How do I know "what" is a set?

I'm shifting my hobby from a 'hoarding buy all I see' mode to 'collecting sets'

My question is while I put my book together, how do I know what SHOULD BE in a set? Examples ----

Roosevelt Dimes obviously would start at 1946, but would the set include the 1960 AND the 1960 DDO to be a true "set"

Does a Washington Quarter set include the Wisconsin Errors coins? Does this set include BOTH the regular strikes AND the satin coins of late?


Bottom line........ Do I follow the Red Book? Is there a definitive list to guide me? I know some would say do what makes you happy, but I'd really like to know if there is an official method...

Thank you so much

 

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A set is whatever YOU want it to be. For example - if I did a high grade set of Merc's I would skip the 1942/1 variety. The same for several other sets - another example is shield nickels - a set could be all the business strikes, skipping the proof only years. You can also call a set - one of each date and not include mint marks. Really it is whatever makes you happy.

 

If you want a little bit of everything you could put together a type set. I would start with a type set (example of each type of coin minted for circulation) of 20th century coins, as they are relatively easy to obtain at a reasonable cost. Mark_h is right you can make a set however you want to.

 

Are you both saying in fact, there IS NOT an official way? I just want to do it right, I'm always messing things up and I want to be proud of my collection(s)

 

There is no official way. Even type sets are different - one might include one variety and someone else does not include that variety. The only time I know of anything official is when doing registry sets. I do not do those.

 

I feel if you buy a Whitman folder or album, or Dansco. What spaces they have alotted is a "set" :smile

 

A set for me does not include varieties or errors, but does include proof, bus. strikes and satin finish.

Edit: Only after 1965, before that, I only stick to regular examples, proofs are too costly.

 

You cannot "mess up" in creating a collection you like. The beauty of this hobby is collecting what you want.

 

Many sets are defined as " Date","Basic" ,"Variety" and "Proof" and then some also have "Complete Set". You can build what you want it to be.
When I built one of my first sets I started with just the circultion strike Kennedys from both mints. As time has gone by I am now working on a date set of certified circulation Half Dollars of all types in the PCGS registry. Still looking for thirty three coins for it to be complete.
Oh and at one time along the way I got all the Kennedys in PCGS slabs and a set of them in Proof also.
So my answer is your only limited by what you want it to be unless you move to certified coins then both NGC and PCGS have registries with defined sets for you to work with.
Here is a link to my set of halves.http://www.pcgs.com/SETREGISTRY/alltimeset.aspx?s=14933

 

A set can be whatever YOU want to make your set into.
Me, I chose to use Dansco albums, so I just accept their definition of a 'set'.

You can always buy a 'blank' album and fill it with pages for the denomination your are working on and place whatever you like in there.

I am thinking about doing that with my Jefferson nickels now that the Dansco set is complete.
The Dansco albums (like most others) left out a few spaces that could be filled to make a comprehensive set.

Such as holes for the 2005-2010 Satins, 1994 Matte, 1997 Matte, 39 T2s, SMS sets, and 81 T2.

IMO, double dies, overdates, and errors do not belong in a set.
To me, they are just substandard coins. Your opinion may vary, so that is why you build it your way.

Some folks, especially earlier in the hobby, only collected year sets, with no regard for mint mark.
That is another option.

My ASE set is a mix of Dansco and custom, as I made holes for the Burnished releases and a hole for the 07/08 variety, which is more of a must have than an error or poorly prepared die.

 

Fwiw, the JFK Proof Dansco is the most complete album I have seen so far.
As far as I can tell, it only omits a very few oddball coins in the set.
I think there is one Matte, and the Satins that are not included.
Since the JFKs were only minted for collectors, not circulation in those Satin years, I don't even know if they made 'business strikes'. ???

 

They did and in high grade are worth ten to one hundred times what the Satins are. I know because I paid for most of them only made a few of my own.

 

Thank you all for the help!!! I understand this much more now... I'm going to to collect the D, P and S of every year, and then in the back of the folder I'll have room for errors, etc. that I might want to keep/collect...

 

You can always buy extra pages for your folders, and add on as needed.

Also, if your buying "modern" coins you may want to buy a full set outright rather than piece together an entire set.
Cost is much lower for say, a Native American full set, than collecting each year and mint separately...

But Roosies and Jefferson sets are a good long term collection to work on.

 

you may want to buy a full set outright rather than piece together an entire set.


Are you referring to ebay for the full set? Thank you​

 

I would do it like that too, you could save money and they are all probably assembled BU

 

Food for thought: Yeah, I will go ahead an echo the before mentioned members by saying, a "set" is what you want it to be. But I think part of the purpose of this thread is to provide you with some ideas on how to create your set. Personally, I always define a grade I want to achieve for my coins, then omit any proofs without an S mint mark, and omit any keys that are more than my budget. Final step would be to consider any "varieties" or errors I wish to get because I think they are cool. For instance, I have a "complete" Mercury dime set...all graded at least VF, omitting 1916 D and the overdates, as well as any proofs though I did get the large and small mint mark varieties. And even though a "set" may be cheaper on ebay...I personally love picking out my individual coins. It's satisfying when looking at your collection to know you hand picked every coin in the album/portfolio.

 

I use my extra coins or duplicates for the sets..5 coin and 6 coin holders

 

The answer to your question is really quite simple: your set must consist of whatever we say. Just don't ask us too often.
Lance.

 

This is really the basic philosophy of collecting anything. Though, congrats are in order for realizing, and admitting, you simply had a hoard, which you thought was a collection. Pare it down, and be focused on what you decide to collect....and stay focused, lest you wind up with a hoard again. And don't be surprised if once you get and stay focused, you eventually want to get into another series.