Do you care about completing a series?

Many collectors have a desire to complete a series of a certain type, typically by acquiring every date and mint mark in that series. The question is: Are you one of these collectors, or are you a more general collector (i.e. a type collector)?

For me, I like to find coins that are rare or interesting to me - regardless of the type or series. Sometimes I like to buy more than one of the same series, such as Seated half dimes. I frequent junk bins, especially world coin ones, as they can help find many types - including, of course, some more valuable ones that dealers throw in there without looking.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I do a bit of both, the two sets I am working on are the peace dollars in ms64 (or less when it comes to the keys) and Ike's. I am doing date/mint mark on both. I have also bought coins unrelated to the sets as well. Who am I to say no when a coin catches my eye?

 

Sometimes completing series can be fun. For example, I just completed the series for the Roman Republic moneyers of the year 90 BCE.


Q. Titius


C. Vibius C.F. Pansa


L. Capurnius Piso Frugi

And I have completed a few other sets, like my set of Flavian Emperors from 1st century Rome, and I'm working on an antoninianus and denarii set for the 3rd century emperor Gordian III.

However, sets are not my main focus. As fun as they are, I prefer the flexibility of having an open mind and getting whatever speaks to me.

 

It took me 10 years to complete an 11 coin Two Cent collection to my satisfaction. I think I'd go mad or broke trying to complete another series.

 

I have date sets of all Morgan and Peace dollars. A complrte set of Peace is doable, but with other series that interest me (including Morgans) complete sets are cost prohibitive.

 

A Type Set is just a series by another name. I do both.

 

I generally like to have only one example of a coin if the only difference between mine and the rest of them is the date. I would prefer to spend the money on a different coin instead of a virtual duplicate of the one I have. I do, however, see the allure that collecting a series could have for some people, as it can be quite the challenge. I think the only series that I would consider collecting is the 1894-1897 Guatemala peso. I already have an MS63 1896, and over time I may end up acquiring the rest of the series (1894, 1894-H, 1895, 1895-H, and 1897).

 

I just started down that road a few months ago when this beauty called to me from a dealer's case.

 

I have some complete series of German silver coins: Third Reich 2 mark and 5 mark, Modern 5 mark commemoratives (both proof and regular). I am missing the key date in the modern 5 mark circulations set and doubt I can afford it. I am working on a set of Empire 1/2 mark and am missing only overstrikes, which are hard to find. I am also filling in other sets as I come across them but completing them will be tough.

So I guess I am a date/mintmark collector but I don't go much for slabbed coins. I prefer raw coins which I consider to be good enough for my collection: lots of MS and some XF or AU.

 

The only series I ever completed was the state quarters. The only great feeling I had was relief that I didn't have to mess with it anymore.

 

I referenced Ricochet Rabbit (wonder how many have never heard that name? ) in another thread regarding collecting habits, but it has to be said that I'm currently concentrating on one single issue and have no plans to stray from that before it's complete.

 

For me it's both, when I first became interested in the hobby I was more aware of US coins and was mainly interested in 20th century specimens. Therefore, I started to build sets of Wheat cents, buffalo nickels, silver rosies, etc, etc.
As time has gone on (and thanks in large part to this forum) I am discovering many coins I wasn't even aware existed, from all over the world, spanning ever greater lengths of time. (Though I haven't dabbled in the dark side.... yet.)
Now, I find myself acquiring whatever happens to catch my eye, while also adding to and upgrading those sets that were the beginnings of my collection, one coin at a time.
So, I didn't vote in the poll because I collect in both fashions. I viewed the results though, and interestingly they are virtually 50/50 thus far.

 

It's type collecting for me. I enjoy the design variety, date and metal variation too much. I would get bored with focusing on a single series, with the possible exception of those pleasure-center inducing Japanese Meiji Dragons. Collecting important historical dates also fuels my interest and reinforces my readings on various events and epochs. I also enjoy having both 2,000 year old coins and 20 year old coins equally. Recently, I seem fixated on 19th Century American series and picked up both a Seated Quarter and a Half-Cent (in the mail). My desultory interests seem to have no purpose apart from random brain bubbles telling me that "wow! that looks cool!" Although I have recently read up on the American Presidency and was shocked how little I knew of 19th Century Presidents, so I'm thinking that may have catalyzed my current 19th Century US coin hysteria. Now I know that Franklin Pierce (apparently not generally considered a great President) was in the White House when the mint banged out that 1854 Seated Quarter I picked up recently. Plus, I know that when the 1828 Half-Cent I ordered hammered into existence, Andrew Jackson soundly defeated John Quincy Adams for President. These kind of things keep coins alive for me. Without these historical connections coins may hold little fascination for me, honestly.

 

I'm basically a series collector in US coins I have by date and mint (I don't collect proofs)
Indian head cents complete
Lincolns complete
Two cent complete
3 cent silver complete
3 cent nickel need 1
Seated half dimes need three
Shield, V, Buffalo, and Jefferson nickels complete
Mercurys need two
Roosevelts complete
Washington quarters need two
Kennedy halfs complete
Ike dollars complete
I lack about five coins of having a complete date set of large cents (all common dates)
My Classic head large cents are complete by date and die variety
My draped bust set is complete by date and lacks three of the 187 die varieties
Liberty cap cents are complete by date and lacks four varieties of 1793, and 27 varieties of 1794.
Chain cents lack one variety of being complete.
Yeah I'm a series collector.

 

One of the things I like about ancient coin collecting is that there are no pre-defined notions of what constitutes a series and the collector can simply decide on what might constitute a series and what would fit in the collection.

One can be very general, such as:

One coin depicting each of "The 12 Caesars" from Suetonius' book of that title
One denarius of each member of the Severan dynasty
One example of a coin from each mint in the province of Moesia Inferior
Coins depicting lions as a major design element​

Or one could be more specific, such as:

All reverse types on the denarii of Crispina
An example of GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS reduced centenionales of Constantius II from each officina of each mint
Issues commemorating the marriage of Gordian III and Tranquillina.​

It's up to the collector to set goals in ancient coin collecting. I think that's part of the appeal of this branch of coin collecting.

 

I tried to put together a complete set of Washington Quarters when i 1st started collecting. It was enjoyable at 1st, but i soon realized that -1) i bought alot of dawgs just to fill a hole. Paying more attention to the date and MM than the actual coin itself. 2) i would never be able to put together a matched set of MS coins. 3) i spent alot of time and $ to complete a set that restricted me from buying anything else. So i gave up, and went back to the coin that got me started in the 1st place. (Morgan $) It was a comfort zone because i knew how to grade them and i didnt make all those rookie mistakes when buying. Nowadays, - i buy coins that speak 2 me, or jump out of the dealers case at me. It can be from the US, World coin, commem- doesnt matter as long as it is worthy of my collection. Also, I am putting together a toned type set (coin has to be amazing) and i am very very picky and scrutinize a coin before i pull my $ out of my pocket. Lastly, i buy PL & DMPL Morgans (date doesnt matter) ive long been bedazzled by these, they are definitely my all-time favorites!! I like to go vamming from time to time and will look for the rare and expensive vams. Wow, i just wrote a book, im drained

 

I do a lot of series collecting. I find that doing so helps to hone one's knowledge of the series, which includes simply grading them, having a good feel for pricing, knowing which ones come nice and which ones come ugly, red flags, authentication, and die varieties.

I also collect by the "hey, that's cool" method. This is what I'm using to fill the holes in my Prime Number Set. I don't have the comfort of knowing what I'm going to buy, or knowing about it as much as or more than the person I'm buying from, but cool surprises happen that way. I imagine that people that collect this way are the type to minimally plan a vacation and just see what happens.

 

A serious series collector! Well done.

 

I like both series and type collecting. Whether the coin is for a series or my type set I really just care about nice eye appeal and try to focus on nice for the grade as well although that combination can get expensive.

Like heavycam mentioned in his novel I focused way too much on checking off coins based on their year/mm early and bought a ton of dogs. Sold off all those at losses and evolved to where I'm at where I'm way more selective. I want to buy coins right the first time and feel I'm getting pretty good at that just takes a lot of patience.

 

I'm working on a series of whatever I want. I tried the complete series thing and just got bored by it to quick so I went more to type collecting style where I just get whatever I want.