Your Top Choices for a New Collector

braddick

Say you've got a friend who wants to make that jump from collecting State quarters from circulation to purchasing some real coins. His interests are in general terms right now, no committment to any one type.
What coins, raw or slabbed, would you recommend at under $50.00 per pop?
I would think it would be good to start out with a GEM MS65 1943 Wheat cent, a slabbed MS66 Mercury dime, maybe even a GEM Buffalo nickel.

What would be your picks?

Mrpawn

US Type Set Short or Long

Many fasinating coins and you do not need to spend a fortune to get a very good looking set

Jr

Blade

MRP - Beat me too it. I would say a nice 20th century, pre 1964 type set. Shoot for MS63-65.

BNE

A nice uncirculated Walker, too. And some interesting off-center errors or a mild double-die. The pair of 1883 Liberty Nickels in XF (with and without cents), because they tell a story. The pair of 1913 Buffalos (Type 1 and 2) in MS60-63, for the same reason. And save up a tiny bit more, and get a decent (VF/XF) quarter eagle, just to have some real GOLD. Some proof sets.

I think any new collector would enjoy all of these.

michael

nice looking problem free vf/xf type coins in that price range pre 1915

civil war tokens and hard times tokens that are problem free with eye appeal in that price range

fractional currency that is at least a vf and also problem free with good eye appeal in that price range

sincerely michael

TWQG

Fill a Dansco hard bound 20th century type book with better dates in various conditions to learn to grade along the way.

ccr

I like everyones suggetions. Some of my suggestions would be:
1) Get a first/last year set ( any coin series ).
2) A single year set.
3) A set around a historical period like 1976 ( Bicentenial year with 2 Dollar bill ) , 1929-1934 ( Main Depression years ) . 1914-1918 ( WW1 ) , 1939-1945 ( WW2 ).

clackamas

A nice early MS64 white Morgan. There is nothing like getting a silver dollar over a hundred years old in Mint state to make someone happy.

I also suggest a MS RD 1909 VDB cent. You can get nice original raw ones all the time on ebay. I recently purchased one raw for $20 that went MS66RD.

coppercoins

If it were a friend I'd never steer them toward slabbed stuff, I'd prefer to see them collect for the enjoyment of doing so, not for the potential profit return from a piece of plastic. I think introducing new collectors to the slabbing market is a good way to steer them away from numismatics.

mr1931S

my recommendation...

vf and higher,original and without defects,as your pocketbook allows,Barber,Bust and Seated silver coins...there are many,many possibilities of making type and variety sets with these coins without having to think about obtaining a second on your home to obtain them...

the coins i mention above are getting increasingly difficult for me to find anymore...

...on second thought,forget my recommendation...

clackamas

>>if it were a friend I'd never steer them toward slabbed stuff, I'd prefer to see them collect for the enjoyment of doing so, not for the potential profit return from a piece of plastic

Yeh I would let him buy some cleaned and overgraded coins first. How else is he going to learn about whizzing, artificial color, over dipping, etc? Really turn him off by being taken advantage of, great advice. Those slabbed coins are all crap anyway, who would buy a slabbed morgan for $30 anyway?

nanda

New collector should prefer to go for Type set of grade like VG, F or XF. The coins observe and reverse should be visible so that he or she can appreciate its design.

cladking

The hands down best choice for a neophyte real coin collector is clad quarters from
circulation. The folders for these coins is inexpensive and the collection is just dif-
ficult enough to make it interesting. It is a logical progression from what mst are
already collecn and it gives the newbie a chance to learn a great deal at little risk
to his pocketbook. It also may show a real chance of some appreciation, which is
one of the most effective ways to hook a life long collector. For a greater challenge
there are the dimes. By the time a person finishes one of these collections he will
have his feet wet and an idea of which direction to go.

Petescorner

Low grade, but clear date Buffalo Nickels. Most of the series in VG to F can be picked up for less than a couple buckes per coin. A 1938-D in MS-66 can also be bought in a PCGS salb for under $45 (for reference sake.) They're old enough to still be considered "classics." There are plenty of varieties to keep it interesting. And any coin show I've been to, has several dealers with "flip through" bins full of them. Lot's of fun!

As a side note, I just completed my 64 coin set (no errors or overdates) in VG-F Buffalo Nickels a few months ago. It took me a year and a half, a half dozen coin shows, about a dozen eBay purchases and $646.82 including any shipping charges. All are clear 4 digit dates and 1/2 horn minimum. They're all stored nicely in a deluxe Dansco album. So, now what? (Maybe I'll go back to the top of this thread and look for suggestions! )

merz2

I would have to agree with the WL(MS midgrade) short set. This would be a nice set and all could be had slabbed for less than $50 a piece.

pmh1nic

I would recommend a Silver/Clad 20th Century Type Set. I would not have them focus on buying Gem coins. I would rather have them focus on the broad range of designs and history that a 20th Century Type Set represents rather than getting caught up right away in acquiring high grade coins. If you keep the price limit at $50 they'll get a look at a broad spectrum of grades and learn a little buying disciple to boot.

MacCoin

for a newbie a type set would be out. there is a lot of diffent coins to over pay for a newbie and you don't want to turn them off to collecting with one of the 700.00 common VG bust dimes on ebay. if he/she is into SQ than stay with quarter or go with Rosies, Lincolns, Jeffs, ASEs and if they like the varity try modern commemortive silver that a very beautiful series without spending to much $$$.

SarasotaFrank

I would go for sets up to 1964. FOr example, a new collector could put together a silver set of Roosevelt dimes (46-64) for probably less than $50.00 total. It won't have a great challenge to it, but it's a way to get your feet wet. Likewise on Franklin halves - you could make a set in a nice album from 48-63 for well under $200.00.

One of my favorites is a short set of walkers - 41-47. WIth only twenty coins, no key dates, it's an interesting challenge for a newbie.

To step up a bit - go for a Mercury Dime set, all but three or five dates are easily achieveable, and the key dates can always be filled in when you make the decision to get more serious about collecting.

Lastly - a Peace Dollar set - one key coin and two tougher dates in the whole series. You can pick up a lot of the 24 coin series for $10.00 a coin, a different group for less than $30.00, etc.

The aura of collecting coins that don't circulate (silver) with some implied value makes it more interesting, in my opinion.

CarlWohlforth

IMO the New Collector needs to find a series they love. I'd start buying the finest coins I could for $50. One of each type, both MS and PR. Starting from now and working my way back. PR 69 DCAM proofs and MS 67 circulating strikes are all awesome looking coins, again IMO. Naturally as one gets farther and farther back in time one would drop the grade desired to keep the coins in their price range.

If the New Collector already has interest in a classic series then study and buy those.

I suggest buying slabbed coins until one becomes an expert grader in a particular series.

EVillageProwler

Get a Dansco Type Album, and start with the 20th Century stuff as per Blade. Careful with the slide marks!

EVP

goose3

I agree with many of the others. I like the Type set idea but would suggest the larger set from 1800-date.

I recently had a friend that has always been curious about coins ask me a similar question. I suggested he buy the Dansco Album and slowly fill it with nice looking pieces as he wished.

The nice thing about the 1800-date book is that if this newbie gets hooked on coins, the book and difficulty will progress as it nears completion and price will also rise for the last dozen or so.

I have one for my son and I have all but one of the gold pieces left and both types of seated dollars. I have filled it with all nice looking coins that grade right around where the Jump in price is for the series.

coppercoins

<< <i>Yeh I would let him buy some cleaned and overgraded coins first. How else is he going to learn about whizzing, artificial color, over dipping, etc? Really turn him off by being taken advantage of, great advice. Those slabbed coins are all crap anyway, who would buy a slabbed morgan for $30 anyway? >>



I will step up and be better than personal resentment (for what reason I can't figure out) and not reply to that comment other than to say that education is just as important as not being ripped off on some overgraded overpriced piece of plastic. I would prefer see a new collector learn the hobby by reading, THEN by purchasing lesser expensive coins to start, then get into the more expensive ones after they have been seasoned. It is ludicrous to think that any brand new collector should be out there buying expensive coins. It is also ludicrous (in my mind) for any new collector to be spending more on plastic than the coins therein are worth. That's a good way to teach them - buy a bunch of plastic and have them eat it all when the bottom falls out. I'd rather spend $5 on a $5 coin...not $50 or more just because it's in plastic.

cladking

A nice attractive BU set of any of the circulating coins would make a great stepping stone
for a newbie. Many of these coins are rather elusive in an attractive MS-63/4 condition and
there is no need to slab them at these grade levels. There are virtually no whizzed, counter-
feit, or artificially toned moderns especially at these grade levels. A newbie will learn a great
deal about the nuts and bolts of the hobby by the time one of these sets is finished. There
is a high probability that the set will advance rapidly in value for at least a short time. Indeed
I would advise anyone contemplating such a set to start with an inexpensive unc set as ad-
vertised in all the coin magazines. This set can then be upgraded as the coins are found. The
MS-60 coins can help defray the price increases as the set is being completed and the collecor
will learn valuable insights selling off the lower grade pieces. The sets are available in all the
coin magazines for as little as about $80 for the quarter set. There will typically be a few MS-63
pieces in these sets. Happy hunting.

nucklehead

I would steer any new collector away from any high grade over hyped slabbed ms clad state quarters,and any coins for sale on TV.The type sets are a great idea in my opinion.

09sVDB

How about Books, Books, and more books?

coppercoins

<< <i>How about Books, Books, and more books? >>



Yes, very much...but the first thing is to expose them to coins, not necessarily to buy them but to see what they might be interested in. Then have them get a book related to what they think they might be interested in then read. If they are still interested in that subject, help them with a few coin purchases. I think the cliche of a Red Book or a grading book is okay in some cases, but in many cases it might be placing the cart before the horse. What if the person finds they like hard times tokens or foreign coins? The "staple" books would do them no good, which is why my suggestion. Take them to a show or two and let them look before buying the book.

Edited to add: The above is from a real experience. I took a co-worker to a show to "see what it's like" and he chose to collect encased coins. He now has quite a collection of them and still doesn't own a Red Book. Unnecessary for his specialty. He does have at least one book on encased coins though.

Nic

I would do as Michael. History, variety, a bit hard to find, relatively risk free... no matter one point differences in grade. K

Conder101

Capped bust half dimes in VF, Late date large cents in VF - XF, Civil war tokens, Capped bust halves by date (The 1815 is a killer but the rest are doable.), Two cent pieces in XF, Conder tokens in XF - AU, Darkside material. That's a good start.

kranky

One coin I'd recommend wouldn't make a dent in the $50 limit - a 1982 George Washington commem half. It's a beautiful coin, a commem, and dirt cheap - about $7 for the proof version.