Posted By:
Tom HinesI am not sure about the Buchner's going for $100 or less. I have not seen many to speak of but would probably buy all I could find at those prices. The image quality will be the biggest influence for the lower grade cards. I too have seen some 1's and 2's N172's with nice images that have gone relatively high. But in answer to your question, the N172's will most likely be your best bet for value. There are still some good deals to be had (just takes some time to find them). I think the more realistic way to approach your 19th Century want list would be to narrow down which set you like the most and then follow them for a while and see what the market is doing. If you decide you like the N172's then a more practical price cap would be around $200 to $300 for some nice g-vg with good images. You will be buying less cards but they will most likely present well and you will slowly build a very nice collection.
Trust me, it takes a while. I just finished the 3 Cincinnati cards I needed for the N300 Mayo's and it only took 5 years to do it!
Good luck collecting!
Tom