which coin series' look better in lower grades than in higher grades. Mine would have to be the Bust Halves. Ignoring value and toning, which series of coins is more eye appealing in, let's say, VF grades than in MS grades. vf35: http://webpagepictures.coinauctionshelp.com/capped_bust_reeded_edge_half_dollar_grading/VF35.jpg ms: http://www.coincommunity.info/coin/0050/1838_capped_bust_half_dollar_obverse.jpg
Well to me it boils down to a matched collection whatever the series. I know there are some MS bust halves I would love to have - I think tnfc had a ton of auctions this week with those. I personally think any of the early bust copper coinage in a solid ag/g is a great collection or great coins, then the bust halves g/vf would also be nice. At the same time I think I also like the barber coinage in solid vg shape.
As a rule, there are no series in which VF coins consistently look better than MS coins. There are some cases in which the very best VF35 specimens look better than the worst MS60s... but exceptions don't prove the rule. In a case like that, one can look in the same series and find crummy VFs which don't begin to compare with a decent MS coin.
I really have to agree with the statement it depends on the entire series. Regardless of what the coin is, to many it looks rather irritating to see MS coins next to VF coins or a G coin. If an entire collection is uniform with even all G coins, it still has that unified, togetherness look. Out of all the Albums I have any where there are coins of different grades irritates me. I would much rather have a collection where all are the same grade rather than any collection of miscellaneous grades.
This would be hard to do with a Dansco 7070 type set! For a given series, I would tend to agree with you.
I don't know that any coin series looks better in VF than MS, but it is matching pieces together in a uniform consistency so they complement each other instead of sticking out and clashing. Thats what I am attempting to do with my 7070.
I was thinking of the expense involved for uniformity. Easier to get higher grade pieces for later type, harder for earlier type.
Agreed... that's why those who collect a single series by date think differently from type collectors. For most of us working a complete type set, modern coins will be much higher grade than the earlier types. Coins of a given era will look similar i.e. draped bust stuff in VF, moderns in MS or PR.
