For coin collectors, nothing is quite as exciting as filling every last spot in an album or coin folder. A day spent walking the floor at a coin show, scanning all the dealers' cases looking for a key date Mercury dime or Walking Liberty half dollar that will complete a set ten years in the making is never a day wasted. For new numismatists or young collectors on a budget, however, putting together large date and mint mark sets can be a very expensive proposition. Some sets, such as Lincoln cents, are comprised of hundreds of issues, and every set has a few rare coins that can be financially out of reach. A sensible alternative is to consider assembling a high quality type set.

A type set is simply a collection of coins assembled by theme rather than date and mint mark. For example, a collector might choose to put a set together a type set that contains one example of each U.S. coin issued in the 20th Century. Completing such a set can be a thrilling accomplishment, and it certainly looks beautiful as a collection. From the majesty of a Walking Liberty half or a mint state Standing Liberty quarter to the amazing reverses in the State Quarters series, a type set of modern U.S. issues is a feast for the eyes. For new or younger collectors, the advantage to type collecting is that such sets can accommodate almost any budget since key dates and ultra rarities are no longer an issue.

Of course, for more experienced collectors with deep pockets, type collecting can offer its own rewards. Instead of assembling a set representing just any example of each issue from the U.S. Mint, a serious collector could assemble a set of key dates and rare coins. Such a set would require a serious investment and could represent the crowning achievement of any numismatist. Anyone following this route to collecting bliss would be wise to choose the highest grade examples he can afford. When dealing with high dollar coins, slabbed coins are always preferable to raw examples. There is nothing more beautiful to a collector than a 1921 Walking Liberty half or a 1916-D Mercury dime in a certified holder labeled MS-70.

A type set, lovingly assembled with special attention paid to matching condition and luster throughout, can be a notable collection. Unlike date and mint mark collecting, type collecting is financially feasible for new collectors and it can present a different and exciting challenge for even the most seasoned numismatists.