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How do you define modern?

MidLifeCrisisMidLifeCrisis Posts: 10,547 ✭✭✭✭✭

For a colonial collector, it might be anything after 1800...

I’m thinking anything after 1900...

What say you?

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Comments

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,500 ✭✭✭✭✭

    there was a thread on this recently but your take from colonial collectors was not made. it is an interesting a worthy perspective.

    half cent - all
    cent - pre-1959
    nickel - pre-1964
    half-dime - all
    dime -pre-1965
    quarter - pre-1965
    half - pre-1971
    $1 - pre-1971 (if)
    commemorative - pre-1955
    gold - all

    does a pattern collector care if a pattern is made in 1999 ?

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • CoinJunkieCoinJunkie Posts: 8,772 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @DNADave said:
    Post 1964 for me.

    Agree for previously silver coins. Any Jefferson nickel seems modern, as well as any cent post-1982.

  • yspsalesyspsales Posts: 2,508 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Post 1964 for me as well.

    BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out

  • OKbustchaserOKbustchaser Posts: 5,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Struck on that new-fangled steam press thing.

    Just because I'm old doesn't mean I don't love to look at a pretty bust.
  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,906 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Modern vs Vintage ?

    Just kidding. :)

    For my uneducated thought, to me, Modern is anything after 1964

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • LazybonesLazybones Posts: 1,495 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Clad and 40%.

    USAF (Ret) 1974 - 1994 - The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries. Remembering RickO, a brother in arms.

  • MilesWaitsMilesWaits Posts: 5,380 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When the Mint allowed me to order via phone and Internet.

    Now riding the swell in PM's and surf.
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,383 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Depends on what one is using as the criteria... Are we contemplating design? production? content of the coins? Or would the criteria lead to conclude different dates depending on the coin series?

    I am limiting this to US Modern as the discussion would likely be different at the world level. There will be chuckles in the UK if we used 1964 as the beginning of modern coinage.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,252 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In 50 years almost everyone born before 1965 will have passed on (to whatever comes next). I wonder if coin collectors in 2071 will opine that "Moderns" commenced in 1965?

    In fact, if society and technology advances to the point where coins and currency become obsolete (and thus are not legally allowed to be used for financial transactions) will all the "Modern" moniker for coins and currency disappear and would these items all be considered "Classic" or even "Ancient"?

  • abcde12345abcde12345 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Newer vs older.
    You decide what is new and what is old.

  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 22, 2021 4:10PM

    My demarcation has always been:
    Large Cents/Flying Eagle, Indian Cents
    Shield Nickels/V-Nickels
    Of course 1/2 dimes aren't modern
    Seated of all types/ Barbers + Morgans
    Gold 1933/ Modern

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,906 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SanctionII said:
    In 50 years almost everyone born before 1965 will have passed on (to whatever comes next). I wonder if coin collectors in 2071 will opine that "Moderns" commenced in 1965?

    In fact, if society and technology advances to the point where coins and currency become obsolete (and thus are not legally allowed to be used for financial transactions) will all the "Modern" moniker for coins and currency disappear and would these items all be considered "Classic" or even "Ancient"?

    Interesting perspective :)
    thanks
    boston

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • mannie graymannie gray Posts: 7,259 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For me, and this is totally arbitrary, 1970.

  • WCCWCC Posts: 2,635 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Post 1964 for dimes and quarters, 1959 and later for cents, all Kennedy halves and Jefferson nickels.

  • JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @WCC said:
    Post 1964 for dimes and quarters, 1959 and later for cents, all Kennedy halves and Jefferson nickels.

    This for me.

    Some coins are just plain "Interesting"
  • bolivarshagnastybolivarshagnasty Posts: 7,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Post 1959, my birth year.

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,594 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Post 1964 when coins lost intrinsic value.

  • CryptoCrypto Posts: 3,737 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1935 last year of the silver dollar and 2 years after gold.

  • JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Post 1964 for coins.

  • WAYNEASWAYNEAS Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I am all on for 1950 plus

    Kennedys are my quest...

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,358 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @DNADave said:
    Post 1964 for me.

    Moving from silver to clad marks the beginning of the modern period IMO.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,353 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 22, 2021 5:59PM

    If there's only 1 transition from pre-modern to modern, I would use hammered to screw press.

    There's a pretty big change from screw press to steam press as well, but I think the transition from hammered coinage to a screw press is a larger change.

    Once we get to the steam press, I think the final product isn't much different than what we have today, compared to earlier changes.

  • MilesWaitsMilesWaits Posts: 5,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 22, 2021 6:22PM

    This is kind of humorous, there is no objective measurement of “Modern” vs. what?? Old Stuff?
    Really Old Stuff?
    And, primarily, personal belief is defining these seeming imaginary parameters.
    So why does it matter?!
    Borders need to exist?
    Maybe ModernCoinMart can add an opinion?

    Now riding the swell in PM's and surf.
  • JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭

    :)

    Some coins are just plain "Interesting"
  • Mr_SpudMr_Spud Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Post 1964 is the most common cutoff date for modern coinage. Other dates are relative and open to changing over time, but switching to clad from precious metals will always be 1964

    Mr_Spud

  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,663 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If it was "accidental", theen it's Classic
    If it was "intentional", then it's Modern

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • ShaunBC5ShaunBC5 Posts: 1,739 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I like to collect “classic” coins and I like Franklins, too, so the cutoff point has to be 64 :smile:
    If I didn’t like Franklins it could back up to ‘47.

  • rec78rec78 Posts: 5,749 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 22, 2021 8:31PM

    Cent-post 1958
    Nickel-post 1937
    Dime-post 1964
    Quarter-post 1964
    Half -post 1970
    Dollar-post 1935
    Commemms-post 1954
    Gold-post 1933

    image
  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 12,342 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would consider anything modern that you would find in pocket change that contains no precious metal.

    oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's

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  • FredFFredF Posts: 526 ✭✭✭

    @oih82w8 's definition is likely the cleanest - if you can find it in pocket change then it's modern. This will then also change over time, so what is modern in 2050 is not the same as what is modern in 2021. At some point, there will be no such thing as pocket change, and then all coins become classic.

    However I will offer an alternate, inspired by baseball cards. 1986 is when cards slip from being classic to modern, because 1986 is when the printing presses turned way way up. There's still some rarity to 1985 and earlier cards. So even if some collectors will say that classic cards are the 60's and earlier or the 50's and earlier, or draw a line in 1978 or whatever, there is a huge drop off the cliff in pricing between 1985 and 1986. There are very few non-error rarities after 1986 other than intentionally-made 1/1's which exist in the current sets.

    To make same argument for coins, I look then at 1933 for coins as the last year of classic coinage. Not only is it the last year of gold, as previously discussed, but look at the lincoln cent mintages. In 1933 14.3MM in Philly and 6.2MM in Denver. In 1934 219MM in Philly and 28MM in Denver. The number of bright shiny MS RD cents from 1934 onwards is large enough that anyone can have one for a reasonable price. 1933 and earlier you have smaller mintages so it's more challenging. Yes, there are modern rarities - look at product the mint puts out each year with strict limits, or the gimmick "W" mintmark coins or whatever. I totally understand the 1965 demarcation, but there are so many 1964 silver coins out there that anyone who wants one can get one. The most expensive Roosevelt Dime in MS65 per PCGS price guide is the 1949 MS65 FB for $100.

    Basically - I define modern based on rarity. Once the mint started pumping out huge quantities, there became much less special about the coins. You can build beautiful modern sets, don't get me wrong. I have a Jeff nickels set in a Dansco which my dad gave me in 1995 and every few years I add to, but it's all modern, even the 83 year old coin.

    Successful BST (me as buyer) with: Collectorcoins, PipestonePete, JasonRiffeRareCoins

  • JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't consider Frankies for example to be modern because they are not found in change and they have an intrinsic bullion value far exceeding the valuation they represent.

    Some coins are just plain "Interesting"
  • AuldFartteAuldFartte Posts: 4,597 ✭✭✭✭

    Post-1964. Just my personal preference.

    image

    My OmniCoin Collection
    My BankNoteBank Collection
    Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,239 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2021 2:16PM

    If you look at the way I have organized my coin picture files, it’s most anything after 1900. I know some people think that’s silly, since I don’t keep up with all the stuff the mint is selling these days, the file is not that huge. The others are “colonel coins” (American coins before 1792), “Early coins” (1792 to about 1807) and “19th century” (1807 to 1899).

    The gold, medals, British, tokens and Roman coins have their own files and sub-files.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • CoinHoarderCoinHoarder Posts: 2,604 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @mr1874 said:
    Modern coins are those made 1934 and later. Coins dated 1933 mark the last of the Classics.

    Opinion.

    “This”

    As I remember, this was the standard years ago. One of the reasons was prior to 1934, there was little savings of rolled coins. So, there was less availability of uncirculated coins of that era, as many entered circulation and circulated extensively.

    In 1934,, as coin collecting became more popular, dealers began saving more rolled coins at the time of issue. Making the coins issued from 1934 and later more plentiful, and available for future collectors.

    I also remember when uncirculated rolls of coins were for sale, the earliest available years were usually1934.

    Of course mintages of most coins, generally soared after 1934, making these modern, heavily hoarded coins, much more available than those issued before 1934.

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,169 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @mr1874 said:
    Modern coins are those made 1934 and later. Coins dated 1933 mark the last of the Classics.

    Opinion.

    What is special about 1934? It cuts off several series mid way through.

  • mr1931Smr1931S Posts: 6,257 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2021 5:32PM

    Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States, signed the Gold Reserve Act on January 30, 1934. All gold held in the Federal Reserve was to be surrendered to the United States Department of the Treasury; immediately following, the President raises the statutory gold price from US$20.67 per ounce to $35. No denomination of gold coin issued for channels of commerce commencing 1934, thereby marking the end of the classic era ,beginning of the modern era.

    Another way to put this is out with the old, in with the new. Old through 1933. New beginning 1934.

    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein

  • itsnotjustmeitsnotjustme Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭

    Post 1964 with exceptions.

    Cents - Post 1958 (How can a memorial cent be other than modern?)
    Nickels - Post Buffalo, except war nickels (How can a non-silver Jefferson be other than modern?)
    Half Dollars - post 1963 (How can a Kennedy Half Dollar be other than modern?)

    I teeter on allowing Eisenhower Dollars to be non-modern since the size changed...... but I just cannot do it.

    Give Blood (Red Bags) & Platelets (Yellow Bags)!
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,353 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @oih82w8 said:
    I would consider anything modern that you would find in pocket change that contains no precious metal.

    So.... you’re saying you have pocket change that does have precious metal??

    I want to move there!

  • MilesWaitsMilesWaits Posts: 5,380 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This defines Modern:

    Now riding the swell in PM's and surf.
  • Dave99BDave99B Posts: 8,587 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Totally arbitrary, but it’s anything after 1950 for me. Plus, that makes me ‘modern’ too. ;)

    Dave

    Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,353 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2021 8:34PM

    @MilesWaits said:
    This defines Modern:

    Looks Classic!

    It's certainly not a modern design.

  • Tom147Tom147 Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭✭

    IMO, post 64 for the dime, quarter & half. Lincolns would be 59. As for the Jefferson, can't seem to make up my mind.

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Reading this thread, it is clear that the definition is arbitrary to a large degree. Actually, we do not have a definition, we have opinions... like so many things in numismatics. My opinion (FWIW), aligns with those that say post precious metals... in most cases. Even that has blurred lines, since we do have mint issued silver sets. Good discussion though, with thoughtful inputs. Cheers, RickO

  • 1984worldcoins1984worldcoins Posts: 622 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1900-1999? after that are contemporary?

    Coinsof1984@martinb6830 on twitter

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,388 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 24, 2021 12:33PM

    Coins 1965 to date.
    Currency 1960 to date
    Basis: PCGS submission forms.

    Consistency a winning angle.

    Coins & Currency

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