What does a rare gold and silver coin "date run" mean?
A rare gold and silver coin "date run" refers to a collection of coins that includes one example of each date within a specific series or type of coins. For instance, if you want to collect and own the first 10 years of the Morgan Silver Dollar series you would acquire one coin from each year from 1878 to 1888, irregardless of where the coin was minted.
Another example would be, if you wanted to collect and invest in the first 5 years of the Carson City Gold $20 Type 3 Double Eagle, you would acquire the coins dated from 1876-CC to 1880-CC. Or you many choose the last 5 years of the Type 3 series and those dates would be 1889-CC to the final year of issue before Carson City closed its doors forever, 1893-CC.
Collectors and investors often seek date runs of a series of coins they have a passion for or feel will significantly appreciate in value over time, to complete their collections and showcase the progression of designs, minting variations, and historical significance.
MY COLLECTING HISTORY:
In my childhood, my passion for American history led me to be fascinated by the gold and silver coins produced by our country. I started my collecting with wheat pennies, buffalo nickels, and mercury dimes. Then there was the rare gift or find of a Morgan Silver Dollar.
It was my passion of American history, and the "thrill of the hunt" that got me hooked on coin collecting. For example, I remember having found a 1921 Lincoln penny in my change. At the time, the coin had been minted 45 years prior. I'm guessing I was around years 10 years old at the time, so that made the coin 55 years old. That was ancient to me!
If you are like me, and caught the coin collecting bug in childhood, I'm guessing you were either fascinated or at least interested in the history and the stories behind the gold and silver coinage the United States produced, that would ultimately make this country the greatest and most powerful in the world.
The different designs and where they were minted captivated me. I remember I would be especially exited when I received change back to look and see if there was a coin that I didn't have in my collection, or going through my grandparents pocket change in search of something special, whether it be a coin that I didn't have the date of, or even better yet, a coin, that came from a mint that I didn't have in my collection.
The wear and tear or "grade" didn't mean a thing to me back then. It was all about collecting every coin from the series.
Many of our clients here at Minuteman Rare Coin share the above my childhood coin collecting story.
Many also share the following story:
As we grew older and entered our latter teenage years, we became preoccupied with earning our independence and there were so many things to do and experience. For example: our first girlfriend or boyfriend, sports, and of course our first job, so we could save up enough money to buy our first car.
What was your first car? Mine was a 1974 beige Dodge Dart with a slant six engine, which I bought in 1982 for $1,600 from the savings of my first job working as a busboy in a restaurant.
During that time in my life, coin collecting took a backseat "no pun intended." I didn't have the time anymore to sift through my change or to keep up with my collection.
The next chapter of life was a whole new "Brave World," college. If I didn't have time for coin collecting in High School, I certainly didn't have time in college. There were new lifetime friendships to make, cram studying, term papers, tests, and frats to join. Phew! What a time!
For those of who kept the collecting bug inside of us through those years, eventually after college and starting a career, marriage, raising children, etc. There began to come a time when we could think about coin collecting again, but not through our pocket change. We now had the means to acquire finer specimens, coins that were not only historically significant, rare, but also of investment quality.
In this blog post we are going to explore "date runs." Which series pose a challenge due to their scarcity or cost. Which series due to their length allow us more options and the best ways to collect and invest in them whether by specific series, decades, designs, eras, or specific time periods such as the Civil War.
THE VALUE AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DATE RUNS:
The first thing we have to keep in mind when assembling date runs is that some series ran for a short period of time. Some had lengthy runs of 50 plus years. Some series went through minor design changes during their production run and therefore became a "Type."
For instance, the gold Liberty Head $20 double eagle went through 3 minor design changes between 1850 and 1907. Therefore, there is a Type 1, minted from 1850 to 1866, Type 2 from 1866 to 1876, and Type 3 from 1877 to 1907.
Shorter series and certain "Types" can be a major challenge to completing a date run due to their scarcity, not to mention the financial commitment it takes.
Longer series such as the gold denominations with the Lady Liberty Head design and the Morgan Silver Dollar series, with 96 date and mintmarks in the standard set, provide more opportunity for a broader range of collectors and investors to assemble a variety of date runs based on historic time periods in American history.
Such as the previously mentioned "Civil War" from 1861 to 1865. Or the gold and silver coins minted during the height and heydays of the "Wild West." Beginning with the California Gold Rush and ending around the early 1890s.
The Morgan Silver Dollar series allows the collector and investor many options. The series ran from 1878 to 1904 and 1921. A Morgan Dollar date run that is a personal favorite of mine is a 10 coin date run from 1883 to 1893.
It includes coins minted during the height and heydays of the "Wild West," and offers diversification with coins minted in Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, and from the famous and legendary Carson City Mint in Nevada.
This particular date run is historically significant, well diversified, and represents the symbolism of a legendary time in United States history.
In 1861, the state of South Carolina seceded from the United States and the Confederate Army ignited the start of the Civil War by attacking and capturing Fort Sumter in Charlotte S.C., in order to begin their own nation, with their own President, and their own capital to be based in Richmond, Virginia.
The Confederate Army proceeded to seize the Charlotte, North Carolina, Dahlonega, Georgia, and New Orleans Mints in the beginning stages of the Civil War. A gold coin date run from 1861 to 1865 from the denominations of $2.5, $5, $10, and $20 would and can include coins from all three southern branch mints along with coins from the San Francisco and Philadelphia Mints.
Assembling early 20th century gold coin date runs is very popular among collectors and investors. From 1907 to 1933, the 4 gold coin denominations were the $2.5 Indian Head quarter eagle, $5 Indian Head half eagle, $10 Indian Head eagle, and the Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle.
There are many options for the collector and investor to piece to together historically significant and valuable date runs from each of these series. To complete a 10 coin date run beginning with the first year of issue 1907 to 1910, is a formidable and rewarding task for its owner.
Completing a date run as mentioned above takes time, patience, and financial commitment. Think of the "thrill of the hunt."
Another of my favorite gold date run option for gold coins is the Type 3 Liberty Head $20 double eagles minted at the legendary Carson City Mint in Nevada from 1876 to 1893. This is an excellent date run for the collector and investor who is working with a set budget. The typeset can be completed in AU (Almost Uncirculated) condition to lower Uncirculated Mint State condition.
One can choose to acquire all 17 coins in this series and make for a fantastic type/mint set, but the main reason why I like the Type 3 CC $20 double eagle is that it allows a broader range of collectors and investors to grab a piece of this historic coin with say a 5 coin date run, because the Type 3 is more readily available and affordable than either the Type 1 or Type 2 variations.
Plus, it includes the last year of issue for the Carson City $20 issue, which is the last year the famous and legendary Mint closed its doors forever, ending one of the most historic eras in American history and coinage. The "Wild West."
These are the coins that Jesse James and his gang robbed banks for. They represent one of the most historic and legendary eras in American history. They are true, and authentic American rarities.
Carson City gold coins are valuable treasures. Some of the coins in a Type 3 CC gold $20 double eagle date run are extremely hard to find, especially in higher Mint State condition, but are well worth the "hunt."
It takes time and patience to complete a valuable and rewarding date run of these coins.
PRICE $66,500
This 1893-CC Type 3 Gold $20 Double Eagle in Mint State 63 condition was minted at the famous and legendary Mint in Carson City, Nevada at the height and heydays of the "Wild West"
It is the last year of issue from the legendary Carson City Mint. The Sherman Silver Act of 1893 sealed its fate by closing the famous Mint forever, ending one of the most historic periods in American history and in American coinage.
This coin comes from an extremely mintage of only 18,462 and only 28 have been authenticated and graded in Mint State 63 by PCGS. The PCGS population report shows that they have not graded any coins higher than MS-63.
Moreover, CAC (Certified Acceptance Corporation) has approved and given a green sticker to only 4 and they are valued at between 90 and 95k. This coin is a steal at the price we are offering.
We are projecting a significant increase in value for this coin over the next 3 to 5 years.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to own this incredible rare piece of American history!
Minuteman Rare Coin:
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What's the number one piece of advice we give our clients?
"Always acquire the best coins you can afford, and always choose quality over quantity!"
Sincerely,
Edward Walsh, President
Minuteman Rare Coin Company
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