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I'm back to my box of twenty coins

WondoWondo Posts: 2,916 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
I may go back to just ten. I buy stuff I like, but when I get them home, they often don't compare. Once in a while a new family member sneaks in, but I cannot afford them all. Actually, my favorite is one of the less expensive coins I own.

Anyone else play such a musical chairs game with his/her coins. How many coins are in your primary collection? I currnetly only collect one series - $20 Libs. They are beautiful!! image
Wondo

Comments

  • CarlWohlforthCarlWohlforth Posts: 11,074 ✭
    I like the concept of keeping only 20 coins. I have weeded my collection down a bit. But as a type collector I'm still looking at way, way more than 20 coins image
    Carl's Coins website w/ links to Carl's auctions
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,780 ✭✭✭✭
    The more, the merrier!

    Too much is not enough!

    Gimme, gimme, gimme!

    Greed is good!
    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • originalisbestoriginalisbest Posts: 5,917 ✭✭✭✭
    I can agree with theory in concept from a purely investment-oriented point of view, but...

    for most beginning collectors, it might be a mistake to save and save for a "biggie" but get taken as you haven't yet earned your stripes in seeing what makes a coin rare and a good (even if expensive) buy...

    for a wealthy collector, sure, but what's a few inexpensive pieces in addition to your box of 20?

    - one famous collector extraordinaire, Virgil Brand, certainly didn't heed the box of 20 advice! image
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,780 ✭✭✭✭
    Virgil couldn't keep to 20 cabinets of coins!
    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • ms71ms71 Posts: 1,537 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I limit myself to one box of 20 also, but will probably add a second box before too long. I've been working on the first box for almost 5 years, and currently stand at 19 coins. I do not collect on an "investment" agenda at all, but it has made me a much more selective buyer and I don't have any coins that aren't "favorites".
    Successful BST transactions: EagleEye, Christos, Proofmorgan,
    Coinlearner, Ahrensdad, Nolawyer, RG, coinlieutenant, Yorkshireman, lordmarcovan, Soldi, masscrew, JimTyler, Relaxn, jclovescoins

    Now listen boy, I'm tryin' to teach you sumthin' . . . . that ain't an optical illusion, it only looks like an optical illusion.

    My mind reader refuses to charge me....
  • BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 31,075 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have 6 or 7 blue boxes full.
    theknowitalltroll;
  • mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    I need to pare down some of the unneeded coins I have. I'll probably give some away when I hit 2500 posts.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,780 ✭✭✭✭
    mgoodm3,

    Give them to me!!!!!
    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • RWWRWW Posts: 249 ✭✭✭
    I have a tough time keeping it to 20. I have 7 or 8 boxes of coins that there is no way I would part with, and I'm always looking at adding to my collection. The problem is that there are so many beautiful coins out there and the series I'm working on take both time and money. So...20 just isn't enough. Now, 200...now that's a goal to aspire to!
    Traveling Consultant
  • BigMooseBigMoose Posts: 1,469 ✭✭✭
    I like the "box of twenty" idea. But my problem is that one box of twenty soon becomes a box of twenty early date Large Cents, and a box of twenty 1794 Large Cents, then a box of twenty proof Indian Cents, and a box of twenty proof Indian Cents with superb color, etc. etc. It really is a sickness!
    TomT-1794

    Check out some of my 1794 Large Cents on www.coingallery.org
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,323 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I can agree with theory in concept from a purely investment-oriented point of view, but...

    for most beginning collectors, it might be a mistake to save and save for a "biggie" but get taken as you haven't yet earned your stripes in seeing what makes a coin rare and a good (even if expensive) buy...

    for a wealthy collector, sure, but what's a few inexpensive pieces in addition to your box of 20?

    - one famous collector extraordinaire, Virgil Brand, certainly didn't heed the box of 20 advice! image >>



    Virgil Brand is a very interesting case. He just bought and bought and bought. I understand that at the time of his death there were nearly a month's worth of unopened packages of coins sent to him by various dealers. Several large dealers of the day apparently had to scale back their operations after his death because he represented such a large part of their business!
    All glory is fleeting.
  • mozeppamozeppa Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭
    oh my! i have over 900 coins! 60% of those are graded....is it a rule?...must keep at 20 or fewer?
  • RobgettyRobgetty Posts: 1,112
    I've heard people talk about that sort of thing before for investments.
    I just can't imagine doing it for any real collection. My modern proof
    registry set needs 2 boxes, my complete type set is only around 30%
    complete and needs multiple boxes. My 1872 year set has almost 40
    coins and there are still many coins to go.

    I couldn't imagine having to limit myself to only 20. Heck, how about
    sets of lincolns, franklin halves, 2 cents, etc?
    Robert Getty - Lifetime project to complete the finest collection of 1872 dated coins.
  • barberloverbarberlover Posts: 2,228 ✭✭
    The box of twenty theory has nothing to do with being rich or being an investor. It's about evaluating your holdings from an eye appeal point of view, are you happy with whats in the first box of twenty before you go onto a new box and buy coin 21. Thats what its about.

    If being rich were part of it I sure wouldn't believe in it.

    Les
    The President claims he didn't lie about taxes for those earning less then $250,000 a year with public mandated health insurance yet his own justice department has said they will use the right of the government to tax when the states appeals go to court.
  • DonovanDonovan Posts: 386 ✭


    << <i>I may go back to just ten. I buy stuff I like, but when I get them home, they often don't compare. Once in a while a new family member sneaks in, but I cannot afford them all. Actually, my favorite is one of the less expensive coins I own.

    Anyone else play such a musical chairs game with his/her coins. How many coins are in your primary collection? I currnetly only collect one series - $20 Libs. They are beautiful!! image >>




    All kidding aside, there was a dealer in coinworld, I forget who, a few years back that advocated keeping only a "box of twenty". I always thought that was a very cool way to approach collecting but it never caught on.
  • DollarsDollars Posts: 617 ✭
    Box of 20 image
    Dave
    In Laurel
    MD

    Just a fist full of Dollars
  • zennyzenny Posts: 1,547 ✭✭
    box of twenty:

    all denominations of U.S. coins from 1/2 cent to $50, excluding $4 gold and $25, (includes 1 each of 3 cent nickel and silver but only 1 nickel, no half dime ), also included are one colonial, one commem and my favorite error coin.

    exactly twenty, it's my denominational type set and eventually it will be all i own (yeah, sure), subject to intermittent upgrading and probably removal of 3 cent nickel so i can put one of Rick Kay's nice patterns in there.

    z
  • DabigkahunaDabigkahuna Posts: 3,419

    That is exactly how I do my Morgan Dollars!image

    Really! I only replace a coin in that box with one that I like better. Nothing gets sold until it becomes coin 21, for the most part!imageimage


    Nothing "killer" in the box, there is even a common date in XF45 but they would likely be the ones I keep if I ever sold everything.

    Larry
    Dabigkahuna
    image
    My Ebay Auctions
    image

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