Starting a short set of Indian cents

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by RonSanderson, Sep 6, 2026 at 11:46 AM.

  1. RonSanderson

    RonSanderson Supporter! Supporter

    I was browsing for coin holders and I came across this Capital Plastics holder. It has inspired me to try and fill it up.

    IMG_4931.jpeg

    I sold off my Indian cents a few years ago and really regret it. (Not just because the dealer maliciously lowballed the grades and generally gouged me.) I had some coins I really miss and that I don’t think I can replace.

    At any rate, it will take me a while to rebuild even this part of the set, but if I get the right coins, that will be OK.

    For example, here are the 1900’s that I used to have.
    01c 1900 #02 full 05.jpg
    01c 1900 #01 full 05.jpg

    And this is the replacement I got.
    01c 1900 #03 full 01.gif

    Full resolution photos
    01c 1900 #03 obverse 05.JPG 01c 1900 #03 reverse 05.JPG

    When I get a few coins in the new holder, I’ll post a new photo of how the set is coming along.
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2026 at 11:51 AM
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  3. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    My father used to say, "Hindsight is 20-20, move on." Best of luck on your rebuild.
     
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  4. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    The 08-09S get a bit pricey. What grades are you trying to fill the set with?
     
  5. mark_h

    mark_h Somewhere over the rainbow

    Good luck on the short set of IHC. I also sold most of mine years ago. I did hang on to a few of my favorites, but the last extra ones of those went to auction this year. I am down to three for the typeset.
     
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  6. samclemens3991

    samclemens3991 Well-Known Member

    Great fun! I will always have a special place in my heart for Indian Cents. I will also admit that my Indian set of PCGS 64 cents is the only time I lost money on every single coin in a GC auction.
    I would still pursue Indian Cents if I had the money but it might be awhile before I can chase them again. Good luck and enjoy. James
     
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  7. RonSanderson

    RonSanderson Supporter! Supporter

    Honestly, I haven’t figured that out yet. It’s a bit scary but it will depend on my cash flow when we get that far. Still, fortune favors the bold.

    If I were an influencer this would be my way of ensuring you stay tuned while I figure it out.
     
  8. RonSanderson

    RonSanderson Supporter! Supporter

    I raided my type set album for this 1901. I have two others also, a 1903 proof and a 1909, that I can move into the new holder. I'll show them in a few days.
    01c 1901 #02 full 01.gif

    Then I had a hole in the set, but fortunately I had this 1893 proof to move into it.
    01c 1893 PF full 01.gif

    I think it will turn out MS63-64, and with some toning if I can find them. This 1901 coin is a good example of the look I want to have. I expect the S mints may need to be compromises.
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2026 at 10:59 AM
  9. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Dunno what you'll do with those tougher S-mints, but I am confident you're going to fill that holder with some nice flashy stuff. :)
     
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  10. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    I sold a lot of coins over the past year or so and regret letting some of them go. It was hard after thinking about all the time I had spent building those sets. I'll get over it. It was fun selling for a change and even more fun buying something new for my collection.
     
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  11. RonSanderson

    RonSanderson Supporter! Supporter

    One flashy proof I already have is going into the 1903 slot.
    01c 1903 PF full 02.gif
     
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  12. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    I built an set of Indian Cents when I was in high school and the early years of college. I had something like $1,200 in it and only got $400 when I sold it. It was a combination of a dead market for Indian Cents, paying high retail for the coins, a dealer low balling the grades of my coins and the lack of interest in circulated coins, which has been a problem since the 1970s.

    I built another set, a couple of years ago when I decided to get a one a year set of cents from 1793 to date. they grade from EF to Gem Proof with most of them raw and in AU or so. It's a money loser, but I had fun building it. "No heavy lifting" as they say. It was fun to buy a big pile of coins for $2,000 instead of having that as only a down payment.

    The "real short set" runs from 1879 to 1909, excluded the two San Francisco Mint coins. That's a nice long run of common dates. The dates from 1866 to 1878 is "the heart of the set." After you get those, it's all down hill from there.

    Here's my type coin, which is a high end Proof. I don't like red copper.

    1897 Cent All.jpg
     
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