Buy the Rarest Most Expensive Coin First
when Collecting a Full Set of Rare Coins.

Today I want to talk to numismatists about how people buy rare coins in a certain way. At a coin show, I have noticed that what way coin collectors are buying coins to start a full type set collection. And it seems to be the wrong way, financially speaking. Set collecting means collecting all of the coins in a specific type of coin series. Examples would be all the years for Liberty Cap Half Cents, or Barber Quarters, or the Indian Head Cents, etc. They want to collect the whole series of a certain type of coin.

What we have seen at coin shows is that some collectors are hesitant about purchasing the rarest coin in the series they have decided to collect. They want to wait untill they have the other common coins of the set completed. This is actually the opposite of the way one should build a full set, financially speaking of course.

When a numismatist is starting out a new set collection, financially speaking, the best way is to make sure you go after the most expensive coin in the series first. Put your efforts into getting that rare coin as soon as possible. The reason for the urgency is stricly a financial one. If you don't buy that expensive coin right away, you will have to pay more money for it at later time. And many times it is much, much, more, compared to the other common coins in the set.



Lets say it takes you five years to get all the other common coins in the set. Now your ready to get the rarest coin. During the five years, the rarest coin in the set, has gone up in value alot more in dollars value than the common coins. So if its a rare coin that averages five percent average return per year, that coin has gone up 25%. For a coin that cost $10,000 5 years ago, it could be $12,500 now. $2500 more than what you could have bought it for 5 years ago. When starting to collect a full set of rare coins, the rarest coin in the set should be prioity number 1.

The other less expensive coins in the set, the ones that may be $200 or $500 dollars, have not really moved that much in value over 5 years. About $50 or so each. The less expensive coins in the set are common and they're not going to move that much. It takes them 20 years or so to make a noticable move up in total dollar amount.

If a numismatist goes after the most expensive coin in the set first, they not only are going to save money during the long term, but their also going to have more fun because they will already own the best coin in the set collection. Numismatists that want to collect a full set of rare coins, will always be able to find the less expensive coins needed to complete the set. The rarest coin which is the most expensive coin of the set will NOT always be available. And as time goes on, the value of the rarest coin goes up the most in dollar value over time.



As and example, let say you're collecting a full set of Standing Liberty Quarters in grade G4. The 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter is going at current value of $3000 in G4 grade. This is the number one coin in the series you should want to purchase right away. Search aggresivly for it. The next coin would in the set will be the 1918 8/7 Standing Liberty Quarter. Then the 1918 S 8/7 Standing Liberty Quarter. And so on. the numismatist would want to buy these three coins as soon as possible and not be to concerned with the other easily found common coins. They will find that not only their saving money in the long term, but you have more fun doing it.

Thank you for reading this article about building a full set rare coin collection, by buying the most expinsive coin in the set first. Also, remember to go to the website Land of Coins so you can buy and sell your coins at auction with no final value fees. It's only $15 dollars a month to buy and sell unlimited amount of coins with no final value fees.