SMS and Business Strike collecting

[Lastufka Collection]

When putting together a collection, do you typically include both the SMS and Business Strike versions of each coin?

 

I'm a bit of a completist and I hate empty slots, in my own excel spreadsheet, or the NGC registry. But I second guess myself when it comes to tracking down 30 different quarters for one single year (statehood through the parks (5 Ps, 5 Ds, 5 P SMSs, 5 D SMSs, 5 S clads, 5 S silvers for each year)). Don't get me wrong, it's a ton of fun, I love it! But my girlfriend is starting to look at me weird when the 27th quarter this week comes in the mail...

 

They're not terribly expensive, I'm just not sure if it's a little bit of overkill or not. I haven't started a Morgan or Peace dollar set at all yet because the Varieties are scaring me off. I know I would want them all, heh.

 

I'll be honest and say that I like the SMS finish slightly better than the business strike, but because they were specially prepared by the mint, and aren't circulated, they feel a little bit like cheating when collecting in higher grades.

 

Anyway, just wanted to hear a bit about your personal collecting habits when it comes to SMS vs business strike coins.

 

 

[bsshog40]

Well if you're looking at investment wise, I think the Busines strike is the best way to go and I wouldn't mess with the sms coins. If you're looking at completeing a whole series, then it really just adds up to how complete you want it or what you consider is complete. Just go with the Busines strikes or SMS. It's would really be your preference. Me?? I stay with business strikes.

[cpm9ball]

Like Bobby, I prefer the business strikes only.

 

When the Uncirculated Mint Sets were introduced with the satin finish in 2005, I bought a bunch of them. As I examined each coin in those sets, I thought that there would be so many 70's awarded by the grading services that it wouldn't be "fun" to collect them. There would be no challenge to finding that perfect coin.

 

It was then that I decided not to add the satin finish to the collection of Sacagawea dollars that I was building. It's harder to find the Sac business strikes in MS68, and I honestly don't believe that the satin finish 70's deserve to be in the same collection.

 

Chris