What is a "Cheap Coin" that was difficult to find for your collection?

Clio

So I collect shillings and one of each Monarch. This means there are some relatively recent ones that can be difficult to find unique examples of. For me this was the one:

This coin cost me $10. It's not a particularly high grade but it's the only example I could find with enough character to feel like it belonged in my set. These are notoriously poorly preserved and very few GEM examples seem to exist despite being a fairly recent coin and because of the 50% composition they rarely tone nicely.

It seems this series is cheap enough that I can't find them listed online because it's mostly a waste of time, and the examples I am looking for are likely buried deep in some dealer's bulk boxes.

Because of this experience I was curious if anyone else ran into this issue for relatively cheap coins they needed for their collection.

WCC

The majority of the coins I have collected since 1998 and own now are at least somewhat difficult to buy.

The image below is of a 1769 Peru 1R. I can't find a better one and have seen it a handful of times. Cost was $43. Mintage recorded at 112,800.

Boosibri

MasonG

I have been working on and off for a while now on a BU "One Coin Per Country" birth year set. The hardest ones to find are the ones that catalog for under a few dollars. Like you said, nobody bothers to list individual coins valued that low for sale.

WCC

@Boosibri said:

I don't think that's a cheap coin for most of us.

7Jaguars

https://images.pcgs.com/CoinFacts/37247762_169041687_max.jpg

This coin is extremely rare as an uncirculated and cost a princely $3.59! Find another? Probably not

TomB

@7Jaguars said:
https://images.pcgs.com/CoinFacts/37247762_169041687_max.jpg

This coin is extremely rare as an uncirculated and cost a princely $3.59! Find another? Probably not

Didn't you write a thread about this piece? If I recall correctly, it was pretty interesting.

bosox

As a sidelight to my main interest in Canadian coins, I collect WWII coins from now-defunct countries and governments in exile. Much of the zinc stuff is conditionally scarce but can be found with patience. In completing the Slovakian set (1939 to 1945), a little bronze piece, the 1942 twenty halierov (KM #4), was a memorable search. I looked everywhere for one for about four years. An undamaged one in EF finally appeared on E-Bay. I was able to buy it for $35 on a max bid of $500, I suspect largely because Krause had it priced at $25.

I don't have a handy picture of this unassuming little coin, but it sure is a tough one to find and way, way underpriced. The Kremnica mint changed to aluminum planchets at some point in 1942. I do not know but guess almost all of the reported 6.5 million mintage (for both the bronze and aluminum versions) must have been struck on aluminum planchets. The 1942 aluminum version is common as dirt.

JohnnyCache

horseyride

Anything from North Korea

This copper French Antarctic Territory. X#E15a. Supposed mintage of 30, only one seen in 10 years

asheland

Cheap is relative, these are hard to find reasonably priced… I got them for melt +$50 each.

7Jaguars

@TomB said:

@7Jaguars said:
https://images.pcgs.com/CoinFacts/37247762_169041687_max.jpg

This coin is extremely rare as an uncirculated and cost a princely $3.59! Find another? Probably not

Didn't you write a thread about this piece? If I recall correctly, it was pretty interesting.

Yes, I like to use this coin as an example though I probably have more interesting coins...

coinkat

GB George VI silver coinage in GEM plus seems tough. As a side note, I bought an older Blue Whitman bookshelf 20th Century Britain type set - but only the second volume was available that starts with the shilling. So for George VI, I was able to find and buy some inexpensive proof example that I used for the set. Sort of a fun side project that I am not taking too seriously.

I have more fun seeking out GEM Mexico One Peso coins. And these are not easy but finding those with the look is really a challenge, but not expensive until one tries to find the 1918, 19, 20 and 21.

wybrit

Back when I collected them, it took me quite a considerable time to find 1949 and 1960 English florins in top grade. I finally found them visiting an older gentleman's house back in my MN days, where I bought quite a lot of his Brit collection on the spot. He had lived in the UK and taken to collecting. He had a good eye for quality (and quantity - rolls of modern predecimal stuff).

HoledandCreative

It took me years to find this one, don't know why, $30. Still want an 1895P, more than $30.

bosox

As a sidelight to my Canadian collecting, I collect some other world series that capture my imagination. Over the past twenty years, I have put together a complete set of Portuguese Colonial escudo coinage from Mozambique (1935 to 1974).

I had them all in high grade (most in mint state with a few AU's), which is reasonably tough to do, except for the 2.5 escudo of 1952 (KM #78). This was the first year the 2.5E was minted in copper nickel. Previously they were struck in silver. Although the reported mintage was 4 million, I have found all 2.5 escudos of 1952 are a little scarce but can be found in VF and below without too much trouble. Mine was in VF and stuck out like a sore thumb in my set. Above VF, they are like hen's teeth. They obviously circulated a lot, perhaps because the previous silver ones were quickly withdrawn.

I just bought this one. In mint state, I found it harder to locate than the other "keys" to the series; the 1936 fifty centavos and 1936 escudo. I am pleased to have landed it.

TheGoonies1985

It is hard to say I don't have to many coins I look for specifically I tend to buy what I can when I can. That is the mentality I have since collecting Latin American coinage. But as far as actually looking for a specific date and mint this would be longest I waited that is 2 years (is that long some will say no not really in that case I feel lucky) for this 1733 Mexico 1 real only 2 graded higher. Cheap not for me almost 400$.

robp2

Like a couple posts here regarding later pre-decimal British, I had difficulty with a 1947 Scottish reverse shilling. Couldn't find a minty one anywhere for love nor money. Popped into Spink one day to see what shillings were in the trays and mentioned the above in passing, at which point I was told there were stacks of them in the back room and was promptly given one FOC. Unc price was only a couple pounds at the time (and not much more now), but you never saw them.

Wybrit's florins are an unappreciated series to collect in Cu-Ni. They did a lot of heavy lifting as circulating coinage and the last few years aside, are not something you can just go on ebay and buy in mint state.

jdmern

As a sidelight to my Canadian collecting, I collect some other world series that capture my imagination. Over the past twenty years, I have put together a complete set of Portuguese Colonial escudo coinage from Mozambique (1935 to 1974).

I had them all in high grade (most in mint state with a few AU's), which is reasonably tough to do, except for the 2.5 escudo of 1952 (KM #78). This was the first year the 2.5E was minted in copper nickel. Previously they were struck in silver. Although the reported mintage was 4 million, I have found all 2.5 escudos of 1952 are a little scarce but can be found in VF and below without too much trouble. Mine was in VF and stuck out like a sore thumb in my set. Above VF, they are like hen's teeth. They obviously circulated a lot, perhaps because the previous silver ones were quickly withdrawn.>

While there's a couple of hoard dates, Portuguese Africa is super underrated in high grades. There are certain earlier dates that I've yet to ever see in exceptional grades.

angelo43

Ita;y 10 Centesmi 1894 R in bu

Clio

@robp2 said:
Like a couple posts here regarding later pre-decimal British, I had difficulty with a 1947 Scottish reverse shilling. Couldn't find a minty one anywhere for love nor money. Popped into Spink one day to see what shillings were in the trays and mentioned the above in passing, at which point I was told there were stacks of them in the back room and was promptly given one FOC. Unc price was only a couple pounds at the time (and not much more now), but you never saw them.

Wybrit's florins are an unappreciated series to collect in Cu-Ni. They did a lot of heavy lifting as circulating coinage and the last few years aside, are not something you can just go on ebay and buy in mint state.

I wonder if they would allow me to do the same if I stopped by.... I do totally agree with you there. Plenty of UNC material out there just not worth listing.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1090210/some-time-capsules-from-1945-1946-christmas-bonus#latest

This was a recent batch I had with some outstanding examples and I paid an average of $4 each for them including shipping to the US. Highest graded were two MS66 examples. One of which now resides in my monarch set in replacement for the one featured in this original post.

The_Dinosaur_Man

I've been pursuing a set of Bahamas cents for a couple of years, some of the specimen and proof issues have exceptionally low mintages and still only cost a couple dollars each at the most.

Clio

@The_Dinosaur_Man said:
I've been pursuing a set of Bahamas cents for a couple of years, some of the specimen and proof issues have exceptionally low mintages and still only cost a couple dollars each at the most.

I have to say I often forget how modern rarities can and do exist. Considering the sheer volume of most modern issues It just slips my mind.

The_Dinosaur_Man

@Clio said:

@The_Dinosaur_Man said:
I've been pursuing a set of Bahamas cents for a couple of years, some of the specimen and proof issues have exceptionally low mintages and still only cost a couple dollars each at the most.

I have to say I often forget how modern rarities can and do exist. Considering the sheer volume of most modern issues It just slips my mind.

I think of these issues as accidental rarities unlike the artificial rarities that are marketed to no end. That's where the pursuit is more fun than anything.

7Jaguars

@The_Dinosaur_Man said:
I've been pursuing a set of Bahamas cents for a couple of years, some of the specimen and proof issues have exceptionally low mintages and still only cost a couple dollars each at the most.

There are some really rare bits out there - I got uncirculated 1984 FM Bahamas 25c for less than 10 USD - these are not even recorded to exist outside of proof and it def. is uncirculated.
The same with an uncirculated 1984 FM Trinidad uncirculated and NOT proof for less than 4 USD.

These are so crazily rare, and nice looking to boot, that they are great buys and took years to find, well, that just goes to show what patience will do.

These two were some of my very favorite coins and I confess that I did slab them even though some mistakes are made with the TPGs on these.

BTW, you can always PM me on FM mint material for information or help as I am a collector and like that others share similar interests..

bidask

!

Festus mentioned in the book of Acts

And it is a small coin !

Boosibri

This type comes ugly and white. Very tough to find one that’s toned and with good eye appeal.

BillJones

It's not that cheap, but I have not been able to to find a 1763 George III Northumberland shilling in the United States. I've been able to find them on-line overseas, but that always costs a lot more than you think it will, given the exchange rates and sneaky taxes. Maybe something will show up in the Winter FUN auction.

I found than an old Mexican 8 reales, from the 1830s hard to find, despite the fact that they don't catalog for that much. I was able to find this one a couple of years ago for a couple hundred dollars.

Here's why i wanted it. As you can see the design for the this 1836 pattern U.S. gold dollar is hardly original.

pruebas

@BillJones that $1 gold pattern looks more like my 8R pattern below than the issued 8R.

7Jaguars

1984 Belize Specimen set - uncatalogued and unknown previously - extreme rarity & IMHO beautiful coins as well. Bought of ebay for 29.95 USD several years ago:

Many of these late Franklin Mint sets were not recorded as to mintage and releases and handling of struck pieces could be very spotty.
I bought a pattern 1983 Panama 1/4 Balboa proof for less than 25 USD not long before & also currency releases of the 1984 FM Bahamas 25c
and
1984 FM Trinidad and Tobago currency (not proof) 50c also not catalogued and unknown/unpublished for a princely $3.89...