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Least Popular US Series

Started by physics-fan3.14,

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physics-fan3.14

physics-fan3.14

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Random thought I had: if you had to say, which would be the least popular US coin series? That is, which series has the fewest number of dedicated collectors?

 

It seems like the Morgan and Capped Bust Halves are two of the most popular, but I'm curious which one is the least popular.

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TonerGuy

TonerGuy

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20 Cent pieces are probably the least popular since they are rather expensive.

 

I think 2 Cent pieces and 3 Cents pieces as well.

 

SBAs are actually very popular. Dollar coins always are.

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$4 Stellas are not popular either.

 

Probably since they are so expensive...

 

I agree but not because of cost but rather they were never meant for circulation, just gifts to the weathly senators who the majority gave to their mistress. I'm building a complete business and proof sets from 1879 and have no desire for these overpriced good old boys gifts. They're not even rare; you can find 1-3 at every major auction.

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BillJones

BillJones

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Classic series - The Nickel Three Cent Piece. When I was completing my type set, that coin was a hole filler for me, although I did own an 1865 Nickel Three Cent at one time that had some interesting clash marks. The good new is that it only take one to fill the hole in a type set.

 

Modern series - The First Lady gold series. The coins are expensive and most of the women who appear on the coins did not do enough in their lifetimes to warrant a commemorative coin. The unpopularity of this series is reflected in the mintages and number sold. Ironically that will probably result in an advertising promotion in the future which will be based around "their great rarity."

 

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BillJones

BillJones

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20 Cent pieces are probably the least popular since they are rather expensive.

 

Back when I was kid in the 1960s, Twenty Cent Pieces were very popular. There was even one dealer, Fox Valley, that specialized in them.

 

They are still very popular with me. I've been working on a set of Proof and Mint State pieces and need one more to finish, except for the 1876-CC, which is out of my price range.

 

If these things are so unpopular, why can't I find a nice, original surfaced 1875-P in Choice to Gem Mint State? I've been looking for almost two years, and the best I've done was to be 20th person to ask about one Rarities On Line had for sale.

 

Dealers call me up asking for my want list. I tell them I want a really nice 1838-C half eagle and an 1875-P Twenty Cent Piece with original surfaces in MS-64 or 65. They tell me, "Oh we'll get one of those!" We both know that the 1838-C half eagle is virtually impossible, but the double dime seems possible ... at least to them. They never call me back to tell me they have one.

 

Even the Proof 1875-P with original surfaces is hard. I had to over pay for one.

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TonerGuy

TonerGuy

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Back when I was kid in the 1960s, Twenty Cent Pieces were very popular. There was even one dealer, Fox Valley, that specialized in them.

 

They are still very popular with me. I've been working on a set of Proof and Mint State pieces and need one more to finish, except for the 1876-CC, which is out of my price range.

 

If these things are so unpopular, why can't I find a nice, original surfaced 1875-P in Choice to Gem Mint State? I've been looking for almost two years, and the best I've done was to be 20th person to ask about one Rarities On Line had for sale.

 

Dealers call me up asking for my want list. I tell them I want a really nice 1838-C half eagle and an 1875-P Twenty Cent Piece with original surfaces in MS-64 or 65. They tell me, "Oh we'll get one of those!" We both know that the 1838-C half eagle is virtually impossible, but the double dime seems possible ... at least to them. They never call me back to tell me they have one.

 

Even the Proof 1875-P with original surfaces is hard. I had to over pay for one.

 

Perhaps 60 yrs ago they were popular. Im just looking at the Registry here and ATS - and it appears there are only few others chasing top coins.

 

Personally I like them, they are just esoteric in todays hobby as are the other odd denomination coins.

 

 

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World Colonial

World Colonial

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$4 Stellas are not popular either.

 

Probably since they are so expensive...

 

I agree but not because of cost but rather they were never meant for circulation, just gifts to the weathly senators who the majority gave to their mistress. I'm building a complete business and proof sets from 1879 and have no desire for these overpriced good old boys gifts. They're not even rare; you can find 1-3 at every major auction.

 

I agree with you. I consider the 1879 Flowing Hair one of the most overpriced and over rated US classic coins since it is actually a pattern. I have always assumed that its price is a function of collectors "needing" it to complete a type set since it is included in the Red Book.

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World Colonial

World Colonial

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If these things are so unpopular, why can't I find a nice, original surfaced 1875-P in Choice to Gem Mint State? I've been looking for almost two years, and the best I've done was to be 20th person to ask about one Rarities On Line had for sale.

 

I don't believe your experience is contradicted by their relative lack of popularity. Given your very narrow criteria, I'm not surprised you can't find one you like since it is presumably scarce in the quality you want to buy it.

 

I presume the 20c is one of the least popular series due to its short life. I also presume you cannot find one because out of thousands of US colllectors who can afford a coin at its price point, there are still more who want it than the relatively limited supply.

 

I encounter this regularly with the coins I collect even I am willing to buy coins in lower quality than you just described. Just today, I was looking at the second install ment of the "Isabella" collection on Sixbid. I was hoping that I would finally find some quality Lima (Peru) pillar minors for dates not listed in the census of which there are few anyway. There is exactly one coin I will try to buy. The other dates are mostly not available at all and for the few in it, poor quality. Since this is presumably one of the best (or at least most complete) collections of its type in the world, I have no idea where I will ever find them.

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BillJones

BillJones

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I agree with you. I consider the 1879 Flowing Hair one of the most overpriced and over rated US classic coins since it is actually a pattern. I have always assumed that its price is a function of collectors "needing" it to complete a type set since it is included in the Red Book.

 

It galled me David Bowers included both designs for the Four Dollar Gold Piece in his Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Those coins are patterns. They were never issued as regular U.S. coins and have no place in a U.S. coin type set.

 

Are they interesting? Yes. Are they essential to a set a set of made for circulation U.S. coins? Decidedly not.

 

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World Colonial

World Colonial

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Random thought I had: if you had to say, which would be the least popular US coin series? That is, which series has the fewest number of dedicated collectors?

 

It seems like the Morgan and Capped Bust Halves are two of the most popular, but I'm curious which one is the least popular.

 

I believe it is a "toss up" between the 3CN, 3CS and 2c with the 20c a runner up.

 

However, in expressing this opinion, I qualify it with a comment I made once before on another thread. The apparent popularity of any coin or series is also a function of its price and availability.

 

The Morgan dollar and Capped Bust half are popular but I don't believe they are actually more popular than many (notice I did not say all) series with fewer collectors. For example, I believe that most collectors who buy them would actually prefer to collect early dollars and halves but cannot afford them and even if they could, the coins aren't available in sufficient quality that they would like to buy anyway.

 

To further elaborate, I don't consider the 1801-1807 half dollar scarce as a type, even in higher grades. It is somewhat scarce by my standards in "choice" condition (from an eye appeal perspective as an AU or MS). The 1801 and 1802 are rare in higher grades and since there are many die varieties, presumably a relatively large number but still low percentage are rare under this criteria. These coins are "scarce" versus the number who would like to own them, but not absolutely.

 

Another consideration is the sheer number of US collectors. With 1MM+ "serious" collectors and probably between 100,000 and 250,000 spending "real money", it's virtually a mathematical certainty that most series are going to have a relatively large number actively collecting them at relatively substantial premiums given the price level and price structure of US coins today generally.

 

One of the posts here mentioned the SBA dollar as unpopular. I have noticed that the number of registry sets and census counts are higher than i would expect (given my very low opinion of its merits) but I don't see that this in and of itself makes this coin that popular anyway. I consider it one of the least popular series in US coinage, I suspect that its current popularity is dominated by registry set collectors and it's relatively low price since many of them probably can't afford much else within US coinage in a quality they want to buy otherwise.

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RWB

RWB

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I agree with you. I consider the 1879 Flowing Hair one of the most overpriced and over rated US classic coins since it is actually a pattern. I have always assumed that its price is a function of collectors "needing" it to complete a type set since it is included in the Red Book.

 

It galled me David Bowers included both designs for the Four Dollar Gold Piece in his Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Those coins are patterns. They were never issued as regular U.S. coins and have no place in a U.S. coin type set.

 

Are they interesting? Yes. Are they essential to a set a set of made for circulation U.S. coins? Decidedly not.

 

Agreed. Stellas were not regular issue coins and should not be part of the regular Guide book listings.

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World Colonial

World Colonial

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Id put Roosevelts, Sacs/Prez as the least popular modern.

Roosevelt's are still popular. You can get some good pieces that are affordable

 

Price and popularity are inversely correlated.

 

Outside of specialization, none of these coins are remotely scarce. However, that they are affordable compared to a series such as the Mercury dime where I understand the former series is frequently more common for the post 1933 dates is a reflection that it is one of the least popular series. Because if this were not true, then the clad issues which are or are supposed to be scarcer in grade would sell for more instead of less or a lot less. This is an example of a series whose apparent popularity is almost certainly a function of the limited financial capacity of those who buy them.

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BillJones

BillJones

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2 cent pieces, SBAs, 3CNs and half cents are what I think. Sacs as well.

 

Half cents have a very significant following in the Early American Coppers club. There are books that have been published not just on die varieties but on die states as well. The very high prices realized in the "Missouri Cabinet Sale" also show how popular these coins are among a fair number of specialists. The only half cent type that could be called "unpopular" is the Braided Hair" type which was minted for general circulation from 1849 to 1857.

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