Well, I did it. Decided to start a Walking Liberty Half collection. After looking at the series for quite some time (obsessively, I might add), I decided on my first two. I think I am going to try something new with the set with an idea of "best I can afford" as compared to my previous sets which were all set at a certain grade standard. In this manner I hope to have a good gradation of Walkers to compare against each other. I figured if I don't like it, I can always upgrade and downgrade to gain a matching set. Thanks for looking!
No, I am more of a raw collector honestly. However, I do like to have them graded if they are going to be the key or semi key dates.
A great choice and my favorite U.S coin. My set is complete with the 1921 PDS being in Fine 15 as I could afford. 1939 -1947 are all MS.
I think the "best I can afford" idea is a great one. Makes the set more fun and exciting because you have a nice array of mint state pieces as well as worn pieces which represent a lot of history.
VERY nice start. Good that you followed the general recommendations (something I often don't): 1. Go for the keys first (like you did). 2. Buy the best you can afford. 3. Make sure the coins are genuine. Keep it up.
@dimeguy, welcome to a great "society." Walkers, Mercs and Flying Eagle cents are my favorites. I completed a Walker collection as a teenager by going through the cash register in my parents' cafe. Unfortunately, I wasn't smart enough back then (about 1963-67) to upgrade coins. Once a hole was filled in my "Library of Coins" albums I didn't set them aside. I still have the albums. May I see photos of the full labels on the slabs? Steve
Thanks for the positive feedback, everyone. I truly have forgotten how nice collecting circulated coins feels. My last set of circulated coins was my first, a Merc set of F-XF I put together as a teenager into my early twenties. It is nice not to worry about luster breaks and fine markings on the fields and other such devices. I am looking forward to learning of the series and grades. I feel with my other sets, I was becoming too telescoped. The Lincoln set I am putting together for example is all low MS. Now that I am getting to the harder dates I am having to go AU on some of the coins, but feel I have been looking at MS cents for so long I do not trust my gauge of AU graded coins. Hopefully having a inclusive set as these Walkers will help out in being more rounded for visual grading of the series. As for the pic of full labels, sorry I forgot in my excitement for the coins. One is PCGS other is ICG. I know ICG isn't one of the main three, but the coin was attractive, appeared original in surface and was cheaper than similarly graded NGC counterpart so I bought it.
They are beautiful coins. I have multiples of each date. I like raw coins. Hard to resist purchasing another when the price is right.
So now I'm feeling elitist! I wouldn't have bought either one of those coins because of the wear. I have turned away from WLHs if I couldn't get good head details, for example. But I'm beginning to suspect that unless I want to spend more than I'm willing, I'm going to end up passing by some good deals. I suppose I am just going to have to accept the wear I see down the middle of the obverse of these coins.
I only have Walkers for my Birth Year set. Unfortunately that year was 1941 so I have to have two proof coins, with AW and without AW. As I understand it the Mint used business strike dies to also strike the proofs. In polishing them up for making proofs they wiped the designer's initials off one reverse die.
This week at LCS, I purchased a 1934 AU, 1935 AU58, 1936 MS63, 1937 AU, 1938 MS60 and a 1939AU. It has been months since I found a group of 30's this nice.
I'm also a Walker Walker, but started at the other end of the timeline; from 1947. I agree about how beautiful they are; for me the apex of circulating US coin design. Both sides are the bomb.
