For my 50 state quarters collection I am collecting the silver proofs only for each state. I still need the 1999 silver proof set, which is selling ridiculously high. If you can find it from a dealer they seem to be charging around $280 give or take. I watched 2 auctions on ebay that ended for $215 and $225 each for the set. Well anyway I found someone on craigslist selling the set in my local city. They wanted $220, I offered $200, they counteroffered $210. This is a lot to pay for a proof set but to complete this collection I need it. I guess the questions I need to answer are: #1) Is that a pretty good deal for the set right now. and #2) Is there any reason to wait on buying this or is the price expected to not change much? Please share your thoughts. And I know having pictures would be helpful. I haven't seen it myself yet but of course I would inspect it inhand before paying up, so lets just assume it is an average proof set.
My recommendation is to check some of the closed auctions on ebay. You might also want to see what some dealers sell them for. I am not sure if it is a good deal, bad deal or decent deal.
Here is a recent sale... http://cgi.ebay.com/1999-UNITED-STA...QptZCoinsQ5fUSQ5fIndividualQQsalenotsupported So yes, the deal they countered at is pretty good, and I'd take it... These things will only get higher... Good luck my friend
Do you have them in orginal govt. packaging or an album? I have my quarters in a Dansco album and I never could find and extra $250 to buy a set. There always seemed to be more month than I had paycheck so it was looking like I'd never complete the set. What I did was, since I was going to crack it open anyway for the album, I decided to buy loose single quarters every other month or so and it worked out just fine. Kinda a like a bi-monthly payment plan. Some I paid $45 for but a couple I got for $32 so it all evened out in the end. All the holes are filled and I didn't have to fork over $250 in one lump some. I ended up paying $199 for all 5 and it took me less than a year to do. If the Craig list guys aren't toned or cloudy ...that seems like a reasonable price.
Not a bad idea...I have heard a couple people say sometimes it is cheaper to by individual coins and build a proof set than just to buy the set.
I have been watching the '99 silver quarters on ebay also once in awhile over the last month or so. I've noticed buying the individual coins appears to be cheaper than a complete set. This is fine if the condition is the same. If putting in an album the original packaging is not as important. The other thing is one can spread the cost out.
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and not second guess yourself. If you need something really bad to complete a set..just do it. Whats most important is, do you have the intent of buying this item then immediately flipping the entire proof collection for a profit? Doesnt sound like that in this case, so sometimes paying what you think is a premium for the purposes of completing and ultimatley enjoying the completed set is the way to go.
Doug's right. I bought a set for $335 a couple of years ago thinking that the price would continue to climb and I would miss out on ever completing my collection of OGP sets. How wrong I was.....should o' waited a few months. Sometimes ya win, sometimes ya lose. :smile
I am going through this same thing. I only need the Delaware and New Jersey silver proof. I bought them individually and it is cheaper that way.
I thought about buying them individually but when outside the proof packaging can you really tell that it's a silver proof and not a clad?
Just look at the edge of the coin... If it is a proof coin, and is all silver, no copper anywhere, you have yourself a silver coin
I have to agree. This is a fad in a long line of fads that I began to think might start fading this year. And would appear that it is. The price just seems overly inflated in comparison to the next lowest population set. The 2001's had a mere 10% more produced and I picked up that quarters set at a show for 50 bucks. I just think the 99s are getting blown out of proportion for being the first year and the lowest mintage, despite their availability. I'm going to wait to pick up my set when they come down to $100 or less, and even then hope I won't get burned. I figure, fine, for 10% less of a mintage, I'll pay double the 2001 set price. Not 5x or more.
And if it is in a holder where you can't see the edge just lay a single layer of tissue paper over it. If it is silver it will appear white through the tissue but if it is clad it will look a dull grey.
It's a lot to pay, but if it is the only one you don't have, and you want to complete the set, and if you can't find it cheaper in other places, I'd be inclined to buy it. Sometimes completing a set is more than a monetary decision.
