The Accidental Key Date Collector...looking for dealers/collectors

Hi all.

Any dealers someone can recommend that carry bunches of key dates for the Key Date Collector?

 

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I dont know of any dealers that carry lots of key dates, normally few and far between/2 or 3 key dates here and there. Question is what denomination of coin are you looking 4? Cents, half cents, nickels, quarters, halves, dollars, comemmoratives, foreign, ancient, etc. etc. "key dates" covers a pretty broad range, need more specifics...
Welcome to CT BTW

 

Go to the PCGS "Collectors Corner" and there are dozens
of dealers that have keys for sale. Charmy Harker "The Penny
Lady" has dozens of Lincoln cent and Indian cent keys.
Very respectable and good to deal with.

 

Thanks. I have a tight budget and not enough to do complete sets so I hafta economize.

 

'Minor pricing variances' between grades of keys too.

Tight budget means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Someones hard earned $100 bill might be considered a per pull slot machine change to someone else.

 

It sounds like you are going to end up with a few coins in decent grades or a bunch of low grade or problem coins.

Why do you only want to collect key dates? I have been a collector for over 60 years, and I can't understand this mentality. I have common date coins within a series that have given me more pleasure that the key dates. Some key date coins are not rare or even scarce. They are only in demand, which is only one aspect of collecting. If tastes change, which they can do, you will be left holding bag on some over-priced material.

 

Usually you best luck for key dates is to find a dealer who specializes in a type or series as they tend to have the best selection of key dates for that series. One of the best I know of for keys in general is Larry Briggs. they usually won't be high grade but he does have a LOT of tough and key date pieces.

 

When I started, I would buy any coin that fit my "want list", I later learned that by not doing that I was able to muster up the $$ to buy a better grade. Take your time, enjoy the hunt but buy the better grades you won't regret it.
Semper Fi
Stay Safe

 

Thanks everyone. I'm just retired on a small pension age 60. I casually collected a few circulated coin folders when I was a kid but nothing worthwhile except a 1928 Peace dollar from my grandparents and a few accidental foreign gold pieces. Funny thing was this Peace Dollar and the gold pieces turned out being key dates (lowest mintages) in their respective series so I have several NICE coins among a sea of hand-worn wheaties and nickels. At MY older age and resources I kinda liked this possible idea of collecting fewer, nicer, more select chosen coins or dates of one or a number of series than a whole LOT of common dates. I don't have a lot of coin collecting years ahead of me so I have to do the most with the years I have left...get the biggest bang for the buck so to say.

 

Your collection. Your money. Your desire. Your choice. Ask for opinions and you'll get plenty. That doesn't mean you have to change your strategy. Enjoy the quest.

Hopefully you'll find the keys you're looking for, in the condition you want. Your heirs will have a much easier time unloading them than mine will trying to sell 1970's, 80's, 90's & 00's proof sets.

 

Rare coins, key dates? Go to www.toughcoins.com
Mike is also a moderator here on CT., so you could also get in touch via PM.