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Sleeper dates

Sleeper dates- A coin that is thought of as common by the general market compared to the well known key dates. Undervalued, overlooked, underrated, tough to find PQ in a particular grade. These are a few things that come to mind when I here the word sleeper date in a series. It can take years to become an expert of a particular series and be able to look back on which dates proved to be hardest to acquire with the right look.

In the series I collect (Liberty Seated Dollars) there are many key and semi key dates. But there are a few that are considered common that are far from it. One date that I’ve found particularly challenging is the business strike 1873 in circulated grades. The 1873 seems to get lumped in with the other Philadelphia issues from the 1870s but I assure you finding a nice one can take years.

I would love to hear about coins from different series that you specialize in. What dates have found to be surprisingly tough to find nice?

Comments

  • i would like to know if anyone thinks that pcgs # 9141 (1907 $20 saint .. aka 1907 "arabic numerals" twenty dollar / double eagle) should be considered a sleeper based on the op criteria set forth

    i think one is challenging to find nice, but i may not have seen enough yet to know for sure
  • edited September 2022
    Any 1936-42 proof in CAM. JA has been saying the 1936-42 proofs have been good buys for years (at least I remember seeing posts from years ago where he said this), but the CAM coins are where the bargains are. Some of the coins have populations of less than twenty at both services and they can be had for a few thousand dollars.
  • SeatedNut said:

    Sleeper dates- A coin that is thought of as common by the general market compared to the well known key dates. Undervalued, overlooked, underrated, tough to find PQ in a particular grade. These are a few things that come to mind when I here the word sleeper date in a series. It can take years to become an expert of a particular series and be able to look back on which dates proved to be hardest to acquire with the right look.

    In the series I collect (Liberty Seated Dollars) there are many key and semi key dates. But there are a few that are considered common that are far from it. One date that I’ve found particularly challenging is the business strike 1873 in circulated grades. The 1873 seems to get lumped in with the other Philadelphia issues from the 1870s but I assure you finding a nice one can take years.

    I would love to hear about coins from different series that you specialize in. What dates have found to be surprisingly tough to find nice?

    All Seated proofs. Each date has a mintage from a few up to merely 1,355. Many of some dates were melted according to mint records (see Walter Breen's Encyclopedia; the PCGS Population Report seems to support his claims). Some were used in commerce or otherwise lost to attrition. Seated proofs usually look great even in lower grades. Certain rare circulation strikes become bargains in proof because they are priced as common dates.
  • edited September 2022
    As we know, in the Indian Head Cent series, the 1877 is legitimately the key. In MS65RB the PCGS Pop is 86 (only 8 finer in RB), the CAC Pop is 32, and the CAC Price Report has it at $21,000.

    Last year I bought a real nice 1894 IHC in MS66RB. The PCGS Pop is only 7, and the CAC Pop is only 2. NONE finer in RB at PCGS or CAC (NO 66+ or 67 in RB at PCGS or CAC).

    I bought the below coin below the CAC Market Price of $1,330. Rick Snow says it’s 95% Red.

    By the way, I didn’t buy it from Rick, but from GC.

    I recognize the critical concept of supply and demand. While the supply of this grade for 1894 is minuscule, obviously the demand is low (fortunately for me when I bid on this coin).

    Steve








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