Thanks in part to members of this forum, I completed my Franklin Half Dollar collection today with the purchase of the last coin needed. QueenKoin really got me going with some beautiful pieces she mailed to me. Then, when I was down to just five holes to fill, Speedy came through and helped me out with one of the needed coins. Today, with the help of my friendly regional coin dealer, a set I started back in the 1960's came to completion. I have now finished the Franklins, JFK's, Roosevelt dimes, Jefferson nickels, and am getting close with my Canadian cents and nickels. After 50 years of collecting, it's nice to see a few collections get completed. I'll keep working on the many sets I still need to complete, and perhaps start something new by tackling the Walking Liberty Halfs next.
Did you collect a certain grade of Frankling half dollar? I am thinking about starting a set of my own but i'm not sure of what standard I should be collecting. I love Franklin halves and they seem to be very affordable, even in better grades. Congrats on your newly completed set.
Congratulations. Most of my sets are open-ended (they are still making them) so I won't see the end unless the Mint goes crazy. Is there an empty feeling (after the success wears off) after you are done?
Dockwalliper Isn't that a great feeling? Are you doing them all in one grade or what? What dates are you missing? I know I was missing the 1953-P for a long time...everything else was pretty easy. Speedy
I think I spent about $125...I could have gotten one already put together for $100 at my dealers but it takes all of the fun out. Speedy
To answer a few of the questions some of you folks were kind enough to ask... I didn't worry too much about grade. I get more of a kick seeing the holes filled than worrying about high quality. However, I feel, all of the coins are at least nice ones. Empty feeling. Sure. I put away my first Franklins when I was in high school in the 1950's. Now, at 62 and counting, I finally finished. Brings back memories and the feeling of the passing of time. Would like to go back to the 50's and start over again. Money spent. Probably right at $100, thanks in part to generosity of some of the members of this forum. To have bought them all from my coin dealer would have taken the fun out of completing the collection. I could be wrong, but I think the first Franklin likely came from my paper route days. Several others were put away through pocket change. So, it's fun to try and remember where they came from. Not so fun if I just handed money to the coin dealer and plugged the Franklins into the spaces provided. Hope to finish a few more collections before heading to the Great Beyond. We have three children and each will enherit a different type of collection. My oldest son, an attorney, will get the coins, or most of them. He is a collector himself, and I think they will have a wonderful home with him. Then, hiopefully, he will see fit to pass them down to my Grand Children.
O.K. Gary, now get started and gather the Walkers. I hope you post when you have it finished, and I hope I'm here to see the post. Nice going with the Franklins
Great job Gary! Filling a set, any set, is very rewarding and doing it for the kids is pretty special as who knows what those coins will cost by the time the little ones grow up. I even started buying some lower grade old currency for the little guy as I know no other way he will ever get to see or hold them in the future. Guess most of my collection will end up in his hands even though we are building a collection for him as well. Having a child at age 50 brings on worries I didn't have when I was in my twenties! Whole new ballgame and one can't help but wonder just how many innings you have left! With a little luck maybe we all can hang around a few more decades!
