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Why pay the premium?

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I've considered collecting Merc dimes and/or Standing Liberty quarters. I've seen some really shaky grading on full split bands and full heads. It seems to me that collecting a set with the best coins that didn't quite make it would be an interesting challenge. For instance, a 1945 with 98% full bands would sell for 98% less than one with 100% bands and yet you might not really see the difference.

 

Why are the coins that just made it worth appreciably more than the coins that just missed?

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people like to have the best, and they have money burning holes in their pockets.

 

personally, i would go after a set of walkers, concentrating on full thumbs and skirt lines before they get a grade designation.

 

as for mercs and slq's, i'd go after the near misses if the eye appeal is there and the coins are still well struck. i've seen some slq fh specimens that are poorly struck and butt ugly.

 

evp

 

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I think many people would ask a hefty premium for a 98% split band 1945 dime.

If the flat band coin is worth $20 I wouldn't be surprised at an ask price of $500-1000 or even more. You might have to fall back to an 80% band coin to see a minimal premium. Just my opinion as I'm no merc expert. I'll bet some of the FSB coins in holders are in fact 90-95% bands. I see many FSB coins that when tilted show breaks in the split. That isn't good. It should be fully separated no matter what angle the coin is viewed from.

 

Sets are the rage but I'd be more inclined to buy just a few key and undervalued pieces from each date set. The ones that everyone always wants or needs.

 

roadrunner

 

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There was an MS65 on ebay that just missed - it went reasonably cheap (on the order of $500). Seems to me that saving the $4,000 for a tiny bit of metal is in order.

 

Of course, strike has always been a low priority for me. I like eye appeal, luster, lack of hairlines, lack of marks and then strike (unless it's flat as a pancake).

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Why are the coins that just made it worth appreciably more than the coins that just missed?

 

Oh my god. You really don't get it. How many registry points does a near miss get? It's all about the points!!!!!

 

Seriously, I have no idea why. Why are UGLY MS63s worth much more than AU58s that have a light rub and look MS67?

 

I guess people want a number and a designation, but don't care about the quality/cost ratio.

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TDN,

 

Want a real challenge on SLQ's, and avoid that Full Head premium? Try to find SLQ's that have all the shield rivets fully struck. Even most FH quarters do not have that attribute, and you can many times find them with most of the head defined.

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Seriously, I have no idea why. Why are UGLY MS63s worth much more than AU58s that have a light rub and look MS67?

 

Thanks for ruining my business plan for putting together a cheap Type Set. Now that people know that an AU-58 looks better than a MS-62 that costs twice as much, I'm going to have competition.

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Not only all the shield rivets but also lines that are straight and not fused in the walls adjacent Liberty's legs. But if strike is of little matter, then I certainly would avoid the full head/ full bands coins. Some folks collect Jefferson nickels this way - those that just miss "full steps" garner significantly less than those that make it. There are some terrifically eye appealing coins that have poor strikes.

 

Hoot

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