WHEN IT COMES TO COLLECTING modern United States commemorative coins, many people seem to do it one set at a time. What we mean is that since the mid-1980’s, when the Olympic sets came out, or when the set of half-dollar, silver dollar, and $5 gold pieces came out honoring the 100th year of the Statue of Liberty, our commems have always been sold in some kind of set. It’s quite logical then to purchase a set, and to add that small group of coins to any growing collection of commemoratives. But how many of us focus just on a single denomination? Specifically, how many of us look only for the $5 gold pieces – the gold half eagles – and attempt to string together an entire assembly of them? The chances are, not that many. But let’s take
