asesabi Lutho
<< <i>who wouldn't like a 1918/7s 25c or a 55 ddo in their collection. >>
This is in a friends Lincoln variety set and to me his neatest piece as it's unique since it's the only known proof double struck Lincoln Cent with the "wheat ears" reverse.
This piece has a slight rotation between both strikes.
1955 Double Struck ANACS PROOF 64 RED
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
However, I have just minor passing interest in die varieties from 1836 to about 1892, and just about zero interest in modern varieties, not all of which I am sure are unintentionally produced
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This is a good point. When combined with visibility, it suggests the kinds of varieties that are more likely to be recognized by a broad section of collectors. Once things go down the “rat hole” of ever increasing magnification and sub-varieties of varieties, most lose interest.
I knew the late Roger Cohen who wrote the first good half cent books. He and I got together one time and did a display at an EAC convention of all the varieties. I did the graphics, and supplied what coins I had, and he filled in all the blanks I didn't have. It was a blast!
I don't have much use for variety collecting after about 1850 or so. The differences just don't amount to much.
The big trouble I had was that once I reached a certain point, I hit a wall. I just couldn't get any more varieites. My interest waned and I sold my half cent collection for "seed money" when I became a dealer. I still miss SOME of those half cents ...
There are some that are so minor, so insignificant in the overall appearance of the coin, that it leaves me scratching my head why anyone would care about them, or pay any premium at all. Obviously, there are more than a few collectors out there for any variety, so they are all important to someone.
It seems, that as time has gone by, the varieties found on current coinage have gotten more and more difficult to see. Of course there are exceptions to this (Wisconsin xtra leaves, Duke Ellington DDR), but the mint has definitely reduced the output of significant varieties overall. Those that are found are hyped to the extreme in giant coin world ads, eBay, and TV, and I think this dimishes them and variety collecting as a whole in the eyes of collectors.
Anything newer than the latest Classic Commemorative simply does not interest me.
<< <i>Die Marriages/Varieties from the 19th century are far more important than most modern 20th/21st century Varieties.
19th Century varieties can often be discerned with the naked eye, whereas 20th/21st century varieties slowly become more microscopic and miniscule in comparison.
The easier to see and make-out a variety, the more desireable (in general) and appealing the variety is to collectors.
Rarity and Popularity also take a part in value, along with catchy nicknames of different varieties!
I like varieties/die marriages from the 19th century Bust coinage for a number of the reasons listed above >>
I find 20th century (especially moderns) varieties more interesting than the older ones.
Dies were hand cut in the old days and there were significant difference between each
die making every coin a variety. Something that appears on most or all coins is less in-
teresting to me rather than more interesting. Yes, if you're studying these old dies and
marriages it can be extremely instructive and fascinating but simply collecting the more
affordable issues would be far less so.
Modern dies are made by machine with high precision and telling one die fromn another
requires a close eye with uncs and is impossible usually with circulated examples. When
it's possible to spot these it makes them far more interesting. If they are in circulation
then they can be used to map coin distribution and to help understand usage. Great
amounts of information can be discerned.
It is true that for the main part modern varieties require either a little education or mag-
nification but this isn't universally true. ProofArtWorkonCircs can tell a type "b" reverse
clad quarter from feel alone and I can spot type "d's" from half way across the room.
Sure some will require a closer look but there are quite a few that can be seen with the
naked eye and these can be found in pocket change and are sometimes scarce.
I like all varieties though and can't help saving anything that's different even if it's just an
old transportation token. Really if you don't pay attention to this you'll never notice when
you get a scarcer token in rare condition.
It's just a matter of collector preference though. Knowledge is important in this hobby
and a nice cherry pick is always welcome even in areas you don't collect.
I do enjoy looking through coins to see if any of them are undiscovered varieties, and I do enjoy discussion of them. So, I see the growing popularity of varieties to be good for the hobby.
If you enjoy varieties and all the subtle nuances of die clashes, faint doublings, and so forth, and you like pulling out the magnifier and studying the fine details of coins, then varieties are for you. But, they're not for everyone, and for most of us, just building sets by dates and mint marks is work enough, let alone adding sometimes pricy major varieties.
<< <i>I find it boring. >>
Yeah, until you pick up a rare one that's unattributed and your heart nearly stops beating until you can get the wallet out of your pants to pay the dealer. Then and only then can you breathe again.
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In addition to die varieties I think die states are cool - especially the late ones.
I personally would much rather have a wider variety of date/mintmark coins.
My Complete PROOF Lincoln Cent with Major Varieties(1909-2015)Set Registry
Feel free to check out how I am doing by following the link below.
Greg
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
EAC 6024
<< <i>
<< <i>I find it boring. >>
Yeah, until you pick up a rare one that's unattributed and your heart nearly stops beating until you can get the wallet out of your pants to pay the dealer. Then and only then can you breathe again. >>
I like variety collecting. Currently I am collecting varieties of all the dime series. In fact I am trying to get PCGS to add some of the neat dimes that are not in CPG thus not part of the PCGS Registry.
<< <i>I like variety collecting. Currently I am collecting varieties of all the dime series. In fact I am trying to get PCGS to add some of the neat dimes that are not in CPG thus not part of the PCGS Registry. >>
I think you are just trying to make the rest of our lives difficult....getting all of these others added.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
I can't imagine an otherwise complete collection without including the major varities.
Since I have only complete collections, I have nearly all the major varities. Here's my list.
1. Cents; 1873 double "Liberty", 1869/69, 1922 no D, 1955 DDO, 1969-S DDO, 1972 DDO, 1983 DDR, 1990 no S proof.
2. 5 Cents; 1914/3-P,1916/1916, 1918/7, 1937 3 legs. Lots of 2 feathers but not major to me.
3. 10 Cents; 1942/1, 1942/1-D. Again, 1945-S, small S but not a major.
4. 25 Cents; 1918/7.
5. 50 Cents; 1892-O, small o.
I might have left out some as I'm doing this from memory.
Most of these are in better condition than the set itself.
JMHO.
JT
I collect all 20th century series except gold including those series that ended there.
Now for the practical aspect that benefits all collectors... with all the fake crap coming out of China (which is getting better with each generation, a working knowledge of die varieties will be the last line of defense against counterfiets!
<< <i>I read these last night but was too tired trying to understand some of the responses I waited to give my view. Here it is.
I can't imagine an otherwise complete collection without including the major varities.
Since I have only complete collections, I have nearly all the major varities. Here's my list.
1. Cents; 1873 double "Liberty", 1869/69, 1922 no D, 1955 DDO, 1969-S DDO, 1972 DDO, 1983 DDR, 1990 no S proof.
2. 5 Cents; 1914/3-P,1916/1916, 1918/7, 1937 3 legs. Lots of 2 feathers but not major to me.
3. 10 Cents; 1942/1, 1942/1-D. Again, 1945-S, small S but not a major.
4. 25 Cents; 1918/7.
5. 50 Cents; 1892-O, small o.
I might have left out some as I'm doing this from memory.
Most of these are in better condition than the set itself.
JMHO.
>>
I don't disagree but one of the things I like about varieties it allows each collector
to define what "complete" means for himself. In fact for me they are almost like
icing on the cake since if one is too rare or expensive I can exclude it. I can have
as much or as little icing as I desire and still have my cake.
I don't really understand why using magnification would be a turn off to all of these people. Small cents are afterall, well...small. It's finding that doubled date, motto, liberty, etc. under the glass that breaths life into this hobby for me. Something different than just a new date every year...
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"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Even the small cent patterns were cool - 4 varieties of the J208, for instance, all naked eye varieties.
A word of caution, however - try to buy them at common prices since most collectors want to cherry pick them and they are hard to sell at retail.
For more modern coins where the differences are minute, it seems kind of contrived.
To each his own, however.
With Lincolns I try to stick with about the top 100 but I still smile if I find a lesser one.
The neat thing about it is that you size your interests as you get into it. You might start out by only knowing about the top dogs then keep adding to it. At some point you might re-set your standards because as the varieties get smaller the numbers increase, set your standards where you want to.