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What to collect and why - $100-250ish per coin
ShaunBC5
Posts: 1,636 ✭✭✭✭✭
I’ve been contemplating picking up a new series, or goal or set to work on for awhile now. If your budget was largely going to be under $250/coin (reasonable outliers are OK, maybe up to $1000ish for a key or two?) what would you go for, and why?
I’ve bounced around and done some type stuff aNd random stuff and key stuff, but if you where would you look for years of collecting enjoyment in this range?
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Definitely my choice would be the most collected coin in the hobby? The Morgan Dollar! Such history, such awesome weight and size, such a variety of coins in the series. Including the more rare minted CC's (Carson City). Also, if you're into varieties, Morgan Dollars are where to hunt for them!. Good Luck in whatever way you decide.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.I’m not generally into a series collection but some ideas that would largely fall into that criteria:
Good luck!
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
Who cares about sets? Buy what you like. Period.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Lincoln date set, why; because I like Lincoln cents.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
You can get a lot of really nice Morgans for $250 and under. My avatar was $180 for example.
Professional Numismatist. "It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Most of my collection is geared toward morgans and Proof ASE. Almost done with the ASE in 70...saving for the big one the 95w.
100% positive transactions with SurfinxHI, bigole, 1madman, collectorcoins, proofmorgan, Luke Marshall, silver pop, golden egg, point five zero,coin22lover, alohagary, blaircountycoin,joebb21
Civil war tokens...
That's kind of the problem. I like almost everything!
edit - I've been buying random things I like for the past few years. Also, I'm interested in hearing what the rest of you would go after in this scenario and your reasonings.
Things like Walkers, Barber Quarters, many Morgan Dollars etc are out of reach. You can assemble a very nice Peace Dollar Set, Washington Quarter Set, Mercury Dime Set and Indian Cent Set on that budget. When you (or you heirs) go to sell you should get decent money if you break it up.
1809-1828 dimes and quarters by die variety in matching original looking good to fine condition. These handmade early coins have a history in commerce to them that can't be approached by Uncirculated walkers or peace dollars or commemorative halves, which are frankly very common everywhere and very easy to collect. Imho.
Why? Neat, old (200 years!) scarce, fascinating coins that would be challenging yet not too hard to find, relatively affordable, will look great as a set, you'll get an education building, and will be very easy to sell them when the time comes almost any way you like.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Buffalo Nickels or US Type! I collect both of these in Dansco albums and they are great fun. Indian Head Cents would be another good one.
I tried to do this once with Peace dollars. I started in that budget range and completed a hybrid AU/MS set...... Everything was fine for a couple hours, then I started upgrading. Before long I was contemplating selling a kidney to pay for a gem 34-S.
In all seriousness though, I'd consider Walkers or Morgans. They're big series and you can find about any coin in that price range, especially if you don't mind spending a little more for VF examples of the keys. If you just do a Walker short set, you'll have a very nice collection of mint-state, lustrous, beautiful coins.
Almost all of the classic silver commemoratives can be had in that price range, and they're pretty darn interesting (most of them).
But, collect what you like. If you don't know, go slow and find the something that lights the candle.
Perhaps work on a type set, then? I've thought about putting a few albums together one series or another--most recently I got as far as buying an album about 8 years ago. My collection is aimless in that it's type, but I'm not looking for completion so much as when something piques my interest, whether I see it and just buy it, or search for the right example of a design I like, I acquire it. That means that there are some coins where I have multiple examples because each is unique in some way (various toned Morgan dollars, a few Walking Liberty halves), but I also have an enjoyable range of designs. There are very few series where I think a date run is particularly interesting. They'd have to be series where I just love the design and wouldn't mind seeing a lot of them. Standing Liberty Quarters are a great example of that--gorgeous design that can look amazing lightly circulated. Say, maybe I will start filling that album...
Franklins Halves.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
V nickels are nice or maybe something seated series
...eBay...type in U.S. Coins and detail the search options to $100-$250 price range, then check the PCGS, NGC, and ANACS boxes...maybe click the ‘Newest Listed’ option as well for fresher stuff. Let her rip and have fun
Type set, for sure.
You can bound your set anyway you see fit. "19th century", or "silver only", or...you get the idea. And once you finish "your" type set, just build onto it! Add more dates, more types...subtypes....whatever.
One good coin in every series . One that makes me say " oooh, I like this one ". Type set collecting is fun , but that's not enough budget for my eyes. ( for years I keep upgrading)
Classic Commems - at least they are all different.
Personally, my choice.
Or topical collection. (Worldwide coppers. Worldwide crowns. Etc.)
Who needs 100 coins that look the same except for date and mint/mark?
Worse, for a lot of series, you end up with uneven grades if you are limiting price. Who needs half a collection that is 66 FB (Mercs) and another half that are XF or AU with a VG 16-D thrown in.
$2.5 Indian gold. Except for the 11D the rest are under $500 for AUish, plus you have about 3 ounces of gold when complete
For pursuing set's, I would think some of the 20th Century Classic designs would be good;
Mercury Dimes (the longer "Short Set" 1934 to 1945) and Walking Lib's (1934 to 1947) would be sets that would be challenging and take a while of you wanted them to match well and concentrated on strong attributes
Buffalo Nickels (maybe the short set combined with a year set) would be much the same
A Standing Liberty year set could be done if you skip the 16, and I think Peace Dollars could be done complete
I also like the 20th Century Type, Barber Dime and Quarter year set, Lincoln Year Set and Liberty Nickel ideas
Indian Cents too?
But no matter what ... collect what you like
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
DANSCO 7070 coin album. A good entry to type collecting and a lot of collectors keep theirs and upgrade it over time. Note some coins like the Seated Dollars may be over your price range but 90% or more can be purchased within it.
Collecting by mint or mints is another option.
Cant go wrong with a nice Mint state Red and Brown ( RB ) set of Indian head cents! 3/4 of the dates are going to be in your target price range for MS63-65, and the others for 2x that, except for the 1877.
Take your time, Be selective. Buy PCGS certified coins with eye appeal and no obvious blemishes. IMHO it is a rewarding and undervalued series.
A nice set of circulated, problem free, naturally toned, Walking Liberty Half Dollars.
Because they are a very beautiful and affordable set.
Civil War tokens or so-called dollars
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
I'll second the Indian Head $2.50. A date set can be assembled for around $300 per coin, X 13 coins. It makes an impressive set. I'm assembling a second date set in AU55-AU58.
Don't reinvent the wheel. Morgan dollars and Peace dollars are tried and true. Easily the most popular truly collectible coins - so market liquidity. You can still find great deals if you're patient and discriminating. You'll have a nice stash of silver if nothing else. They are aesthetically pleasing. You can buy almost the whole series while remaining in your price-point. They are widely available at most pawn shops and all coin shops. ...I could go on.
"He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
When goods increase, they increase who eat them -- so what profit have the owners, except to see them with their eyes?"
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me."
http://www.youtube.com/user/alohabibleprophecy/videos
It didn't sound like the op wanted to collect a set you can do in a day on ebay or at pawn shops.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I'm with @SimpleCollector and @Sonorandesertrat
I suggest you'd get more bang for your buck with Civil War Tokens or Conder Tokens.
Another idea (and one I've considered for myself) is an odd denomination set...half cents, two cents, three cents, twenty cents, etc. I don't know what such a set would look like on the budget you've described, but it sure would be interesting to try.
Collect what you like and it is hard to go wrong. That said and as others have said, there is no reason to limit yourself to just one set. If you really like a coin and it makes you happy then that is probably what you should buy. It does help to know a series really well, understand the grading, pricing etc so that you make sound buying decisions though. Best of luck!
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Do you like pretty coins without too much wear? 20th century type? There's lots to choose from. Pick a design you like or maybe a denomination. Long series or short? How long do you want to chase them?
Quirky coins can be fun. 3c trimes. 20c pieces. Affordable as long as your grade standards aren't too high.
Or are you interested in historic coins of the early 19th century in lower grades...VF, let's say? Early half dollars are plentiful, have a wonderful history and lots of personality due to the minting methods and blunders. Lots to be learned there and a ton of fun.
Lance.
Good luck with whatever you try.
If you like variety, these two are winners.
Years ago I did a couple of small sets... CC Morgans, Franklins and Kennedy's for a while....I found sets mildly interesting, but I was really interested in coins. That epiphany led me to buy what I like... no sets...just really nice coins - design, strike, appearance....I enjoy coin collecting a lot more now that I can just have fun and not pursue the 'next one'...Cheers, RickO
Ancient Imperial Roman.
Nice,Original Mid-Grade Barber halves!
You may want to decide if you want a collection of MS, AU, XF or VF etc. That could could help give you some direction.
Stamps are cool.
All of the above...
I'm a long time collector focused on national currency, ancients and papal coins. Several years ago, I became bored with these and thought it might be fun to complete/upgrade some US sets I'd started literally decades ago before specializing. As it turned out I met a whole new group of dealers and collectors who generally were very generous in sharing their knowledge and providing direction for my efforts. It also helped define collecting parameters for me - I wasn't going to try to build a registry set but nice looking, well matched complete set with minimal bag marks, etc; uncs where possible and "clean" XFs or better elsewhere. Using albums helped in the latter and frankly I prefer the look of coins in albums vs boxes of slabbed coins some of which might involve mortgaging the family dog.
My first focus was the Dansco 7070 set of which I thought about half needed to be upgraded or added. This is a nice intro to a wide variety of US coins and a very pretty set, with nice circulated coins for the keys, is well within your defined budget. Researching and seeking out the various coins may also ignite interest in a specific series for you.
Next I started chasing Franklins. I'd always liked this series, and my objective was reasonably well struck uncs but with minimal marks that I thought had nice eye appeal, but not necessarily FBLs. Only 35 coins but nice examples of some of the dates, even in the 1960s are remarkably elusive and keeps you going. About the same time I started chasing Mercurys again using the Dansco ablum. With a little patience it's easy to get very nice uncs from the mid 1930s to the end very very affordably. And again while a challenge and a bit of patience is required the earlier coins, with the exception of the obvious keys, can generally be had in nice XF or better very affordably. Again, using the album helped to avoid the urge to upgrade with split bands, etc while still building an attractive set,
Then I moved to the Dansco 1878-1935 silver dollar set. I had a nice run of morgans, but had always been intimidated by Peace dollars which I naively thought were always horribly struck and lacking details, The purchase of a lightly circulated but wonderfully struck 1921 Peace disabused me of this bias. I also added a couple of pages to the album to add the "silver" Ikes and a selection of commemorative dollars. I consider a lot of the commems to be dreck, but some are meaningful to me so were of interest and seemed to round out the "set" as I defined it rather nicely. And along the way I became interested in the 1878 morgan varieties so now have a complete run of the mints and major varieties of the 1878 to 1880 coins mostly in nice uncs. And overcoming my fear of Peace dollars I also have almost a complete set of Peace dollars, mostly well struck uncs with minimal marks, with just two holes and two potential upgrades.
One failure was trying out a barber dime set. After getting the album and a few nicer grade coins, I stopped. It just doesn't ignite the fire for me so has been put on the sale pile if we ever get shows started again.
Sorry to drone on, but this intermission has been very good for me. I met a lot of new folks and learned a lot about a few series that had been of long term interest but never seriously pursued. It also provided me with a different perspective or "set of eyes" for my core collections which had become a bit stale.
So take a chance and take the plunge into a new area that interests you. There's a ton of very good but very affordable information out there so be sure to get at least one specialized but basic reference, such as the whitman series, before you start out. And don't forget collecting is supposed to be fun. Good luck.
What fun.
And cheap.
Best time ever to collect them
I buy whatever I like. Mostly gold and type coins.
My YouTube Channel
Buy whatever you like. Me personally, I find sets boring and the common dates to be even more boring to collect. Find a series that interests you and buy coins that have that special look to them.
I know BryceM and jmlanzf already said it... but classic commems. It's a happy medium between type collecting and series collecting.
That said, search the message boards. There are a lot of insightful historical posts regarding this series.
"Overvalued" vs. "Currently Undervalued".
"Sleeper" series vs. "Dead" series.
Subsets vs. 50 Piece Set vs. 144 Complete Set.
Toners vs Bright Frosty White Strikes.
Low Mintages vs. Market Availability.
In any case, there are a lot of good opinions that I'm not going to rehash.
If you like a bit of everything you should make a nice type set
Collector, occasional seller
My suggestion would be to buy "quality and rarity" over "popularity and affordability" as a goal. If within your price range, that would be the target for picking up quality and scarcity. Up until now with previous entries, you might choose the early dimes or perhaps Barber Halves (since that is rarer as a series whether dimes, quarters or halves) over Morgans, Walking Libs, used Standing Libs, or brown Indian cents (stating these as examples). I think the quality/rarity-focused angle will more-likely reward you on the back-end of your endeavors as well over a number of those other options.
Secondly, start small. To give some context as you collect, a holder will give you a sense of accomplishment along the journey. I started with the Capital Plastics holder below... I have now worked into tougher Barber Quarters as a series and unique, tough date type in hard to find grades, strike character, and surface preservation / color. @amwldcoin stated mid-grade... good choice. I have recently purchased a bit larger, more expanded version of the Type holder that is out there... but this is for me as a side activity. Stick more towards the aforementioned quality/rarity goals.
All the best in your pursuits!
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.