Can you name some interesting (and inexpensive) pieces that might be used to get someone interested

dan1ecu

Can you?

I mean coins that a non-collector would look at and think "wow, that's interesting!"

Dan

MICHAELDIXON

2 cent pieces, 3 cent pieces and 1883 No Cent V Nickels

lordmarcovan

What MD said, plus lower grade circulated Walker halves, Morgan dollars, and really old (but still quite cheap) world coins like early British coppers from the 1700's and Spanish colonial silver.

coinguy89

Most Civil War tokens, especially storecards. That gets the mind thinking. What are these? Why do they look so cool? Who made them? What do they mean? When were they made? All sorts of stuff. Most of these can be found in the cheapest prices out there.

ldhair

Walking Liberty halfs might just open their eyes a bit.
Kids and adults like big coins.

JRocco

I agree - a nice circulated, but clean, Walker. What a beautiful coin.

kranky

The 1982 Washington commem. Dirt cheap and a nice design, and would complement the older pieces that have been mentioned.

morgannut2

Inexpensive is a relative term. But I've found it really depends on the age you're talking. My young nephews were delighted to partly fill a Washington Quarter Short Set with low grade BU coins that were shiney (I've saved a few for X-mass). They liked the silver aspect and then went after all the States in circulated. As a teenager I know I was so arrogant that only carefully selected gold coins stuck in a house safe truly sparked interest. And one dealer has said the only coins his non-collecter wife would show inerest in were rainbow toned Morgans or other attractive toners like Walkers.

RYK

vf-xf seated coins (esp. quarters and halves) and large cents

airplanenut

Don't forget morgans--even Uncs can be had for under $30... nothing like a big hunk of metal to interest ya

Coin Finder

Error coins all the way! and toned coins....real of course!

Tbig

hookedoncoins

I would advise looking into darkside coins if you are looking for more history and aesthetic value for your dollar. Post a thread like this on the world coin forums and you will see what I mean.

mdwoods

How about a nice 38 D Buffalo. One of our best designs and a MS64 coin is cheap.

islemangu

everyone likes Bugs Bunny and Elmor Fudd...you know what I'm thinking

ColonialCoinUnion

Any 20th century no-longer-used type coin.

Most non-collectors are vaguely familiar with Buffalos, Indian Head pennies and Morgans, but depending on their age probably have never seen or heard about Standing Liberty quarters, walking Liberty halves, etc. Invariably, people seem to think these are really cool and much rarer and more valuable than they really are.

UncleWiggly

Two Cent Pieces. Some of the extra fines run only around $30. Also, what Jeremy said. There's nothing like a Morgan. And you can find nice ones easily under $50. 78S,79S (NGCMS64 wht $60)80S,81S,84O can be found in 63-64 all for under $50.


Jerry

Mrpawn

Sorry to chage the gist of the suggestions but Canadian Silver Dollars ar just plain cool

There are many varieties. Relativly easliy obtained - and affordable

I remember well working to assemble a set as a young single father - just could not afford those Morgans

Currently $4.00 to $10.00 each for almost all varieties (some are a bit more) for AU and BU examples

dan1ecu

Thanks for the suggestions! There are so many interesting coins out there... you've given me some good ideas.

Dan

clackamas

A lates 30's AU buff can be ahd for cheap. There is no one who does not linke this coin. Morgans are also good, a 100+ year old siver dollar for around $10 bucks, what is not to like?

Bochiman

Not to be rude, and I do like a lot of the selections, but I put myself into the midset of a non-collector (a few years back...or from what my friends who aren't interested have shown interest in).
None of those suggestions seem to do it for me...nor for my friends.

It depends on the age and the interests, but I think the SAEs will be a good starting.
I have even found Ikes to be good at getting some interest as people can relate (not too old but not in circulation nor easily gettable).

I do agree with the morgans though. A nice, cheap, morgan (size/silver/look) seems to work well as well.

Just my thoughts as trying to put myself back into the non-collector mindset.

Murphy

Dan, you are asking a difficult question without giving us much to go on. Would you go into a dress shop and plunk down your money on the counter and say I wanna dress and I don't know what size, just give me anything... would ya? So here you are asking us what kinda coins do we think someone else will like, without giving us anything to go on. (sorry iif this sounds a little harsh - I don't really mean to)

Given that, I will say first off that State Quarters are one possibility, but they are everywhere and everybody collects them. They may be losing some of their appeal to the general public.

Secondly is the Lincoln Cent. They are a good bet if the person is the patient type and likes shiny things without spending a lot for them.

Third is for the person who don't have a lot of time and wants something to collect...Modern dollars and/or halves can be had cheap enough.

I'd try to figure out which coins you can find that look like they might impress this person into action. I started out collecting pennies then went to States and Sacageweas...Now I got a type set and am buying a few S.B.Anthony's on the side. You might want to impress them first with a Proof set. The frosty surfaces and deep mirrored fields might attract their attention. Yeah, a proof set and/or an unc mint set and a Sacagewea album. Something like that. They could tear open the mint coin and pop it in the album.

Elcontador

It depends what you mean by 'inexpensive.' I'd suggest a late date MS 64-5 Merc, ditto re the 38D Buff, ditto re an Unc. common date Morgan & likewise re an Unc. common date Walker.

haletj

For Walkers I'd suggest circulated, for to a non-collector who's never used half dollars before, a used coin would look more like a "real" coin. For specific coins, any early 20th century coins (or even older), but how about a 1909 vdb penny, or a 1995 DDO penny, or as someone mentioned 1883 w/o cents nickel, 96-w dime.

northcoin

The Fugio cent. Lots of history and a great story (allegedly made from the copper barrel hoops that goods were shipped in to the colonies.) For what it is price is relatively inexpensive in lower grades.

Robgetty

2 cents in low grades are cheap enough.

The key to get people interested is to show them something that they have never seen before.

Most people don't even know that 2 and 3 cent pieces existed.

291fifth

Some ancients can be picked up for a dollar or two. Hand someone a coin that is 1600-1700 years old and watch what happens.

tmot99

For kids, I found helping them put together circulated sets of lincolns, mercury dimes, buffalo nickels, or anything modern gets them interested. For adults, I might recommend ancient coins. I have a coin from 300BC that I show to people and hey think that is pretty cool that it has survived that long. I think I paid $70 for it.

coinrookie

I think that a 1943 steel penny in ms 65-66 is a great bargain and interesting coin.

Steve

Hadleydog

Introduce them to these boards where they can look at literally hundreds of beautiful coins from all denominations!

coincollector1989

Definetly the Walking Liberty half dollar.

LindeDad

Modern's the State Quarters or Sacagawea Dollars. Spark the interest and see where it goes from there.
A coin that hits the heart of a lot of us is the Walking Liberty Half Dollar.