can my compulsion for completion be quelled or do I just finish the set?

When I started my Barber Half set it was with simple parameters and an understanding. First: I would build a "short set" of Barbers. No registry or even any album that I'm aware of has a barber half short set but it seems to me to provide the perfect series for a partial collection of a much larger series.

The division I made was for the 1900 thru 1915 dates. This allows for a clear division by century and also allows for an easier set. Many of the dates from 1892 thru 1899 are really scarce and pricey so that made my decision to pursue a simpler and shorter set more attractive.

There are plenty of challenging dates in the shorter set with the 01-S, 04-S ( which can be $1000+ in VF 20 grade) and the super low mintage 1913, 14 and 15 philly coins. This set also surprises with many other challenging "semi-keys" which are pretty hard to find in circulated but undamaged condition. The VF to XF grade coins are actually pretty scarce for Barbers if you are looking for examples that have not been cleaned, scratched, dinged, gouged, hairlined etc etc.

I can also say that whereas most list values from numismedia, coinworld and collectors universe are higher than the actual costs and resale values of coins--with the Barber halves, it is hard to near impossible to find certified and quality circulated examples below the list costs.--I don't know whether there is some unintentional collusion or just high collector demand for limited numbers of coins, but Barbers list values are lower than their selling/buying costs.

So this less challenging set of my own creation has still been quite challenging. After several years I have finally whittled the empty slots down to a smaller handful and have 39 coins in the collection.-( granted, many of the final few will cost me several hundred each for F or VF condition when I can find them.)

So, decision time looms closer--when I finally fill that last slot from 1900 thru 1915. Do I go ahead and fill the dates from 1892 thru 1899? Will I have to change my criteria for some of the dates that are super scarce?-or will I sell and exchange and trade enough to be able to afford the few thousand bucks for a micro-O in an F12 grade?

I don't have to decide just yet, but the time for beginning to think about it is here. Right now I'm leaning toward finishing the short set and then beginning a nice 3c nickel collection...time will tell..

The latest uber-crusty addition to my set. A nice 1902-O with darker browns and patches of cobalt--even has some light luster with its uncleaned patina

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