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A YOUNG NUMINIMIST'S DREAM

THE PURSUIT OF THREE "IMPOSSIBLE" COINS

By John DobbsPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Three-legged Buffalo nickel plus 1955 Doubled-dye & 1909-S VDB Lincoln cents

By Numinimist

A family member or our can peers nudge us toward creating the vision for our future. As a young numismatist, or coin collector, with an abundance of time but little money to spend, my early collection was mainly pennies picked through pocket change. When my grandpa took me to my first coin show, I splurged on a $10 roll of circulated Buffalo nickels. My biggest pursuits were collecting Lincoln wheat cents and Buffalo nickels by date and mint mark.

I had most of the 1941-1958 wheat cents and Buffalo nickels from 1934-1938, but only a few earlier dates. The chance of finding the few rare, key-date pieces in these series was infinitesimally small. A 1914-D or 1922 No D penny, or 1926-S nickel are examples. I didn't care about these, nor did my grandpa or friends ever mention them. What I was asked multiple times by both was if I had found a 1909-S VDB or 1955 doubled die penny, or a three-legged Buffalo nickel. These I wanted. I never found any. I couldn't afford to buy one, even in very worn condition.

There was another problem. I was picky about the condition of my coins. When filling albums, I would choose the coin in the best condition I could find to fill each slot. If I found a better one, I would replace that coin. I had some uncirculated brown or partly red wheat cents in from the '50s, and one or two about uncirculated browns from the '40s. My best Buffalo had almost all its horn remaining, making it a Very Fine grade. It would have retailed for $2.

I didn't like highly worn coins. If I found one, I would keep it only if it were the best for that date; however, I would not buy one. I veered from this a little when I started collecting Barber coins, but I went back to that policy and have there remained for over forty years, which is why I became a Type collector.

Instead of collecting by date and mint mark, I collect by type or design in the best condition I can afford. For example, there are Type 1 and Type 2 Buffalo nickels. Type 1 was minted only in 1913; Type 2 from 1913-1938. I own one example of each, both in a very high uncirculated grade of MS67+, certified by PCGS with a green CAC sticker affixed, and the Type 1 is beautifully toned.

I have completed several type and design sets. I first completed a 39-coin 20th Century U.S. Type Set without gold. Next, a three-piece Barber Type Set consisting of a dime, quarter, and half. Third was Five Cent Type Set with all ten "Nickel" types since the first five-cent nickel was minted in 1866, including the Jefferson War "Nickel" which was not made of nickel but an alloy 35% silver with copper and manganese. My prize set is a Basic U.S. Coin Design Set without gold consisting of 41 designs from the beginning of U.S. coinage in 1792 to the present. It took 15 years to assemble, with the finest coins I could afford that met my picky standards.

I am still upgrading these collections, working on even larger Type and Design sets, and building a 20th Century gold Design set. Additionally, I started branching out. I collected a few ancient as well as U.S. colonial and classic commemorative coins. Eventually the time arrived to revisit the dream: the three "impossible" coins.

These are expensive coins, even in lower grades. Since I already own a high-grade Lincoln wheat cent and both Buffalo nickel types, I did not need to duplicate such high grades for these dream coins. However, I wanted them to have very good eye appeal, with little or no wear. I now had the means to do what I could not when I was a young numismatist. I began my search to buy these coins.

The first was the three-legged Buffalo. I found an original, gorgeously toned PCGS AU58 coin. AU58 is the highest circulated grade, only the slightest rub away from a true uncirculated. Often one cannot see that wear with the naked eye, with some AU58s examples looking better than uncirculated ones. This was one of those, and I am very proud of it.

Next was the 1955 doubled-dye obverse penny. I found a highly-detailed MS62 brown where the doubling is very clear. My prize wheat cent type coin is fresh, bright mint red. Brown copper is less expensive. The coin I found is problem-free and beautiful. I am also very proud of it.

Finally, I found a 1909-S VDB in MS64 with a red and brown mix. I easily approved its eye appeal. I bought it.

I succeeded in fulfilling my dream. I needed all the experience I had accumulated over the years of type collecting. I had to keep the dream alive for 49 years, and when I was able and ready, I had to act. With perseverance and patience achieving dreams is possible. Indeed, it is so.

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