pins
I don't really have a solid answer to your question about which pin is the toughest to collect. Hopefully, more experienced collectors will weigh in. I have only started buying and selling P2 pins this year. The PSA registry shows several pins with thirty or less graded examples. I assume that they would be the most difficult to obtain. The large letter variation is definitely tougher to find, than small letter examples.
When you think about cost it would be a good choice for a pre-war collection. Most commons sell between $20-40 dollars on eBay. The HOFers from $40-100. Cobb, Matty, Young will cost more, but they will not break the bank. You can find deals if you buy in large lots, or catch a deal on an individual pin on an eBay auction. I'm not big on buying graded examples. The loose pins are quite a bit cheaper, and you can buy Nickle/Quarter coin mounts to protect them in at any hobby shop.
Condition is important. Watch out for stains, dents or rust. Many pins are missing the lock pin or have various degrees of paper loss on the reverse. In addition to the large letter, small letter variation, you can also find pink paper advertisements on the reverse.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Joe
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