Best place to start...

GradyM333

New to the coin forum...I've been doing a lot of reading on coins over the past few months. Wanted to get some opinions. Do you think it's better to start a type set or hold off and pick one coin type to focus on?

Thanks,

Grady

relayer

Start with a type set. Once you complete it you can start adding duplictes (i.e. a series)

DNADave

Good idea to start with a type set. I'd begin slow with circs. Before you know it, you'll have a favorite you can run with.

coinguy1

Welcome Grady.



<< <i> Do you think it's better to start a type set or hold off and pick one coin type to focus on? >>

It's "better" to do what YOU prefer.

DorkGirl

That's a tough question. Doing a type set would expose you to a lot of different coins, but with each series comes a new set of problems. If you only pick one series you have a lot of work cut out for yourself, but a type set gives you about 100 times the possiblity that you will buy something cleaned, overgraded, etc.

I think I might recommend starting with one series, learn all you can, then buy some coins. If you have a coin shop in your area, just stop in and look. Talk to the owner, just see if anything in particular catches your eye. That may be the series for you.

Anyway good luck, and remember to have fun!!!

kranky

Welcome to the coin forum, Grady!

I'm glad to hear you've done some reading before diving in. If you haven't read them already, I'd like to suggest "Coin Collecting for Dummies" by Ron Guth (don't be put off by the name) and "The Coin Collector's Survival Manual" by Scott Travers.

And I'd also say - once you've done some research to get your feet on the ground, collect what you enjoy!

GradyM333

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm lucky because I live in Baltimore. I've been to the coin show here a couple of times and I'm probably going to look to buy my first few graded coins at the show in March.(Thought this would be safer than buying on Ebay for my first purchases.) Thanks for the book recommendations. I'll have to pick those two up. I just got Breen's Encyclopedia and the Numismatist's companion series(extremely interesting reading). I'm getting so much enjoyment out of reading the companion series...I'm sure I'll have a decision made by March. Thanks again everyone.


Grady

Pistareen

Grady:

Depending on where around Baltimore you live, there are some good local coin clubs that meet monthly that you might consider. I live in Annapolis and occasionally attend the Montgomery County Coin Club: http://www.montgomerycoinclub.org/

There may be others in Baltimore. ANA could give you some information (www.money.org) and the money for an annual membership would be well worthwhile for a beginner.

The first coin book I ever read was Scott Travers' Coin Collectors Survivor's Manual (ca. 1986 or so). I echo Kranky's sentiments -- Coin Collecting for Dummies is superb.

Good luck!

Tootawl

If you start with a Type Set, begin with one demonination. I.E. Concentrate on the nickels, then when those rows are complete, concentrate on cents, etc. When I first started my Type Set, I was going all over the place. You'll enjoy it alot more by learning about one type then the next.