"Complete" Short Set???--Poll

[jackson64]

I saw on another forum a surprisingly strong-opinioned debate as to whether a Complete short set could truly be called complete...

 

a simple yes or no poll....and post your reasoning--thanks

 

 

[physics-fan3.14]

A complete short set of what? What are we talking about here?

[Revenant]

You collect what you want. The set is complete when the collector says it's complete. Look at the 1932 set in my sig. It's complete because I have no interest in paying a fortune for a 1932 double eagle.

 

[astrostu]

Basically what the others said. Let's say I want to complete all ASEs from the 21st Century. So I have 2001 through 2008. I'd call that a complete set. Even though it doesn't have anything from 1986-2000, nor anything from 2009+. But it's still a complete set of 21st Century ASEs. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

Personally, I may feel that's a little unsatisfying, though, but not incomplete. To be satisfied, I would want a true complete set of ASEs, but that would be expanding my goal from a complete 21st Century set to a complete full-series set.

 

I think the key thing here is there's a difference between a complete collector-defined set vs. what that collector may deem as satisfactory relative to a complete series set.

 

Do you have a link to the post you mentioned? Perhaps then we could comment specifically on their arguments.

[James_OldeTowne]

One ought not to impose his opinion of what comprises a "complete set" on others. Let's use Mercury dimes, for example. Is a complete set every regular issue from 1916 - 1945? What about the overdates? What about the "micro S", not to mention other mintmark varieties?

[Dcoin]

Complete is when the collector says its complete.

[jesbroken]

It's according to what the person collecting the coin has in mind. Should they wish to collect all of the P mint set of Franklin halves then then when they get them all they are done and that set is complete. Now if what you are saying is that someone is selling a complete set of Franklin halves with only P mints in the set without explanation then that would be wrong. You could construe that as being a falsehood.

Jim

[michael]

Complete is when the collector says its complete.

 

(thumbs u

 

in my minds eye a short set is complete and also sexy to boot i rather have a short set with money left over for some other type of coin not to put my eggs in one basket

 

and i do not like to look at many, MANY of the same coin in a collection as it is too boring

 

this is why i like type coins

 

diversify it always rewards the advanced collector in many ways

[supertooth]

Hello Folks---- Walker collectors are usually pretty serious collectors---especially after you are in it for awhile. Thusly, you must forgive jackson 64 for assuming that everyone knew that "short set" referred to Walkers. He is just a Walker lover.

 

At any rate, the albums made the 1941--47 coins the "short set". When I was a kid, the Whitman books went from 1916--40 and the second blue book from 1941--47. So, it's easy to see why a lot of collectors easily fell into the "short set" thinking pattern. It is also true that, because the later dates were more readily available, it did become easier to just collect the "short set"---rather than trying for the complete 65 coin set. It was also MUCH EASIER to market the short set. The coins were available----while the "early" dates were not out there in the numbers that would be required. Early dated coins were also much more expensive.

 

A Walker "set" to me is the full set of coins----all 65 of them. But, if I hear "short set", then I immediately think 1941--47. And, if I hear "long short set", I immediately think 1934--47. So, as others have said, it is as complete as the individual collector wants to make it to be. Whether it might or might NOT be what another collector believes, is of little importance.

 

It is also a function of time spent too. You can collect later dated Walkers fairly easily and fairly cheaply. Not a lot of time invested in it---unless you strive for the very best coins. But, if you want to collect the "early" dated coins, then a lot of time and money are required. Then it becomes a matter of how dedicated a Walker collector that you want to be?? It also requires a tremendous amount of patience. It can become a lifelong endeavor---especially if you seek totally original material.

 

But, however the collector might chose to collect, the beauty of the coin speaks for itself. Bob [supertooth]