What varieties of a specific year and mint mark should I collect?

Hey everyone, I'm baaack!

When I collected many years ago (before my collection was stolen more than once), I loved the design of Walking Liberty quarters and halves. So now that I’ve re-entered the hobby, I decided to concentrate on Proof and MS70 (UNC=Burnished) ASE’s, especially those from the West Point mint, with a ‘W’ mint mark.

I find myself inundated with multiple varieties of these coins. So, I have a few questions which I hope you can clarify for me:

For example, under a generic search for: 2015-W $1 Silver Eagle, DCAM (Proof),

(PCGS #: 536910), there is a PCGS link to: “Show Related Coins and Varieties (62)”.


Major Varieties and Die Varieties:

Major Varieties:

• 2015-W $1 Silver Eagle
• 2015-W $1 Silver Eagle, DCAM

Die Varieties:

• 2015-W $1 Silver Eagle Cleveland Blue Eagle, DCAM
• 2015-W $1 Silver Eagle Naismith Private Collections John Calipari, DCAM
• 2015-W $1 Silver Eagle Mercanti SF signature, DCAM
• 2015-W $1 Silver Eagle Fred Haise, DCAM
• (over 50 more die varieties listed below…..)

1- In order consider a collection complete, what varieties are necessary to collect? Maybe just a burnished (UNC) and a proof variety having a ‘W’ mint mark, regardless of anything else below?


2- Is a FUN First Strike DCAM (PCGS #: 536818) a different or a better strike than a First Day of Issue (FDOI) coin (PCGS #: 537384), a “First Strike” (PCGS #: 536819), (same as NGC’s Early Release terminology?), or one that was issued as part of the Congratulations set (PCGS #: 659600)?


3- What premium, if any, is warranted for a coin that comes with a designer’s signature or a different label (like “1 of 2015” (might be a first day of issue, better strike?, or that with a gold foil label)? Is PCGS guaranteeing there is a limited quantity of a designer’s signature, or are they just copies of, and not authentic signatures?


4- Why does PCGS show these as DIE varieties? Are the dies for all of these really different?


Thanks for your opinions and insight.

 

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Too complicated.........keep things simple.

That's just me.

Carry on........

 

Collect what catches your eye.

 

Only you can decide that. It’s your collection so collect what you like.

 

For 2015 there are three West Point issues. Uncirculated (MS), proof (PF- 99 % are DCAM) and the burnished (SP- Specimen proof). Those "varieties" you listed are different labels, which is just a fancy holder and not a different coin finish. Some people collect these and are willing to pay up. But not this guy. Stick with what's listed on the population report page.

 

what became of that?

 

I lived in an apartment in NYC with my folks back in the 70's. Was collecting Barber dimes, quarters, and halves. Not high quality condition coins, but loved them. Apartment was broken into and they were stolen. I think that happened twice (I try not to think about it). Years later, I started re-buying those and started collecting Morgan $1's. We had a baby nurse caring for my daughter. She walked out with whole a bunch of my collection, which was apparently not so well hidden in a closet. Never to be seen again. Now that I'm retired, I can't think of replacing what I had. I'd want them in better condition now, and they're probably out of reach. So now I'm concentrating on coins from West Point (not that I ever served) in Proof or MS70 and reverse proof coins. Also, I'm combing through new quarter rolls looking for the V75 privy's and errors. (After all, that's free, and keeps me from spending too much on the proof coins...NOT!)

 

What constitutes a "complete" set is up to you. To me it would be Burnished, Proof, and bullion coin (bullion coin is struck at West Point with no mintmark)

These are all the same coin, the only difference is the label on the slab, and First Strike has no relationship to when the coins were actually struck. It refers to when the coin arrived at PCGS.

My opinion, no premium. In the case of that "1 of 2015" That just means someone sent in 2015 ASE's and paid to have ALL of them marked 1 of 2015. If they sell all of them they could send in another 2015 and have all of those labeled the same way.

No the dies are all exactly the same. As I said, the ONLY difference is the label on the slab.

 

I would not get hung up with all of this slab label nonsense. Designations like “first strike” revenue enhancements for the grading companies.they mean nothing except $$$ for slab companies.

 

When you get ready to sell all these so called varieties you will be offered bullion value plus maybe $2 per ounce. All the hype for signatures and first, early or any other label embellishments are only used to get you to pay extra for an ounce of silver. Collect what you want but do not think these are varieties and you will reap rewards later.

 

Isn't such behavior by the TPGs dishonest and immoral?
Why doesn't someone, or a few someones, of some substantial standing in the Numismatic world, confront them about their dishonest and immoral behavior?

Is it all about the Benjamins?