Finished My Walker Short Set

[Walkerfan]

It was my year end goal and an enlightening experience.

 

While I was building my early set; I had hit a roadblock and was getting burned out looking for good coins, in the right grades, so I decided to work on the short set, as a relaxing diversion----a way of keeping me involved, while still looking for the really rare and expensive stuff. It was just some cheap fun, at first! It also had some overlap with my one per date set that I was also working on, as I had almost all of those early coins already filled out except for one and I needed to start finding coins dated from 1934-1947.

 

At first, I thought that it would be 'easy' to build a short set and I had always believed in buying the keys first, which I still advocate and am very glad that I did, so this is another reason and the WHY that I waited, until now, to complete the short set. BUT little did I know how challenging the S minted short set coins would actually be. I always knew that they were difficult but I have earned a completely new respect for the Walker short set, now, by actually putting one together. Even the D minted coins can be struck softly and are not easy to find lustrous, smooth and original examples but, with some diligent searching, nice ones can be found that are worthwhile and that meet those requirements. The eye appeal can also be off the charts for the short set imho. The Walker is, after all, a beautiful design.

 

It took me 2 years and 8 months to assemble it. My weighted GPA is about 66.10. I have two MS 65s (1941-S OGH and 1942-S rattler), three MS 67s (1941, 1942 & 1943 Philadelphia coins), two MS 66 +s (1946 & 1947 Philly coins) and the rest are all MS 66s. It is almost split right down the middle between the two grading services, too, with 45% PCGS and 55% NGC coins, as I buy the coin and not the holder. I also look for older slabs, when I can find them. Finding ones that have CAC stickers are nice, too, if I don't have to pay a hefty premium for them. I was lucky to find some fully original pieces, as well, that have some rich color (1945-D, 1945-S & 1947 P), I wound up ranked in the 17th position at NGC and I am done with the short set. I am very happy with those grades and with those particular coins, so I will NOT be upgraded anything, at all, unless something really extraordinary comes along and at a decent price.

 

My last two coins were a 1946 P PCGS MS 66+ (my mom's birth year) and a 1945 P PCGS MS 66---both of which I purchased yesterday. Both of these are CAC green stickered and the 1945 has a PCGS 30th anniversary green label, which I think is kind of cool. I thought that I paid a little too much for the 1945 P coin but after research (Heritage & other major auction archives) I have found that other CAC'ed PCGS MS 66 examples are going for a premium, so I am very happy with that price and I like the green label AND the green bean. But most importantly I like the coin.

 

Cheers to all and have a great weekend!!

 

WF

 

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[jackson64]

Congrats on finishing the set. I visited and you have a very good eye for Walkers.

If you are like me however, you'll find that you never truly "finish" --as the slight numerical upgrade or one with amazing eye appeal will have you replacing the existing ones. I filled the final slot on my short set several years ago but still peruse every auction "just in case."

Again, well done on a very nice set.

[Walkerfan]

Congrats on finishing the set. I visited and you have a very good eye for Walkers.

If you are like me however, you'll find that you never truly "finish" --as the slight numerical upgrade or one with amazing eye appeal will have you replacing the existing ones. I filled the final slot on my short set several years ago but still peruse every auction "just in case."

Again, well done on a very nice set.

 

Thank You. I really like your set, also---it's top notch.

 

I thought that I would have that problem, too----being compelled to constantly improve but I really don't.

 

I am well satisfied and I think that I crave 'completion' more than 'improvement', just as long as the coins that I add have nice appeal and are in my optimal and/or acceptable grade range and not below.

[coinman_23885]

Congrats on finishing the set. I visited and you have a very good eye for Walkers... Again, well done on a very nice set.

 

+1

[coinsbygary]

Congratulations, that's quite an accomplishment! Even better than the completion of a set is the quality of coins in it and yours are top notch! As for the coin you pictured, there are 66+'s and then there are eye popping 66+'s, your 1946 Walker is the latter! All the best in whatever you decide to collect in the future.

Gary

[CBC]

Congratulations on completing such a fine set!

 

I have to agree with jackson64; I have "finished" my short set several times, only to run across an upgrade that just wouldn't let me pass it by, like the MS-67* 1941 shown below.

 

You have quite an impressive collection of the early dates also. Most of the pre-1929 issues are way beyond my budget in anything above AU, and the 1921's are out of reach even in XF. But I can always dream.

 

Again, congratulations and good luck filling the holes in the early date set.

 

(Don't know why this photo shows as a link........).

[Walkerfan]

Congratulations on completing such a fine set!

 

I have to agree with jackson64; I have "finished" my short set several times, only to run across an upgrade that just wouldn't let me pass it by, like the MS-67* 1941 shown below.

 

You have quite an impressive collection of the early dates also. Most of the pre-1929 issues are way beyond my budget in anything above AU, and the 1921's are out of reach even in XF. But I can always dream.

 

Again, congratulations and good luck filling the holes in the early date set.

 

(Don't know why this photo shows as a link........).

 

Thanks, I truly appreciate it. You have a fine set, as well, and that is a nice looking 1941-P. It looks to have some great color.

[BrokCoinCollector]

Congrats on finishing. I started a Ike album a few years ago and am having tourble finishing it. I find coins I think look good and fit in the set until I put them next to other coins in the set and yeah it's not going to fit in.

[McBlzr]

Congrats on a fine job Walkerfan !

 

I was pleased just to complete the two circulated Whitman albums, with a few of the Keys in slabs.