Collecting Sets from Circulated Coins

I am starting to try and see if I can collect sets from from CWR, boxes, etc. Right now I am only doing pennies and nickels because I don't have the resources to buy the other denominations in bulk right now, but hope to do so in the future. I understand that it may be virtually impossible to complete certain sets this way, but for the sake of the thread let's just say I am able to find a 1909 S VDB and such coins in circulation. What is the highest grade do you all think I would be able to do for a complete set of each of the following. I am not sure if when I am going through coins right now if I am setting my standards too high or too low. Thanks for the feedback.

1) Wheats
2) Lincoln Memorials
3) Jefferson Nickels
4) Roosevelt Dimes
5) Washington Quarters
6) Kennedy Halves

 

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Well I can speak to the Kennedy Halves as I've been through a number of bank rolls. They're easy and fun to collect - just don't expect too many of the coins that contain any silver. Sometimes you come across one of the forty-percenters, but I haven't found a 64. Also, don't expect to find any dated 2005 or later, as the mint discontinued the circulating issues. Some of the roll hunters have found a few though.

But you could easily assemble a set of the circulating cu-ni clad issues from 71 to 04. The older ones are predictably in lower grades, but you'll certainly find plenty of them, enough to likely fill all your album holes.

 

The "highest" grade?

Thats difficult to say since there are relatively high grade coins out there in circulation land. There's also some circulated rarities that some collectors are willing to fork over quite a bit for.



The above coin was pulled from circulation and so was the one below (1970-D DDO FS-101).



The whole point being, roll and box searching can be a very rewarding experience but also an excruciatingly painful experience in terms of lower back pain, b;urred vision and boredom!

Loterally ANY grade of coin can be found with the exception of high grade proofs.

I'd guess that a MS64 average "could" be achieved for the Jefferson through Kennedy coins and perhaps MS60 "average" for the coppers although finding good Red Cents will be challenging.

 

2001 was the last year that any Kennedy's were produced for distribution to the Federal Reserve System. However, since a poorly graded 2002 through 2012 Kennedy has no value over face, its not uncommon for these to show up in rolls from the bank.

If the goal is to assemble a set, then that can certainly be done but the OP shpuldn't expect any MS65 Kennedy's in the early years. Heck, even some of the mint set coins won't grade MS65!

 

I would say Lincoln Memorials. Every date is easy to find and it is not as long a run as Jeffies and Washingtons are. Therefore, newer equals better shape IMHO. Also, Washingtons and Roosevelts would be harder to assemble because of the value of silver.

 

Thanks for the feedback so far everyone. Largecent I definitely agree with you that the Lincoln Memorials would be easiest to complete. Have any of you completed any of the other sets I mentioned from boxes, roll, pocket change and not buying any from dealers, ebay, etc?

 

I'm with you regarding the silver ones, especially the 64's. The banks in my area don't seem to carry many rolls of halves if any and they have all come up empty. I have found no 90%'s and only 6 40%'s, all of which came from teller trays (5 of them came from the same tray). I'm waiting til the good ol tax rebate and am going to see if I can order 2 boxes from my bank then and see if I have any better luck.

 

I am two nickels from a complete Jefferson run. All but two (?) from searching my change and searching rolls from the bank.
It has taken me years to do this. I am not in a hurry. It could be done much faster.
I found a 1946S in my box from this week (very coinnerdly exciting!).

Some of these coins are in fantastic shape. Higher grades for newer coins.
I am a bit surprised sometimes with higher grades for older coins.
A dirty coin is not necessarily a low grade coin - but it will keep someone from taking it out of circulation.

I am missing 1950D and 1951S. I am confident I will find these searching rolls.

 

heuvy -
I've been able to complete a Lincoln memorial set as well as a pretty large chunk of a wheat set just from rolls. I'm missing 31, mostly teens and twenties. I've gone through ~$650 in cents in 3 and a half months.

As for nickels, I've gone through $1300 (1 box a week and I just bumped it up to two) and am only missing 8. Most are in pretty good shape and I was able to get the vast majority of the set done in just a couple of boxes. Obviously the closer you get to conclusion the more you end up going through to find the "one".

Quarters and dimes are easy for 64-Present and pretty tough for the silver stuff. I've only found 2 dimes and 2 quarters and apparently those were sheer dumb luck.

Halves - I've only been able to get about $30 in loose stuff from tellers so yeah I don't have a bunch of experience with them

 

Oops, sorry. Mistyped.

Tell me about it. The ones from the 70's are a mess.

 

That is awesome and very encouraging to hear. The 50D seems to be tough for everyone. Definitely let us know when you get it and when you complete the set. Good luck and hope you find them soon.

 

That's great frog, especially in that amount of time. I am having trouble with teens and especially twenties myself for wheats. Which 8 are you missing for jefferson?

 

38D, 38S, 39D, 42D, 46S, 50P, 50D, and 55P.
Now that I'm up to 2 boxes a week I bet I will finish the set by the end of the year. That is if I don't get boxes like my last two yesterday, all 2012P's. 4000 of them...
For the wheats I have P's of every date but I'm missing D's and S's. The problem with living close to Philly.

 

I had just about finished my circulated set of Jeffersons, I was down to maybe 7-10 coins (to fill a Whitman, mind you) when I decided that I wanted a nicer set. So as I was buying my Dansco (so i could work on the proofs and the run through 2005, versus ending up in the late 70s on the whitman) I decided to pick up a 50D and from there i transferred all my whitman coins over, and have been upgrading and filling holes since. I am almost done now, and at least half of the set is in AU/BU condition, minus the early years. In fact I should have an ebay batch of coins arrive today to keep my afternoon busy filling in holes.

Ive been very fortunate with this series, I had some great help from my grandfather (BU set of war nickels i transferred from a capital holder), and Gbroke here on CT was an absolute pleasure to work with when I first made my transition from Whitman to Dansco, he helped upgrade some spots and sent me some really nice coins for my holes. Ive always been a 'silver' collector, meaning almost all of my coins I actively seek have some sort of silver in them, but the Jefferson Series has been one of my favorite non-silver sets to collect, plus the bonus of the War years being silver. Truly has been a great experience. Id imagine once i finish my nickels i will move on to JFK halves through circulation then upgrading as I go along

 

The '62-'95 Jefferson
(Whitman #9009), is VERY doable in MS. I gave several away for X-mas. The toughest were nice examples of some of the early Philly '70s.
And yes, the last UNC hole for me was the '43D. I found the 50D early on. I've found maybe 5, more AU+, than not. Most likely from old sets being cannibalized by heirs. I've been skunked for '09 for 3 boxes, but got 2 in a roll this morning.

 

It is super doable, in fact I gave a buddy of mine all my older extra nickels and my old nickel whitmans as well as 5 rolls for christmas hoping to spark another coin collector and a friend at that so i have someone to talk coins to. But yes, very easily assembled through circulation.

 

Here's my Kennedy Set 1971 - 2001D, Missing '87P & D

 

2002 - 2011 Missing 2003 D & 2012 P & D

 

My Jefferson Nickle Set from circulation (1938 - 2012)



Missing 43D, 43S, 44D, 44S, 45S & 50D

I am also working on another set (1938 - 1964 only) that is missing 38S, 39D, 42D, 42P, 42S, 43D, 43S, 44D, 44S, 45P, 45D, 45S, 50D

As I search rolls I upgrade when I find better examples.

 

As an update to my post yesterday. I was able to get a box of halves today. No silver but I was able to complete a set from 71-02 both P&D with the exception of 87 P&D and an 84D. Plus there was an 03D, 07D, and 08P. Not to shabby.