What would you collect?

JoeLewis

If your coin budget was $100 a month, what would you collect?

I know that some of you spend much much more than that on your hobby. Would you collect something different if you could only spend $100?

I also know that some of you spend less than $100 a month. Would you collect something different if you could spend $100 a month?

MidLifeCrisis

I would still collect colonial era coins, tokens and medals like I do now. I would just look for eye appealing, lower grade examples that are good value for the money.

I don't have to have a large collection to really enjoy my coins. So at $100 a month I'd probably only buy a few coins a year but they would each be nice pieces with a story to tell!

Mercury10c

Franklin Halves in MS-64 to 65, non-FBL. You could get one or two a month, depending upon the date.

marmac

I think a $100 a month would allow you many possibilities: Date set of dollars in nice circulated grades, a nice type set in circ, franklins, nickels, really you name it at that amount a month. Of course any set you build is going to come up against the "biggies" and that will take a few months of sock the monthly alotment away but you have lots of options.

Hows about a nice dollar date set in vf. You will even have money left over at the end of most months to accomodate the 95 hole when you get there. My circulated dollar set is probably one of my favorite collections.

21Walker

A short set (41-47) BU walker halves or as mentioned above a nice UNC set of Frankies.........Rick

Coxe

I think I would still do VAMs but probably dig around looking for the rarest only, like the '87 VAM-1B, that are obtainable in AU or so as a common coin below the monthly stipend.

Bochiman

A type set until I figured out what I wanted to collect
I got a 1800 over 79 large cent in good condition for under $100 last weekend. Most of the coins in our type set are under $100 (some exceptions but not by much).

My son is doing, with my help and that of others, a Roosevelt set ('46-'64 is the main focus...w/ FB and in MS66 or better, if possible). I try to keep him under $100 though a certain Santa board member has helped out a few times, or more. These are for nicely toned examples.
Could probably do the same with most "recent" series.....mercs, jeffersons, washington quarters (some exceptions), lincolns (I would go '09-'60 if it were me...and toned ).

Depends what grade you want to collect in as well. IHCs are doing, except for a few, esp at lower grades. IHC proofs are not....unless you save up many months .

Kennedys and Franklins are doing as well. I would think about toned Franklins.

The other thing I have started doing is "accumulating" nicely NT'ed original mint sets from the mid-late 1950's. I love those and figure when my boy is older, very few will be around. Those are ~$130-$270 each.

oldwestgold

If that was my entire budget for the month, I'd collect buffalo nickels with alot of color and eye appeal, like the 1913-D T1 I purchased a few weeks ago. Old anacs holder graded MS62 and only cost $50. The coin offers tremendous bang for the buck in my opinion, and colored buffalos will always be popular. My second choice would be indian head cents or lincoln cents in lower grades but with nice eye appeal. Again I'd look for examples with some color, especially with the lincolns. These series have been collector favorites for years and I don't ever see that changing.

mirabela

That's quite a bit more than my typical budget now. I think I'd be busy on a mostly choice / gem Washington quarter set, business strikes 1932 to date. I would go with AU coins for the obvious keys and a number of the 30's coins that are pretty tough in mint state.

As it stands, I am making very, very casual progress on this set, but limited funds keep me from getting very serious about it.

Rupert305

<< <i>Franklin Halves in MS-64 to 65, non-FBL. You could get one or two a month, depending upon the date. >>





That's my limit now and currently what i collect.

mach19

<< <i>

<< <i>Franklin Halves in MS-64 to 65, non-FBL. You could get one or two a month, depending upon the date. >>





That's my limit now and currently what i collect. >>






Great choice

ricko

Walkers.... some stoppers there.. or at least speed bumps until the accumulation of funds were sufficient. Cheers, RickO

coinnut

On $100 a month I guess I'd have to give up on gold but I would probably collect the same coins I collect now only in a much lower grade.

NumisOxide

For that amount of money, you have many choices.

1. 19th Century Type Set, excluding gold . Buy one piece a month.

SilverEagles92

I'd collect a date set of Morgan dollars, then start a short set of walkers, both in circulated grades.

TwoSides2aCoin

Well, I guess I'd cut my purchases down to two Gold First Spouse uncirculated coins per year instead of four

ccmorgan

Another for morgans here. I just love the detail and they're plentiful and still reasonable. Also large enough for me to see without a glass.

JoeLewis

I guess what I'm interested in is finding out how your collecting habits would change (if at all) with a $100 a month budget.

I'm not looking for recommendations, just curious about how spending money affects people's choice of coins to collect.

I personally have a $100 a month coin budget, and I have gravitated towards type set collecting. I usually have to save up a couple of months for a coin, but to me it's worth it.

Thanks!

tightbudget

I'd take that $100 a month and get coin rolls at the bank to search through. Keep accumlating $100 a month and you'll have the opportunity to search more rolls or higher denomination rolls like quarters, halves, dollars, etc.

Mercfan

For $100 a month, you can have a lot of fun collecting mint-state Mercury dimes--so long as you don't opt to start with the keys.

Short set first; late date set next; and then go for those pre-34s.

They're beautiful, affordable, and available. And you can get a lot of practice evaluating potential purchases because there are plenty of them imaged and for sale on the Web.

oldcameoproofsguy

A gold coin every four months or so

Konahead

Collect what you like! For me with that budget I would buy a few Carson City Morgans a year or work on a Peace dollar set.

lordmarcovan

For a modest outlay like $100 a month, one can assemble a respectable collection of world coins, including many from the 1600s and 1700s. Or older, like ancient Roman coins, even silver ones. Of course you can still collect US coins on such a budget, too, but your budget will go farther on the Darkside, and you might be surprised at the variety and beauty of some of the coins, not to mention their historical significance.

If your'e dead-set on sticking to US coins, I would agree with CoinJP's assessment:



<< <i>For that amount of money, you have many choices.

1. 19th Century Type Set, excluding gold . Buy one piece a month. >>



That is exactly what I did when I had a budget of $100 or less per month, and I often bought more than one coin per month. I don't know about you, but if I am collecting something that only allows me to purchase one coin a month, I sometimes get restless and antsy for more action. Still, if you collect 19th century Type along the lines of the popular Dansco 7070 album (in other words, skipping the gold and the Draped Bust silver coins), then you can have some fun without spending huge sums. Try for coins in Fine or better grade, only dropping down to G-VG when you have to for the tougher stuff like the Seated dollars. You could do most of a Dansco 7070 set on that budget, with the 19th century coins in Fine or better and the 20th century coins in MS or Proof. For this example, I classify Indian cents, Liberty nickels, and Barber coins as 19th century pieces, so you'd only need them in Fine or better. That leaves the Standing Liberty quarter as a tougher coin in the 20th century set, if you are going all MS for the 20th century.

I strongly advocate world and ancient coins for collectors on a budget. You'll need an initial outlay for reference books on them, but they're very educational and fun and pack LOTS more bang for the buck than many US coins do.

Again, if you're gonna collect US coins only, though, I'm partial to Type sets, personally.

Of course this doesn't bring modern coins into account. I have little interest in them, personally, but I am sure they offer opportunities, particularly for a budget-minded collector, and they have their own set of rewards, not to mention cherrypicking opportunities.

Speaking of cherrypicking, the world coins offer HUGE cherrypicking potential.

I used to finance my US coin collecting by buying and cherrypicking NON-US coins.

MidLifeCrisis

<< <i>For a modest outlay like $100 a month, one can assemble a respectable collection of world coins, including many from the 1600s and 1700s... >>



I know JoeLewis clarified that he wasn't actually looking for recommendations of coins to collect...but I feel the need to positively endorse lordmarcovan's recommendation of collecting world and ancient coins when on a $100 per month budget. Some of the coins I get the most enjoyment from are my world coins that were inexpensive relative to the popular US coins I've bought. I think you can get really good value for your money on the darkside!

MidLifeCrisis

<< <i>I'm not looking for recommendations, just curious about how spending money affects people's choice of coins to collect. >>


And to answer this specifically...I think the amount of money affects our choice of coins by simply dictating how many coins we buy and in what condition...While that may sound oversimplified, I think it's generally true across the board whether you collect classics or moderns, US or foreign, colonial or federal, etc.

frostbyte

1/10th OZ gold bullion in proof or Silver would be what I'd do with $100 a month. Fun and a sound investment.

1794half1839

A few years ago, I would say Bust halves in XF. Now they would have to be Choice Fines or problem VF's to be only $100.

BBQnBLUES

I'll continue working on several type sets (darkside).. It's fun to complete & you get a feeling of accomplishment each time to fill another hole in the Dansco

Also will continue buying XF-AU Morgans dated 1899 & earlier until I accumalate 1,000...

RTS

One capped bust quarter every two years.

Geoman

As several have mentioned - I would collect Franklin Half Dollars in PCGS MS64FBL. Great looking coin, not too many expensive ones. And if you wanted the more expensive ones at $200, just save your money for 2 months and knock off that one.

A second choice would be Walkers in PCGS MS64 Short Set (1941-1947).

ericj96

Changing reverse $25 unc platinum eagles. The common dates are Unc Jackie Robinson rarity class and have the same structure as the Fifty State Quarters, Westward Journey Nickels, Coming Sac Dollars, Life of Lincoln Cents etc etc etc ......in short the high end of what the mint is training the next generation to collect. Furthermore they are immune to the prospect of the new generation of collectors moving to collecting by design (type) like the rest of the world to a large degree has already. With mintages in the 2500-4500 range they are cheap infant kings that can be collected on a $100/ month budget.