Okay, I decided I can't do them all, can't afford it all. What would be a good short set to start out? Must be most people do a short set to start, some of those prices for the rare ones are just out of the question.
Okay, I decided I can't do them all, can't afford it all. What would be a good short set to start out? Must be most people do a short set to start, some of those prices for the rare ones are just out of the question. (1) You cannot afford them ALL AT ONCE. These are not Buffalo Nickels or Kennedy Halves. You have to have some patience and perseverence. You have to set up a bank account or something and SAVE for the coin(s) you want and once or twice a year buy one or two. It is a lifetime avocation. (2) If you look in the Redbook, you can find THREE Major Varieties to pursue, each available in EF for about $200. (2a) The suggestion for famous years such as 1812 and so on is fine. Knowing some US History would help. Webster led the War Hawks. I don't know where Clay and Calhourn were then. Jackson was a general. Benton was his aide de camp. So, you have to know what (if anything) happened in 1825 and 1829 and so on and tie the coins to those events. (2b) You could pick a single year such as 1824 or 1828 and go for all the varieties and errors. Dealers are often behind the curve on stuff like this and if you have good knowledge, a good memory, and either good eyes or a good lens, you can "cherry pick" the varieties you want. Good luck.
Personally, I first decided that I wanted Bust Halves in EF, with attractive (or at least not unattractive) toning and with a good strike (a full E Pluribus Unum). I'm sufficiently fussy that, even though I go to about two coin shows a month, I've only bought two Bust halves in the past two years (1830 and 1834). It works for me! I'm in no hurry to fill out the set, and I'm buying coins I really like. So far, I'm having a lot of fun.
