Love the luster on the white one, and was all set to choose that, but went for the colored one (B), because it has a slightly better strike. And then I changed my mind again. So I went with "can't decide" on this poll.
Both are worth of keeping and adding to a type set. If your set has toned coins, then B but if your set is more blast white, coin A is the better choice.
I'd keep the 1945-D. Though the 1944-D admittedly has some nice toning, I really like the blast white appearance of the 45-D. I've had a couple of 20 centavos pieces like that and they were nothing short of gorgeous. That was a pretty hard choice since I'm kinda a U.S. Philippines junkie. A lot of good deals in that section can be snatched up on GreatCollections.
Not a coin I have ever collected but both are beautiful - have to go with the color of B even at the lower grade.
B because of much better strike and whatever caused PCGS to give it a 64 isn't distracting. I fine A's poor strike much more distracting. Personally I like white coins more than toned but coin B is an attractive example. So, B
You know I am a toning guy and my first impression was Coin B, but when I saw that Coin A was 2 grades higher, and appears to have stronger luster, I really can't decide without an "in hand" inspection.
These two coins seem to be splitting the vote evenly. I thought that might be the case for this collection spot. Currently the toned coin is in my Type Set, and the blast white one is on standby. Generally speaking, toned coins just are so much more attractive to me, but in this case I am really struggling, as the luster and overall look of the white coin just keeping calling me... Sometimes I upgrade a coin, and immediate list the old coin for sale. I try to not buy filler coins, or coins that will annoy me, but mistaken purchases do creep in from time to time. Other times, like these coins, I am really torn and so I keep both, but only one coin is in the set. Afterall, this is supposed to be a Type Set, and there are rules! Any duplicate coins worth keeping are in a "box-of-25" set. Rarely, I trade one out as my opinion changes and I decide to give the coin in waiting a chance. What to do, what to do.... I'll ponder it a few more years.
Coin A for me ....I like my toners but the reverse of B throws me off a bit (if it was untoned and the obverse was the same, then I would pick it) and the luster on A looks to be off the charts!
If someone has the patience and money to pull off Type set / coin collection with only one or the other, I am very impressed. I understand this comment, but to me that approach makes more sense for complete date/mm collectors of one series, like an entire run of silver Washington quarters. For my Type set it was never a goal or even a concern for me to only buy one or the other. In fact, my Type set has very few rules about toning, grade, etc. I do specifically like some series to be blast white. For instance, I LOVE blast white high mint state Walking Liberty Halves. I also really love Toned Kennedy Halves. I never would have picked only one or the other. I know some people also impose rules on their own sets for only mint-state coins, or only circulated coins. For me, I wanted both. I even specifically have tried to get an example of every possible numeric grade (currently missing grades 1, 8, 60, 61 Almost seems inconceivable to me that I don't have a single VG8?!) I do have a couple of hard rules: Absolutely no "real" Proof coins. (Now, depending on how think of Matte Proofs, or Specimen coins, you might think I am cheating.) PCGS, NGC, or the occasional CACG graded coins only. (No raw.) CAC stickered coins only where available for the series. I had to break this rules recently due to certain Types, like classic head cents. I no longer call my set a "CAC Type Set", which I did for many years. Still, almost every coin that could have a sticker, does. Every coin has a budget of < $500 USD. Most coins are far cheaper than that, but due to inflation and price appreciation, some of my coins are also now more than that. Still, overall, my goal was always an "Affordable" Type set that would take 20+ years to pull off. I'm around the 14 year mark or so. I try to buy only coins I really like, and not just plug holes. (I will admit I find it very hard to get attractive 3CS with CAC stickers in prices I can afford, so I have some less desirable examples)
@geekpryde Alternatively, if you can make a good 'profit' or less 'loss' selling Coin A since it's an MS66, maybe go that route as the strike and toning on Coin B is pretty nice for a type set.
