Complete Date/Mint set of Classic Commems

[RockMyAmadeus]

Has anybody here ever assembled one?

 

If so, was it just a matter of throwing money at it, or were there some date/mints that were genuinely difficult to track down, regardless of condition?

 

If not, is there a grade threshhold that changes that? MS65...?

 

Just looking for thoughts.

 

And yes, after never owning anything other than Columbian halves, in the past year or so I've gotten the Classic Commem bug, and have bought several others, and have now owned a grand total of 5 different issues.

 

 

It's quite fun.

[MJ]

Speaking Gem Mint------All easy to find extant. None scarce extant. However, that is if you are just putting together a technical set. If you are putting together a toned and or eye appealing set there are several tough coins. Just to name a few

 

Cincinnati 36-S

Lexington

Hudson

Huguenot

Hawaiian

Sequi

 

Delaware's, Lynchburg's and Vermont's can be extremely challenging with color.

 

MJ

[leeg]

in the past year or so I've gotten the Classic Commem bug

 

(thumbs u

 

I'm working on the 50 piece series.

 

Lower mintage examples can be tough as MJ stated above.

 

I look more to Eye Appeal than grade.

[BillJones]

I finished the 50 piece type set years ago and then went on to the gold as well. The silver coins require money more than anything else, and you can put the set together in MS-65 fairly easily if you afford to do so. Many of these coins were saved and the later dates (1930s and later) went into the hands of collectors who knew how to preserve them.

 

A lot of the earlier pieces (1892 to 1928) were acquired by non collectors who mishandled them. For that reason the Lafayette dollar, Pan-Pacific half dollar and Missouri half dollars are a challenge for collectors on a budget who are looking for attractive pieces. The Monroe and 1926 Sesquicentennial are hard to find in attractive condition because of the idiosyncrasies of their designs and die work. This is also true for the Pan Pacific half dollar, and in the gold series the Pan Pacific quarter eagle.

 

As MJ stated, the set gets very tough and expensive when you start to shop for pieces with exceptional toning. That’s not my area so I will leave that discussion to those with more expertise.

 

Just to show you how common the 50 piece set is, my complete set ranges in grade from MS-63 to 66, and I’m #51 in the NGC registry set standings.

[AnkurJ]

I have a handful in my collection. Only those designs that I find interesting such as the Pan Pac and designs I love like the Lincoln and Oregon. They seem so common that I dont think doing a full set would be very exciting for me.

[BillJones]

I have a handful in my collection. Only those designs that I find interesting such as the Pan Pac and designs I love like the Lincoln and Oregon. They seem so common that I dont think doing a full set would be very exciting for me.

 

Buying one of the many fine books that have been written about the early commemorative coins really adds their interest in my opinion. The books by Dave Bowers come to mind along with "encyclopedia" by Breen and Swiatek. There is also a long forgotten book by Don Taxay that shows illustratons of the proposals for the designs that were rejected along with drawings and rough drafts of the designs that were used.

 

There was a lot of hanky-panky connected win the issuance of these coins, and it makes for a fun read.

[dimefreak]

Speaking Gem Mint------All easy to find extant. None scarce extant. However, that is if you are just putting together a technical set. If you are putting together a toned and or eye appealing set there are several tough coins. Just to name a few

 

Cincinnati 36-S

Lexington

Hudson

Huguenot

Hawaiian

Sequi

 

Delaware's, Lynchburg's and Vermont's can be extremely challenging with color.

 

MJ

 

For the longest time Cincinnatis were hard with color but in the last year or so I have seen many nice colorful examples surface. Not blow your mind color but appealing nonetheless...... THe rest of the coins on your list I agree with.

[BillJones]

I bought this Cincinnati years ago at a FUN show. The color is hardly spectacular, but it's interesting.

 

[jom]

For the longest time Cincinnatis were hard with color but in the last year or so I have seen many nice colorful examples surface. Not blow your mind color but appealing nonetheless...... THe rest of the coins on your list I agree with.

 

Frankly, that would worry me....the "all of a sudden" presence of toned material on the market could be a problem. Especially commems...

 

jom

[BillJones]

For the longest time Cincinnatis were hard with color but in the last year or so I have seen many nice colorful examples surface. Not blow your mind color but appealing nonetheless...... THe rest of the coins on your list I agree with.

 

Frankly, that would worry me....the "all of a sudden" presence of toned material on the market could be a problem. Especially commems...

 

jom

 

I'm not a big color guy. I'd rather pay premiums for rarity and originality than color.

[MJ]

DimeFreak, I was specially referring to the Cincinnati 36-S. To me that is the single toughest piece in the 144 pc set with color. ( it's a tough coin period) I've seen a handful of few of them with color and they weren't for sale.

 

Believe it or not the Oregon 38-P is a tough coin to find with nice color. The S and D no problem........These came from the same card but I don't know what became of the 38-P. I want to know!!!! MJ

 

[dimefreak]

MJ- Im not immersed enough to know so I will take your word on it! (thumbs u BTW those are 1938's my friend.

[MJ]

MJ- Im not immersed enough to know so I will take your word on it! (thumbs u BTW those are 1938's my friend.

 

Thanks! I meant 38 and I changed the post. MJ