When Does the Modern Era Begin - A Summary of the Poll - Flash Franklins Considered Classics

Typetone

Thanks to all who voted in the poll.

The majority felt that 1965 was the correct point to begin the modern era. A significant minority believed it differs per denomination. In that view, I believe moderns/classics would break as follows:

1c Wheat Lincolns and prior classic - Memorials modern. 1959
5c Buffalo nickels and prior classic - Jeffersons modern. 1938
10c, 25c, 50c All silver Roosies, Washingtons, and Kennedys and prior classic - all clads moderns. 1965
$1 Peace dollars and prior classic - IKEs and beyond modern.

I kind of agree with the minority view. However, I really consider early Jeffersons in the same camp as silver dimes, quarters, etc. Perhaps the classic/modern break for nickels could be when the designer initials were placed on the obverse in 1966.

It was very interesting that very few put the break at 1950. It seems the majority consider Franklins, 50's silver Roosies and Washingtons to be classics. I believe that represents a gradual change of attitude. In the past I would have called Franklins moderns. now I am beginning to view them as classics. I am still having a little difficulty calling 1950s 10c and 25c classics, but am beginning to see the light. I see that Legend coins has a policy of not buying coins minted after 1950. So, it seems that some of the classics dealers are struggling with the 50s as well. I note that Pinnacle has up a group of Franklins w/o the normal comment that "they don't usually sell moderns, but these were too good to pass up".

Greg

khayse

Sorry, I think I missed the poll. I'm close to the significant minority:

1c Wheat Lincolns and prior classic - Memorials modern. 1959
5c Buffalo nickels and prior classic - Jeffersons modern. 1938
10c Mercs and prior classic - Roosies modern
25c Standing Lib and prior classic - Washington modern
50c Walking Lib and prior classic - Franklins modern
$1 Peace dollars and prior classic - IKEs and beyond modern.

I like Frankies and all, I just don't consider them "classic".

-KHayse

Mistercoinman

I believe this is a accurate break-down, although I personally think the new modern era would be when the mint went from silver to clad coins, maybe because I was born in the fifties anything before my birth would seem classic. Fred

1c Wheat Lincolns and prior classic - Memorials modern. 1959
5c Buffalo nickels and prior classic - Jeffersons modern. 1938
10c Mercs and prior classic - Roosies modern
25c Standing Lib and prior classic - Washington modern
50c Walking Lib and prior classic - Franklins modern
$1 Peace dollars and prior classic - IKEs and beyond modern.

Typetone

Looks like we are still struggling with the majority view on Franklins. On Washington's I have no problem calling 30s pieces classics. Only in the 50s do I have problems.

Greg

mdwoods

Clad era= modern, pre clad= classic. Pre small cent era=Old Timey Coins.

KlectorKid

Wheat cent and before classic
Buffalo nickel and before classic
Merc dime and before classic
SLQ quarter and before classic
WL half and before classic
Peace dollar and before classic
gold 1933 or before classic

LucyBop

the Fifties are Classics!!! Like this 55 and my 55 Frankie!

khayse

Now I'm going to get on Lucy's bad side.

-Khayse

fcloud

Every coin at one time was modern.

When the US first started minting coins in the 1790s they were modern. I wonder if the question was, how old does a coin have to be to be a classic if the results would be the same?

Tony

jonesy

Lucy Doesn't Have A Bad Side!!!

Russ

I simply can't picture most 20th century coinage in my mind when I think of "classic". Liberty nickels and Barbers, maybe. And perhaps even SLQ's could slide in there. But to me "classic" means 19th century or earlier.

OTOH, when I think of "modern" I do think in terms of 1965 to present. It seems that for the strictly defined "modern" category, 1965 makes sense since that's when we saw the big change to pot metal coinage.

So, I'm going to call all the tweener stuff "post-classic" or "pre-modern".

Russ, NCNE

LucyBop

A Classic, Plain and simple..... Yikes, all this chrome gets hot in 105 degrees! The 55 is all American and the best of times.... Good Music, Awesome cars, and some Killer Half dollars!

Russ

<< <i>Good Music, Awesome cars, and some Killer Half dollars! >>



Two out of three ain't bad.

Russ, NCNE

ksteelheader

When Does the Modern Era Begin ...Doesn't really matter to me. I collect whatever I feel like collecting......Ken

K6AZ

Gee Lucy you look like you are about to die in that photo. I'll take my 94 GMC 3/4 ton truck with nice, ice cold AC.

LucyBop

my 55 has ac, but, this was at a recent car show.... This car is equipped with ac, disc brakes dropped spindles, griffen aluminum radiator and a stroker 383 that is pushing 400hp......

BillJones

Here's my list of modern guide posts:

Lincoln cents 1934 and later - these coins were saved and traded in roll quantites.

Nickels - The moderns start with the the Jefferson nickel in 1938. The 1938-D Buffalo nickels are common as dirt in BU, but they escape because they were the last of their kind. The buffalo nickel is a true classic.

Dimes. Like the Lincoln cents, 1934 is good place to make a mark.

Quarters - Washington started the modern era in 1932. That's not say that there are not some very scarce modern coins in BU condition. The 1932-D is a prime example.

Half Dollars - Once more 1934 is good place to make the mark. Bid prices on the Grade sheet for BU coins in roll quantities is a good bench mark.

Silver dollars - Ike leads the way. Anything before Ike is a Classic, even if it is very common.

The Old commemoratives are all classic. The BTW, Washington-Carver and Iowa escape because they are collected with the other classic coins.