When is a Collection Complete? (To upgrade or not to upgrade, that is the question!)

I think it's a good idea to set a goal and standards for a set before you begin collecting it, particularly if one of your goals is to "complete" the set. That means doing some research to see, among other things, if there are "stoppers" that you won't ever obtain and whether or not that makes a difference to your decision to collect that series. I understand fully how our collecting is often an organic process where our tastes, knowledge and budget change over time but let me offer up my own experience to perhaps illuminate a way to decide if your collection is "complete".

A couple of months ago, I looked into how I might collect capped bust half dimes in a way that had a reasonable chance of completion. The choices were:

1) Date set only - 1829 to 1837, nine dates and no stoppers regardless of condition.
2) Date set with Red Book varieties, 16 coins and no stoppers regardless of condition.
3) Date and die marriage set, 123 die marriages, some quite rare.

Since, for most of us, cost is always an issue, I ruled out #3. I also ruled out #3 because at age 68 I am unlikely to have the time to complete the set. #1 was easily achievable and wouldn't cost too much even in MS grades. #2 was a bit more challenging in terms of cost and some of the varieties pose a bit of challenge, particularly for nice coins.

I also factored in my interest in die marriages.

Then I figured out what I wanted to spend. After some research and cogitation, I settled on starting this collection using the Red Book set, #2, with a targeted grade range of AU-55 to MS-63, with a goal of nice, well-struck, preferably toned coins. I also set a goal of trying for rarer die marriages if they met my other requirements and especially if I could cherry pick. I also set a requirement for only slabbed coins and CAC-certified where possible.

This set is achievable in a reasonable amount of time, within budget constraints that don't preclude my other collecting interests, and sets the original collection up for expansion into a die variety set should I ever decide to go that route. Also by selecting an upper range of grade preference and eye appeal, I should not ever have the need to upgrade.

So, the end point of this capped bust half dime collection was determined before I bought the first coin, completely unlike my Indian Head Cent collection where I started and made significant progress filling it out with AG to VF raw coins and then decided that I wanted the set to be almost exclusively MS. That IHC set is still in transition and will be for a long time, primarily because my evolving tastes, knowledge, and willingness to spend changed my collecting goals.

So, collect what you like and how you like but if completing a set is of importance then it pays to have a plan before you start.

 

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Oh Jesus. Is that your poison

 

What’s a LC. sorry

 

Large cent