Early 50c experts: which flowing hair coins best for Type Set?

If I want to avoid paying a premium for rarity, which varieties should I focus on?

I'm guessing that "normal date" would be the most readily available out there.

Question: is 'normal date' the same as "2 leaves"?

USACoinbook says that there are three (3) major varieties:

• 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar - Normal Date
• 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar - Recut Date
• 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar - 3 Leaves Under Each Wing

I used these websites as reference:
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/category/flowing-hair-half-dollar-1794-1795/721
http://maibockaddict.com/flowing-hair-half-dollars
https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/5714/half-dollars/flowing-hair/1795-P/all-varieties/

If there are better sources, or if you have other advice, please feel free to comment below. Thanks.

 

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NGC often has good write-ups. For example, the answer to your normal date question is here https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-explor...f-dollars-1794-1795/16052/1795-50c-ms/?des=ms
Their VarietyPlus and census sections are useful too. Edit: I am NOT an early 50c expert.

 

If you are doing a type set, you want a common variety that will not cost you a premium. The three leaves under the wing variety is an expensive die variety. It also has a diagnostic die break that makes it less than the perfect type coin in my opinion. The recut date brings a lesser premium that gets higher as you go up through the grades.

I have been upgrading this type for the last 20 years. Here are three I have had.

Nice VF



EF-45



AU-58

 

So, just to summarize, for a Type Set, I should look for:

1) 1795, NOT a 1794
2) "normal", i.e., "2 leaves" (under the wing)

Also, @johnmilton, from what you contributed above, I should *not* look for the the "3 leaves" for the reasons you mentioned.

But when you said that the recut date:

"... brings a lesser premium that gets higher as you go up through the grades"
​

Does that mean that I should look for that variety or not look for it? Thanks.

 

Most type set collectors look to fill the slots with highest grade pieces they can afford. When you go for something like the recut date, which has nothing to do with the type, you are adding expense to filling that slot in the collection. If you want to do that, fine.

Some very wealthy type collectors have built sets with the rarest coins for the type, not the most common. That is an impressive thing to do, but it makes everything more expensive. Instead of filling the Lincoln Cent, Wheat Ears reverse with a 1958 in Mint State, you get a 1914-D in BU. That's nice, but it is wicked expensive.

Even if you ignore almost all of the State, America the Beautiful and other state quarters, and have only one representative piece for each type, you are looking at a couple hundred coins or more for a type set.

And in case you missed it, the next type up from Flowing Hair Half Dollar, the Draped Bust, Small Eagle type (1796-7). According to the Red Book, and example of that type in AG-3 sells for over $20,000.

Here is my piece. It was last coin I needed to complete the 1792 to non modern issue type set, excluding the gold. It cost as much as a nice car.

 

I thought « wow » when I looked at the VF coin. I started drooling when scrolling down to the XF coin, but then I saw the AU58 and my chin hit the table…

 

I wish I could afford the Flowing Hair dollar in that condition, but I can’t. I have seen them.

 

I don't collect them, but I can see it is a very nice coin, congrats and good luck.