Type set

A type set is a coin collection based on coin design or type. Traditional collections consist of all dates within a series such as state quarters or Lincoln cent.

Type sets are more popular for practicality and therefore are more common among younger or less wealthy coin collectors. Date sets are more common with more experienced and wealthy collectors, who focus on getting every year and mint for a series of coins.

Description and varieties

A Type Set may contain the designs of only one denomination. For example, the dime has had 12 - 14 distinct designs. The definition of what constitutes a design is subjective but collectors generally follow those listed in the authoritative Red Book (A Guide Book of United States Coins). Professional numismatic associations such as PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) list around 140 entries in a complete set that includes copper, nickel, silver and gold.

A complete Type Set consists of every design of every denomination authorized by Congress that was struck for public usage. This excludes such items as pattern coins or coins struck for particular occasions. It includes denominations that are no longer in existence - half cent, the two-cent piece, three-cent piece, twenty-cent piece and all gold coins. Designs were changed for a variety of reasons - historical, political, cultural and as a reaction to public opinion. The Standing Liberty Quarter first minted in 1916 was immediately redesigned when it was noted that Liberty's breast was visible. This change created a separate design. The Indian Head nickel (Buffalo) appeared in 1913 but the FIVE CENTS began wearing away. The coin was immediately changed to lower the buffalo mound. In 1837, the dime was minted without stars drawing outrage and the offending stars were immediately returned. The denomination "FIVE CENTS" was initially omitted on the V Nickel (the reverse carried a large V). Before the words could be added, enterprising tricksters gold-plated the coin and declared it a $5.00 gold piece. The Indian head cent has 3 varieties: (1) No shield (1859), (2) Copper and nickel (1860–1863) and (3) Bronze (1864–1909). A list of all members of a Type Set are listed below.

A complete type set of paper currency within a given scope of collecting^{[nb 1]} includes a representative sample of each major design and change, but excludes lesser variations (e.g., signature combinations, Treasury seal, overprints, etc.).

Collectors build variations of the ultimate set. For example, many do not include gold due to the prohibitive cost; other now omit designs before the year 1800. These are the most expensive due to several factors: Poor quality of material, primitive machinery and working conditions, minuscule production numbers and general wear and loss after 200 years. Most designs cover decades but some were minted for only one or two years making these the rarest of the entire set. It is not a coincidence that many of these were also struck prior to 1800 when the Mint altered designs in response to unfavorable public opinion. The most famous of these short-lived designs are the half cent (1793), quarter (1796), Draped Bust, Small Eagle half dollar (1796–1797) and the three large cent designs minted in 1793 - Wreath cent, Chain cent and Liberty Cap Cent. The Haig Koshkarian Type Set , one of the finest ever assembled, was auctioned in 2004.

Examples - copper, nickel, silver, gold

Half cent
V-Nickel - with/without FIVE CENTS.
Capped Bust - this design was used for the half dime, dime, quarter and half dollar
Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Gold Dollar (Obverse)

Complete type set

Half Cent
Flowing Hair	Liberty Cap	Draped Bust	Classic Head	Coronet Head
1793	1794–1797	1800–1808	1809–1835	1840–1857
Large Cent
Chain	Wreath	Liberty Cap	Draped Bust	Classic Head	Coronet Head	Braided Hair
1793	1793	1793–1796	1796–1807	1808–1814	1816–1839	1840–1857
Small Cent
Flying Eagle	Indian Head	Indian Head	Indian Head	Lincoln VDB	Lincoln Steel	Lincoln Mem	Lincoln Sheld
1856 -1858	1859	1860–1864	1864–1909	1909	1943	1959-2008	2010-Present
Two Cents
1864-1873
-	Three Cents
Silver Type 1	Silver Type 2	Silver Type 3	Nickel
1851–1853	1854–1858	1859–1873	1865–1889
Nickel
Shield Rays	Shield No Rays	V Nickel-NC	VNickel-WC	Buffalo - I	Buffalo - II	Jefferson	Jefferson-War
1866–1867	1867–1883	1883	1883–1912	1913	1913–1938	1938-Date	1942–1945
Half Dime (Silver)
Flowing Hair	Drpd Bust-SE	Drpd Bust-HE	Cap Bust	Seated-No Stars	Seated-No Drape	Seated-Stars	Seated-Arrows	Seated-Legend
1794–1795	1796–1797	1800–1805	1829–1837	1837	1838–1840	1838–1859	1853–1855	1860–1873
Dime
Drpd Bust-SE	Drpd Bust-HE	Cap Bust Lg	Cap Bust Sm	Seated-No Stars	Seated-No Drape	Seated-Stars	Seated-Arrows	Seated-Legend
1796–1797	1798–1807	1808–1828	1828–1837	1837	1838	1838–1860	1853–1855	1869–1891
Seated-Arrows	Barber	Mercury	Roosevelt
1873–1874	1892–1916	1916–1945	1946-Date
Twenty Cents
Twenty Cents
1875–1878
Quarter
Drpd Bust-SE	Drpd Bust-HE	Large Bust	Small Bust	Seated-No Drape	Seated-No Motto	Seated-Rays & Arrows	Seated-Arrows	Seated Motto
1796	1804–1807	1815–1828	1831–1838	1838–1840	1838–1865	1853	1854–1855	1860–1891
Seated-Arrows	Barber	Stand Lib-I	Stand Lib-II	Washington
1873–1874	1892–1916	1916–1917	1917–1939	1932-Date
Half Dollar
Flowing Hair	Drpd Bust-SE	Drpd Bust-HE	Cap Bust-Letter Edge	Cap Bust-50 Cents	Cap Bust-Half Dol	Seated-No Drape	Seated-No Motto	Seated-Rays& Arrows
1794–1795	1796–1797	1801–1807	1807–1836	1836–1837	1838–1839	1839	1839–1853	1853
Seated Arrows	Seated Motto	Seated Arrows	Barber	Walking Liberty	Franklin	Kennedy (Silver)	Kennedy (Clad)
1854–1855	1866–1891	1873–1874	1892–1915	1916–1947	1948–1963	1964	1965-Date
Dollar (Silver)
Flowing Hair	Drpd Bust-SE	Drpd Bust-HE	Seated-No Motto	Seated Motto	Trade Dollar	Morgan	Peace	Eisenhower
1794–1795	1795–1798	1798–1804	1840–1866	1866–1873	1873–1883	1878–1921	1921–1935	1971–1978
Anthony	Sacagawea	Presidential
1979–1999	2000-2009	2007-Date
Dollar (Gold)
Liberty	Indian Head-Sm	Indian Head-Lrg
1848–1854	1854–1856	1856–1889
Quarter Eagle ($2.50 - Gold)
Cap Bust-No Stars	Cap Bust-Stars	Cap Bust-Lrg	Cap Bust-Small	Cap Bust-Reduced	Classic Head	Coronet	Indian Head
1796	1796–1807	1808	1821–1827	1829–1834	1834–1839	1840–1907	1908–1929
Three Dollar (Gold)
Three Dollar
1854–1889
Four Dollar (Gold)
Four Dollar
1879–1880
Half Eagle ($5.00 - Gold)
Cap Bust-Sm Eagle	Cap Bust-Lg Eagle	Cap Draped Bust	Cap Head	Classic Head	Coronet-No Motto	Coronet-Motto	Indian Head
1795–1798	1795–1807	1807–1812	1813–1834	1834–1838	1839–1866	1866–1908	1908–1929
Eagle ($10.00 - Gold)
Cap Bust-Sm Eagle	Cap Bust-Lg Eagle	Coronet-No Motto	Coronet-Motto	Indian Head-No Motto	Indian Head - Motto
1795–1797	1797–1804	1838–1866	1866–1907	1907–1908	1908–1933
Double Eagle ($20.00 - Gold)
Coronet-No Motto	Coronet-Motto - Twenty D	Coronet Motto	St-Gaudens- High Relief	St-Gaudens- No Motto	St-Gaudens- Motto
1849–1866	1866–1876	1877–1907	1907	1907–1908	1908–1933

Footnotes

↑ Using United States paper currency as an example, different scopes or categories within which a complete type set may exist could include (but is not limited to) Fractional currency, Confederate currency, Colonial and Continental currency

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