Coins, shmoins - I'd buy a $25 suit, walk up to the white house, and become the President's personal soothsayer. I'd tell him all about the future and make myself so invaluable to him that I'd live like a king for the rest of my life.
Of course, I'd probably just end up meeting some pretty girl and accidentally become my own great-grandfather.
Barring that, I'd make some smart investments. Knowing about the future, I could make a killing gambling.
<< <i>If you had $100 to spend on coins in 1900 you were rich. Coin collecting was different back then. There weren't very many coin collectors,and only a few dealers, most people had to work hard usually 60-80 hours per week or more just to survive. There was little time for hobbies for most folk. Not many collectors collected by date and MM in those days, simple type coins were enough. But a lot more coins were available for a lot less cost. My choices would have been early type coins in xf+ conditions. Nice early large cents or bust dollars or any 1790's coins. You have to look at the situation as it was then. Sure you can say wait a year and buy 1901-S quarters but no one had advance information like this. There were no albums, coin folders or even 2 X 2's. Liesure time for hobbies such as coin collecting did not really exist until after WWII. There was not even a lot of general information available. >>
actually, by 1900 collecting by mint mark was gaining popularity. Heaton's Tratise on Mintmarks was published in 1893, and was a revuloution in MM collecting!
<< <i>I'd take the hundred bucks, and go visit my granddad. Take him out to dinner. I wouldn't tell him that he would be dragged to death by a team of runaway horses in 1906 though. I'm sure he was the sort of guy that liked surprises.
$100 would not be enough to buy a complete Mint set for all 3 mints (P, O and S) and a complete proof set. A Mint Set for all 3 mints would have come to $78.11 face value plus $39.41 for the proof set (I am not sure whether proof sets were sold at a premium over face value). Possibly an 1895 at $4 or an 1893-S at $1 would be tempting but I doubt that either one was easy to find eben then. A mint set would have been easy to get as would a prrof set. But it would have taken $117.52 to buy all of them. Mint Sets 1900 1C 1900 5C 1900 10C 1900 25C 1900 50C 1900 S$1 1900 $2-1/2 1900 $5 1900 $10 1900 $20 Total $39.41
1900-O 10C 1900-O 25C 1900-O 50C 1900-O S$1 Total $1.85
Collecting since the 1980's Morgan Dollars Circ. Strikes - Basic Set - Varieties - Prooflike Basic Set - Date Set - Carson City - Early S Mint Short Set - Mintmark Type Set Morgan Dollars Proof - Basic Set - Varieties Peace Circ.
Comments
Of course, I'd probably just end up meeting some pretty girl and accidentally become my own great-grandfather.
Barring that, I'd make some smart investments. Knowing about the future, I could make a killing gambling.
<< <i>If you had $100 to spend on coins in 1900 you were rich. Coin collecting was different back then. There weren't very many coin collectors,and only a few dealers, most people had to work hard usually 60-80 hours per week or more just to survive. There was little time for hobbies for most folk. Not many collectors collected by date and MM in those days, simple type coins were enough. But a lot more coins were available for a lot less cost. My choices would have been early type coins in xf+ conditions. Nice early large cents or bust dollars or any 1790's coins. You have to look at the situation as it was then. Sure you can say wait a year and buy 1901-S quarters but no one had advance information like this. There were no albums, coin folders or even 2 X 2's. Liesure time for hobbies such as coin collecting did not really exist until after WWII. There was not even a lot of general information available. >>
actually, by 1900 collecting by mint mark was gaining popularity. Heaton's Tratise on Mintmarks was published in 1893, and was a revuloution in MM collecting!
<< <i>I'd take the hundred bucks, and go visit my granddad. Take him out to dinner.
I wouldn't tell him that he would be dragged to death by a team of runaway horses in 1906 though.
I'm sure he was the sort of guy that liked surprises.
Ray >>
Knowing about the future, I could make a killing gambling.
Unless your actions caused the future to change. (The time traveler paradox.)
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
<< <i>I'd invest all of it in Amalgamated Hay and Buggywhip Corporation. >>
This is smoe refreshing honesty.
I'd do the same and plan on a nice retirement living off the dividends.
...maybe save a little back to invest in them thar new fangled telegraphs.
JJ
A Mint Set for all 3 mints would have come to $78.11 face value plus $39.41 for the proof set (I am not sure whether proof sets were sold at a premium over face value). Possibly an 1895 at $4 or an 1893-S at $1 would be tempting but I doubt that either one was easy to find eben then. A mint set would have been easy to get as would a prrof set. But it would have taken $117.52 to buy all of them.
Mint Sets
1900 1C
1900 5C
1900 10C
1900 25C
1900 50C
1900 S$1
1900 $2-1/2
1900 $5
1900 $10
1900 $20
Total $39.41
1900-O 10C
1900-O 25C
1900-O 50C
1900-O S$1
Total $1.85
1900-S 10C
1900-S 25C
1900-S 50C
1900-S S$1
1900-S $5
1900-S $10
1900-S $20
Total $36.85
Proof Set
1900 1C
1900 5C
1900 10C
1900 25C
1900 50C
1900 S$1
1900 $2-1/2
1900 $5
1900 $10
1900 $20
Total $39.41
Collecting since the 1980's
Morgan Dollars Circ. Strikes
- Basic Set - Varieties - Prooflike Basic Set - Date Set
- Carson City - Early S Mint Short Set - Mintmark Type Set
Morgan Dollars Proof
- Basic Set - Varieties
Peace Circ.