What would you collect?

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?
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?
US and British coin collector, and creator of The Ultimate Chuck E. Cheese's and Showbiz Pizza Place Token & Ticket Guide
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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!
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.
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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.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
As it stands, I am making very, very casual progress on this set, but limited funds keep me from getting very serious about it.
<< <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.
<< <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
1. 19th Century Type Set, excluding gold . Buy one piece a month.
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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!
US and British coin collector, and creator of The Ultimate Chuck E. Cheese's and Showbiz Pizza Place Token & Ticket Guide
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.
Fred, Las Vegas, NV
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.
<< <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!
<< <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.
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Also will continue buying XF-AU Morgans dated 1899 & earlier until I accumalate 1,000...
A second choice would be Walkers in PCGS MS64 Short Set (1941-1947).