Building My 1875-1878 Double Dime Set: 5 Hard-Won Lessons From a 5-Year Collecting Odyssey

I’ve Been Hunting These Rare Coins for Five Years. Here’s What Nobody Tells You About Building a Double Dime Set.

When I bought my first twenty-cent piece back in January 2020, I thought I was just grabbing an interesting type coin. Five years and countless auction battles later, that innocent purchase transformed into a full-blown obsession. My quest to build a complete 1875-1878 double dime set – business strikes and proofs – taught me more about coin collecting than two decades of casual hobbying. Let me walk you through my rollercoaster journey, complete with grading surprises, budget-busting bids, and those glorious “aha” moments that make collecting so addictive.

How One Midnight Click Started It All

The Coin That Broke My Four-Figure Barrier

There I was at 2am, scrolling through eBay like any sane collector avoiding sleep, when an 1875-S MS63 stopped me cold. That fiery toning! Those pristine surfaces! My palms actually sweat as I debated hitting “Buy It Now” – my first four-figure coin purchase. What finally convinced me?

• Only 1.1 million minted – and barely any survived in top condition
• Just 33 graded MS63 by PCGS at the time
• That unique crimson-black toning pattern I’d never seen again

My first hard lesson: When true rarity meets eye appeal, hesitation costs more than money. Five years later, this remains my most cherished double dime.

I patted myself on the back, deleted my eBay search, and figured I was done. Oh, how wrong I was.

The Auction That Changed Everything

When a Pattern Coin Became My Obsession

For three peaceful years, my lonely 1875-S lived happily in my type set. Then the Bass/ANA Museum catalog arrived. Flipping through it one Tuesday morning, I nearly spilled my coffee on lot #2107 – an 1874 J-1354 PR65 pattern with colors that looked like liquid gemstones. This wasn’t just another coin; it was miniature art history.

During the live auction (after committing the rookie mistake of gushing about it to another bidder), my hand shook as I outlasted @PeakRarities. The final bid? Let’s just say my car payment suffered that month. But watching sunlight hit those cobalt-blue fields for the first time? Priceless.

Building My Dream Set: Reality vs. Expectations

The Three Rules That Saved My Sanity

After landing that pattern coin, I faced a crossroads: keep collecting types or dive down the double-dime rabbit hole? I scribbled three non-negotiable rules on a coffee-stained notebook:

1. Only buy “forever coins”: No settling for “good enough”
2. Quality lock: MS63-64 business strikes, PR64+ proofs
3. Toning trumps all: Natural color or bust

This manifesto guided me through the series’ toughest challenges:

The Great 1876-MS65 Chase

The 1876 business strike (only 14,640 minted) became my personal nemesis. After rejecting subpar examples for two years, I finally spotted “the one” on GreatCollections – razor-sharp strike, champagne-gold surfaces. The $18,500 price tag hurt (especially knowing I’d passed on it at $12K), but some coins demand premium pain.

Proof Problems: My 18-Month 1875 Hunt

Finding the right 1875 proof felt like detective work. Despite 2,790 minted, most had dull surfaces or weak strikes. After three near-misses, I gambled on a PR64 with knockout cameo contrast. The night it earned its CAC sticker? Let’s just say a nice bourbon was involved.

Five Years, Five Painful Lessons

1. Auction Psychology: Your Secret Weapon

I learned to work the room (even virtually):

• Bid live to feel the competition’s pressure points
• Provenance research is gold – my McClure Collection 1876 proof gained 15% value overnight
• Set absolute max bids…then hide your keyboard

2. CAC Stickers: More Than Just Green Beans

Of my 8 coins, 6 earned CAC approval. This consistency:

• Skyrocketed my PCGS Registry standings
• Meant 23% faster sales when I liquidated duplicates
• Created automatic quality control for future buys

3. Market Timing > Grade Grinding

I wasted months trying to “upgrade” grades until I noticed something: my 1877 proof bought in June 2024 for $9,200 became a $12K coin by Christmas – not because it crossed to a higher grade, but because the series got hot.

4. Great Photos = Better Deals + More Joy

My $200 lighting setup paid for itself tenfold:

• Dealers took my trade offers seriously with pro-quality images
• Spotting subtle toning shifts helped avoid problem coins
• Zooming in on Liberty’s cheekbone? Pure numismatic bliss

5. The Community Double-Edged Sword

That auction gaffe taught me balance:

• Never reveal your “dream coin” publicly
• Share general interests, not specific targets
• Cultivate backchannel relationships with specialists

By the Numbers: Proof My Strategy Worked

Five years of disciplined collecting delivered concrete results:

These rankings aren’t just bragging rights – they prove focused strategy beats random collecting every time.

The Collector’s Eternal Question: When Is It Finished?

With my double dime set complete, new dilemmas emerge:

• Do I chase the mythical 1876-CC (current value: more than my first house)?
• Upgrade existing pieces when superior coins surface?
• Watch helplessly as registry rules change?

For now, I’m savoring the completion high…while eyeing those pattern coins with dangerous curiosity.

What Five Years of Double Dimes Taught Me

This journey changed me from dabbler to serious collector. If you’re building a specialty set like the 1875-1878 twenty-cent pieces, remember:

1. Set ruthless standards before your first purchase
2. Those little CAC stickers create big value over time
3. Watch market trends like a hawk, not just grades
4. Good photography pays dividends beyond money
5. The collecting community giveth and taketh away

To fellow numismatists embarking on your own odyssey: every scratch, premium, and heart-pounding auction moment writes your collector’s story. My double dime set might be complete, but that next catalog is already calling my name…

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