Tying to decide what dates to add to my slabbed PCGS Type Set, thoughts? Lincoln Wheat Cent-got 1909 VDB Lincoln Memorial Jefferson Nickel Mercury Dime-maybe 1945 micro S? Roosevelt Dime silver Roosevelt Dime Clad-got 1996-W Washington Quarter silver Washington Quarter clad Kennedy Half 40% Kennedy Half clad
Jefferson Nickels: 1942-1945 D and S. '50 D added collector set coins. My opinion only, good luck with your decision.
Because they have the highest quality for the cheapest price. Everyone of these is available in MS67 FS for less than $200.
I would go with the beginning date of each series and first year of each design and/or composition change.
This is exactly what I was going to say. I don't know if the cost would be prohibitive for you for any of them in your list though. It's fun to have a theme within the theme.
You can do this for a number of issues. For many of them, the first year is often common, except in some cases where the design changed in the middle of the year. For example, it takes a big bank account to swing a 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter in any grade. The 1917 is a slightly different type, sells for a lot less money and comes nice. That is not a type coin. It is a die variety. For a type collector, it's not worth the extra money.
Nice thing about type sets, you can use any date you wish. Generally that means a common date in the highest grade you can afford.
That is WAY beyond date and mint mark collecting. You can't do that for EVERYTHING unless you have an infinite budget and infinite time. I only personally knew one collector who did that. He was not concerned about getting the highest grade coins. He had NICE coins, but usually not great coins with respect to the grade. Harry Bass did it for the early gold coins and helped write the book on them. He was a very wealthy oil man. His collection is now being sold sold after being on display at the ANA headquarters for several years. You can attribute the die variety for each coin you collect. I have done that for all of my early (pre 1807 coins).