I'm looking to complete a set of Franklin Halves. I've just barely started. So far I've got a 1951-S in MS64, a 1952-D in MS63, a 1954 in MS64 FBL with Omaha Bank Hoard pedigree, and a 1958 in MS65 with an Omaha Bank Hoard pedigree. All are graded by PCGS. What should my next few purchases be? I'm wanting only MS64, MS64 FBL, MS65, and an occasional MS65 FBL. I don't know if I should go straight for the keys first or go for the common and semi keys. I'm going to replace the 1952-D with a 65. Any advice is appreciated!
It doesn't really matter what you buy next, just buy the best coin you can afford. IMO, I'd go for MS-63, but all FBL's..they will go for more than a MS-64 with no FBL's I did the Frankie set once, got to 11/35 then sold out...I still kept my top 5 frankies though..It's a fun set are you going for proofs and the Bugs Bunnies too? stainless AKA Da Wabbit
Buy the best grade keys first that you can afford. In MS-FBL grades the Keys may not be the ones you think they are either. Check around. : )
Definately go with the best you could afford , better to buy one killer coin than 3 or 4 63s , also go with thre FBLs whenever you can , to get an idea of the keys , which I think you should buy 1st ( they rise in price faster ) and may be out of reach if you buy the commons first , iis look at price guides and see where the prices shoot up the most or look at pop. reports . rzage
I completed my set of Frankins maybe a year ago (are sets ever really complete?) and began by buying a Dansco album. Sounds like you are going for higher quality than I did, but I had bought a large lot of circulated Franklins several years before that had just been sitting in a mint bag. I pulled them out, sorted them, took the nicest ones, and placed them in the album. I was missing several- almost all key dates- and I slowly accrued them over the next six months or so. I found the '49-S in a roll of Kennedys- MS62 or 63 too with some purple toning- pretty neat find. The rest (mostly mid 1950s) I bought slabbed in MS-63 and 64 and cracked them out. Now the ones I pulled from the lot I bought (XFs/AUs) look kind of crummy next to the crack outs, so I guess I'll replace them one day.
Do you just go by the slab or do you know how to grade? Only reason I ask is because I heard that NGC is tougher on the FBL standard than PCGS. Just something to consider. COngrats on setting a collecting goal and I hope you see it through to completion!
That is very true PCGS and others grade only the bottom lines, while NGC grades the top and the bottom stainless
What order should I collect series X in seems to be a common question. My view is that since you ultimately want the whole series, wait till a nice coin at a nice price comes along that you need, then buy it. Franklins are plentiful in MS 64,65 and for some years 66 too. The only rarities are certain poorly struck years where FBL strikes are hard to find (49S, 52S) and the 53S FBL which is almost non-existent. Concerning the Omaha Bank Horde pedigree: Early on in my Franklin collecting I purchased an OBH coin, it was such a bright wonderful coin that I thought that all OBH coins would be nice. The second OBH coin I purchased was clearly a 63 sitting in a 64 holder; so I did some work and here is what I found: The OBH is a cache of coins owned or controlled by Heritage Auctions. They're slabbed though bulk submission to PCGS. Many postings felt that PCGS was a bit lax in the standards they used when slabbing these coins. Quarter and penny collectors seemed particularly vocal. So, as always, buy the coin, not the holder. "Buy the best coin you can afford" has always struck me a poor advice for two reasons. The first is that the best in this advice means highest grade. I prefer sharp AU coins to noticeably bagged marked MS examples. Others would be happier with a nice rainbow toned MS64 than a blast white 66. There are many ways to evaluate coins. The second reason I dislike this advice is that it is usually followed with statements about future value. Coin collecting is a hobby. No collectible is an investment. Better advice to me is this: Only purchase coins that make you happy. For me this is particularly true of Franklins. Most 64s and 65s come from bank rolls, so it isnt that hard to find an undipped coin that is still nice and bright. Many of the 66 and 67 Franklins come from mint sets and suffer from toning I find unatractive. Also, the market places a substantial premium on full bell lines. With a good eye you can get some very nice coins that dont quite measure up to the FBL standard, thus sell at a substantial discount, but are quality examples none the less.
While I agree with some of what you say , I'll have to disagree with your don't buy the best coin you can afford . While most of us who collect coins are in it for the love of coins and not to make money , we certainly would like our collections to increase in worth rather than lose money . I can find 63s and up all day that look better than an AU , also though FBL might not matter to you most collectors want the best as evidenced by their willingness to pay a premium for FBL , FSB , FH coins , why because that is how the coin was designed and should look and the fact that they are rarer than your normally struck coin will hold their value better . rzage
