What is your definition of "Modern"

SanctionII

Those involved in the hobby toss the word "Modern" around daily. Since I am in my 40's I always understood that a "Modern" coin was any coin minted after 1933. I also remember hearing on many occasions that post 1933 coins were worth little more than face value since they were/are so common.
Another definition of "Modern" is any post 1964 coin (post 1970 for halves) since silver was removed from coins after 1964 (1970). I also understand that coins that are not "Modern" are "Classic".

Forum members range in age from teenagers (or even younger) to middle agers to seniors (is anyone here over 70 years of age?).

My questions to the forum are:

#1 - What is your age group; what is your definition of "Modern" and why do you have that definition?

#2 - For any coin that does not fit your definition of "Modern", do you consider it to be a "Classic" (and if so why?) or do you place it in a some other category?

#3 - Does anyone have historical material that reveals if the "Modern"/"Classic" monikers were used by collectors/dealers in the 1850-1933 time period (if so, what did the collectors/dealers of that time period deem to be modern and classic?; if not, did they have other labels that they used or were coins just "Coins")

Will the responses to this post depend on the age of the person who replies (entirely possible and likely) or will there be another factor(s) at work?

mgoodm3

I collect proofs predominantly and kinda use 1950 as my cutoff. i'm 36.

cladking

'33 to '64 are neoclassic. The coins were circulated exactly as the older coins were but
had lower values because most were set aside in substantial numbers. The '65 to '98
issues are moderns because they circulate differently, accounted for virtually 100% of the
circulating coinage until recently, and because after 1964 very few people saved back any
coins for the future. Also most collectors ended their collections right at 1964 and never
did collect the later ones till recently. The '99 to date coins are ultra moderns. The only
change really is that most of these coins are being set aside again.

stujoe

I was born after silver (1966) and when I think 'Modern', I think dead presidents and a couple of women but I know that is not the definition most use.

nankraut

I'd just as soon not divulge my age. Let's just say I've ordered directly from the US mint since 1956. To me, any coin dated after 1900 is "modern"

AuldFartte

I'm 55 and Moderns, to me, are anything that is currently in regular circulation. I guess that makes pre-'65 silver fall out of that category.

100proof1957

1957 was a very good year !
what does PCGS classify as modern ?

ConstellatioCollector

Post 1800!!!

Stuart

<< What is your definition of "Modern"? >>

Anything younger than me!! And I was "minted" way back in 1956...

Myqqy

I've always thought of moderns as post 64 coins, and view franklins, silver roosevelts, silver washingtons, and wheat cents as 'tweeners. To me, "classic" coins were those that had allegorical, rather than historical, figures on them........

Russ

Any definition is arbitrary, but I tend to think of the modern era as beginning with the demise of the last coin with Miss Liberty - the Walker. So, 1948 and newer works for me on one level. But, I also think that 1965 to present or 1971 to present could also work as demarcation points.

Russ, NCNE

keets

the definition of "modern" is rather flexible and depends on who's doing the defining and what there personal agenda or bias may be. heck, even the various grading services can't agree on any hard-and-fast cutoff year. for reasons of forum discussion it generally means post 1964 or the State Quarter era, again depending on who's doing the defining. there seems to be some kind of a tie with some members that the removal of precious metal from a coin deemed it less than it's same design brothers of the prior year. very strange.

for me, i'll usually refer to a coin as modern based on the design. that means that we entered the modern coin era at varying times whenever the change removed the personification of Liberty. it's a gradual timeline that began in 1909 and was completed in 1971.

al h.

relayer

1955 if I submit to NGC
1965 if I submit to PCGS

RYK

post-Civil War

No Motto=Classic
With Motto=Modern

Betta285

To me, Moderns begin in 1965.....with the end of silver coins(excluding kennedy) and the end of Peace dollar production

jim

Shamika

I think "modern" depends on the series, but in general I consider post-1960 coinage as modern.

FYI: I was born in 1966.

tjkillian

Modern starts with the closed collar and steam presses. Absolutely anything minted after 1836.

Tom

Gonfunko

Modern begins in 1965 with clad coinage. Pre-65 to post Barber is note really classic but not modern. Pre-barber coins are classics.

oldcameoproofsguy

I'm 42 and I kind of look at moderns as post WWII.

Baley

I was born in the "Summer of Love" (1967)

any coin younger than that is a "Modern"

majorbigtime

<< <i>. So, 1948 and newer works for me on one level. >>




That's where I would draw the line.

Baley

Major, yer old enough to be my dad

ccex

I'm 45 and look at moderns as anything since dead presidents replaced Miss Liberty and Indians, with a few exceptions:

Lincoln Cents before 1934

Proof coins from 1936 to 1942 (including Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington)

Exceptional Franklin Halves

U.S. Commemoratives through 1954

I consider what I collect most (Barbers, early Walkers) mainstream collector coins, and not yet deserving the "classic" label.

"Modern classic" is often an oxymoron used by promoters. Look at the price histories of 1950-D nickels, 1973-74 Ikes just after the mint sold out, the 1970-D Kennedy, and many proof sets four or five years after issue.

JustBustDimes

I agree with tjkillian.

Modern began with Christian Gobrecht.


About Rare Coins

DHeath

In the large view, I agree with Tom too. For my own purposes, I tend to think of modern proofs as beginning in 1951, as they were dramatically different than the 1950 pieces, with the 50 pieces being more like the 36-42 stuff. I think of MS moderns beginning in 1940. I suppose that's because several of the dealers I dealt with early on believed that was the magic date after which nothing of value was minted. Varieties excepted, most of the holes are pretty easy to fill post 1940. Personally, I'm vintage 1957.


BTW Sanction - not too long ago, someone posted an old flyer I believe was from the teens that listed a Lafayette at less than the issue price. I'll look for the thread.

northcoin

I think Russ hit it on the head. Once those Franklins came on the scene some of our coins started looking like the ego coins from Europe featuring heads of state. 1948 is a pretty good demarcation point. Of course I have a hard time calling anything coined after 1900 as "classic."

Geoman

My personal opinion is any coins after 1964, when silver was common, is modern. I was born in 1969.

eagle7

For me, it starts when the mint changed the dies, making them flatter and making the portrait lines less fine. In fact the modern quarter has been turned into a medusa head with a haircut. I mean the hair lines are no longer lines but look more like snakes since the lines have been moved so far apart. Modern coinage has become merely an effort to streamline the coining process and save money.

Steve27

I'm in my 40s, but the concepts of Modern and Classic weren't in my head until I started visiting here. I view anything after 64 as Modern, but I might also be inclined to make the distiction by series, which would include Lincolns, Jeffersons, Roosevelts, Washingtons, Franklins, Kennedys, Ikes, SBAs, and Sacs.

BowTieCoins

Good questions! I just asked Chris yesterday, basically, those very same questions.
What a quawinky dink, LOL!

I'm 35 and Chris is 40 and I'm still forming an opinion. Chris's answer to my questions was simular to some of the responses you already gotten.

Katrina

EvilMCT

As a kid starting to collect, I "learned" that 1936 was considered the beginning of the modern era. Recently, I read the same thing in some reference material (can't remember which book right now). I never liked this date tho. Personally, I've always thought of the dead presidents as being modern.

Ken

jcping

My definition of "Modern" is 1964-date.

dorkkarl

for me, modern means, if you still have a reasonable chance of finding it in circulation. ie your not likely to find a bust dollar in circ'n, so it's not a modern. nor is a wlh, since it's not likely to show up either, but your chances of finding a roosie or washington quarter or even a kennedy half are not that remote, so they ARE moderns.

K S

Conder101

I'm 43 and for me moderns start with the steam press is 1836.

DominusDeus

Post-1964 are moderns to me. Anything that has a different design than modern coins, down to 1900 are neo-classics. Pre-1900's are classics. Pre-1836 are post-colonial. Pre-1793 are colonial. Pre-1700 are ancient American.

cohodk

I would agree with DORKARL. If it looks like a coin I would pull out of my pocket, then it is modern.

prooflike

Dead presidents: Lincoln for the cent, Jefferson for the nickel, etc....technically Franklin was not a pres., but I still consider the Franklin half a modern issue.

clackamas

Anything currently in circulation is modern to me.

rlawsha

Anything minted after 1964 is what I consider modern...

stman

<< <i>What is your definition of "Modern" >>



It's pretty simple..... If you have to ask, it probably is.