They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are some of the best coin collections. Esteemed collector James A. Stack, Sr., had invested more than a dozen years building his collection, which has been parceled out to the public over a series of Stack’s Bowers Galleries sales since the mid-1970s. Famous numismatist Louis Eliasberg spent decades building what, in his mid-20th-century day, was once called one of the most complete collections of United States coins ever assembled.
Few people reading this article are likely to be pursuing any collections of the scale once achieved by Stack, Eliasberg, or their numismatic peers. But surely many are actively building magnificent sets of coins that require a good bit of patience, tenacity, and – yes – money to complete.
What does this mean for you, perhaps a PCGS Set Registry collector who desires to build a competitive run of coins? For starters, don’t rush something that probably can’t be rushed.
The yearning to build a high-end set of coins that stacks up well against others in their PCGS Set Registry category naturally compels many folks to pay hand over fist when filling slots. But even the most financially well-heeled collectors may face challenges in acquiring certain coins whose “top pop” objects of desire number in the single digits.
That’s when it pays to practice patience, a virtue that has paid off for many of the most accomplished coin collectors. Some of the toughest coins come up for sale only once every few years – so when they do, you want to be ready with enough cash on hand to make a move, even if it means paying more than “market” value for the coin you really want.
Even collectors of more modest means and with more ordinary collecting tastes can benefit with a patience-oriented approach; taking your time in building your sets will help you more acutely set your sights on obtaining the coins you really want while providing you with more time to save up for the purchase of key dates and upgrades.
It’s often the case that collectors who tackle their sets with a long-term perspective wind up completing their objectives and feel more satisfied with the final result. No matter what your collecting angle, playing the long game is often the best strategy for making the most of your numismatic experience.