Sets or individual pieces, which brngs the greater value?

[TJ'S Coins]

What is the best way to sell a set? All together or individually? Is there a premium attached to a complete set?

[WinstonWare]

Any particular type of set that you mean e.g. mint set, proof set, complete series set?

[kryptonitecomics]

Individual coins tend to sell for more than sets.....but their are certainly plenty of exceptions to that rule. The time and energy of selling large sets of coins can add up quickly so their are plenty of times where I will sell a group of items together to save myself some hassle.

[TJ'S Coins]

Any particular type of set that you mean e.g. mint set, proof set, complete series set?

 

Complete series set such Lincoln sets, Jefferson Nickels, Washington Quarters, Franklin Halves, etc.

 

Walkers from 1933S-1947D

 

Year sets such as Morgans or Peace Dollars.

[WinstonWare]

I don’t know why I asked. I still don’t know the answer . Sorry about that

[James_OldeTowne]

A complete set is worth more IF it is obvious that the coins were matched with care, and not just jumbled together without a distinct goal. I have seen this many times, where a complete set in an auction brings three, four or more times the total value of the individual coins.

 

On the flip side, a complete set that lacks the keys is worth a little less than the total value of the coins. (Example: a Liberty nickel set lacking the 1885, 1886 and 1912-S.)

 

These are of course generalized answers, but it is what I've found in my experience (I specialize in compiling complete sets).

[EZ_E]

I believe that, in general, individual coins sell more than a complete set. A modern example is modern proof sets. Individually, the coins are worth multiples of the set.

 

And, look at James Garcia's collection of high grade Kennedy halves. With the coins cracked out of their respective holders, the set is worth much less than he has invested in it. But a collector should strive to please his own tastes, profit be damned!

[cpm9ball]

And, look at James Garcia's collection of high grade Kennedy halves. With the coins cracked out of their respective holders, the set is worth much less than he has invested in it.

 

Judging from the quality of the coins and the extent to which James has tried to match them, I'd say that his set would be worth much more than the average set to the right collector. Sooner or later, a buyer will come along who is looking for just that kind of quality and will be more than willing to pay for it. In the mean time, James is in the enviable position of owning a set that is probably unsurpassed..

 

Chris

[TomB]

One thing to keep in mind is the cost of your time and efforts. If you sell a set intact you may get slightly less than if you parsed the pieces individually, but the added expenses and missed opportunity costs can more than negate the increase in apparent income.

[James_OldeTowne]

Here is an example that demonstrate a complete collection selling for more (actually much, much more) than the sum value of the individual coins. Although "toning" is emphasized in the description, I can assure you that I looked at ALL of the coins in person, and none of them had toning that was all that spectacular - certainly not to the extent of the realized prices:

 

Jefferson Nickel set $1350 + 15%

There is NO WAY you could sell these coins individually and hope to realize $1552.50!

[LuvToCollect]

As far as moderns are concerned the single slabs usualy bring more as a set than the milti-holders.I have seen some multi-holder sets that I liked but I gravatate towards single slabs.If you find a multi-holder set you like and get it cheap enough you can always resubmit them to be split into single slabs.

[Tradedollarnut]

Original proof sets from the 1800's sell for much more than the individual coins.

[TJ'S Coins]

James recently posted his circulated Dansco 7070 set. He paid over $1700 for the coins that are included in the album. Would this completed set be worth more as a set or sold individually?

 

My guess is that it has more value as a completed, evenly matched set. What do the rest of you think?

[Hoot]

Here is an example that demonstrate a complete collection selling for more (actually much, much more) than the sum value of the individual coins. Although "toning" is emphasized in the description, I can assure you that I looked at ALL of the coins in person, and none of them had toning that was all that spectacular - certainly not to the extent of the realized prices:

 

Jefferson Nickel set $1350 + 15%

There is NO WAY you could sell these coins individually and hope to realize $1552.50!

 

That's an obscene price for a 1938-64 set, unless it was entirely MS66-67 and spectacular in original toning.

 

I sold my very best MS set of 1938-64 Jeff nickels on these boards. The set was very nice, original, a few MS64 pieces, but the rest was MS65-66 and I sold it for only $380! The time and materials put into that set were significant. I don't want to spam here, but I'm about to put up another set that is quite pretty, MS64/65 for the most part and my ask is $330. Lastly, I'm putting together an album of MS65-67 pieces, 1938-2003 including proofs, all original and must have superior eye appeal (this one I'm doing for myself). There's no way that set will be worth $1350 complete. So, a $1350 1938-64 set just makes no sense to me. Only a set with a number of proven FS nickels would be worth that, but those would do much better in slabs. When sold as a set, the Jefferson nickel collector should realize that the incidence of FS pieces is small and only the most commonly seen FS pieces.

 

I believe that a well-balanced set, such as James' Liberty nickel set or his type set, are worth a bit of a premium, perhaps as much as 25% to the individual coins. But to pay more than that comes down to a matter of how quickly a person wishes to fill up a set. For the most part, individual coins will do better than sets because more collectors compete for each coin.

 

Hoot

[Zoins]

It probably didn't make sense to them either. The estimate for that was $350-500. I bet no one expected it to go for so much. Things like this occasionally happen at auctions.

[TD Petersen]

Chris,

Do you have James Garcia email address? I am looking for Allan Giffords new email address and he may know what it is.

Thanks,

Tom