Do you have a plan?

MrEureka

Do you buy coins according to a plan, or do you just buy whatever you please, whenever you can?

I've been collecting coins for 40 years. I didn't have a plan until last year.

JoeLewis

I'm working on a type set, and I guess my plan is to establish (for each type) the grade range that I can afford, and then look for original-looking pieces with a strong strike. Is that a plan?

sparky64

Sounds like a plan to me.
A good one too.

bidask

<< <i>Do you buy coins according to a plan, or do you just buy whatever you please, whenever you can?

I've been collecting coins for 40 years. I didn't have a plan until last year. >>

I don't have a plan, not really, although I have favorites.

Please tell us why you decided to have a plan afte 39-40 years. Are you having as much fun?

rsdoug81

My plan du jour is a 19th century type set in F-VF.

Coxe

Yes. When I had my entire colelction stolen and after a break because of it, I returned with a reasonably sound plan and discipline. It changed over time, but I was always conscious of it. I am now preparing to execute the next phase of my plan.......

busco69

I started a seated quarter set over five years ago and now realize it will never be finished so I buy what ever looks good at the time and every seated quarter that fits in my set.

LeeG

My plan is to add coins with Eye Appeal that are priced correctly to the three set's I'm working on (newest additions shown):

09-58 Lincolns


50 Piece Classic Commem's


Basic U.S. Coin Design Set, No Gold (1792-present)

roadrunner

I've changed my plan any number of times as market conditions change or I find out that material is just not available to complete the plan.

So today, my plan is basically to buy what I like when it becomes available to me. No real limits on what I would consider. If I like it and feel there is potential, I'll take a shot. If I buy nothing of substance for a year or longer it makes no difference. Buying just anything just to fill a hole has never been for me....well at least not since I was 16.

roadrunner

coindeuce

1) Be edumucated.
2)Be vigilant.
3)Be diverse.
4)Be wary.

Swampboy

Lee, What do you mean by priced correctly?

MidLifeCrisis

In general, I am forming a collection of coins, tokens, and medals with some connection to early America. I value true rarity over condition rarity and I look for coins with some traceable provenance whenever possible.

However, I like all kinds of coins and I can easily bend those rules to buy a cool coin that doesn't quite fit with my plan.

jessewvu

I do whatever pleases me. I thought I would have a 1909 Mint set completed by now in MS62 or better (where I could without totally breaking the bank). I instead filled some gaps in my American Buffalo Gold set and got a new garage door.

Barndog

I plan to wait until LeeG sells some more stuff!

BBN

Build my 7070, build my Jeffy 8113 and collect Buffalo Nickels with eye appeal. Not necessarily high graded.

I've seen many Buffalos in PCGS MS64s and 65s that I liked much better than some MS67s.

Walmann

My main goals are to obtain birth year sets of each of my family members, either mint state for the earlier years such as 1912, proof sets for the post 1936 members.
Then I have selected a series in each denomination to concentrate on. Also if I see any good buys for any level of mint state early coinage that I can afford I try to pick those up as well.

NHSBaseball

<< <i>I plan to wait until LeeG sells some more stuff! >>



I plan on upgrading my set when Barndog upgrades his!

Fairlaneman

My plan has been the same for 25 years.

CHAOS!! and I'm sticking to it.

Ken

Barndog

<< <i>

<< <i>I plan to wait until LeeG sells some more stuff! >>



I plan on upgrading my set when Barndog upgrades his! >>



touché

garsmith

I used to, but know I've been sidetracked and I am not sure how to get back on line!

lordmarcovan

Yep. I'm a planner. Some projects (like the Holey Coin Vest) are a little looser, but even in my "freestyle" projects, I always gotta have a plan.

To me, there is no other way to stay sane in this "Too Many Neat Coins, Not Enough Money To Buy Them With" world.

Cratylus

Yes: my plan is to collect what I like without regard to investment potential.

DeusExMachina

I've had a plan for awhile now but I recently revised it so now I have a major plan and a minor plan. So far so good.

AUandAG

My plan was to complete a Lincoln cent collection. All from circulation or from collections
that I could afford to buy. Never have found the '09svdb. Then, while still looking for the
'09 I went on to Morgans. Thought one of each without going to a dealer and buying a
coin at "retail" would be a good plan. When that was accomplished after 30 years of
buying collections ('93s was last to be had) I went to CC's. Thus my avitar. I grew up
in Carson City and felt that after 40 years that that would be a good plan. I've had to
buy off ebay (retail, I guess) but have found hundreds in collections. Completed that
three times over, plus a hundred or so left overs. Now there is no plan at present. Think
I might start selling to pay of the house. That sounds like a good plan now.
Bob

MrEureka

Please tell us why you decided to have a plan afte 39-40 years. Are you having as much fun?

It took me 39 years to realize I needed a plan. It took me that long to realize that I couldn't afford to collect all of the series I was collecting, at least not to my satisfaction. So now my plan is to focus on a single series until it's near completion. Then, I'll get serious about the next project, which I previously started in a small way. For better or worse, the second series will keep me broke for the rest of my life, so I don't have to plan any further beyond that.

But am I having as much fun? Yes and no. Yes, because a more focused collection provides a greater sense of accomplishment. No, because it's never fun to deny yourself a coin you want to buy.

Jcarney

<< <i>Do you buy coins according to a plan, or do you just buy whatever you please, whenever you can?

I've been collecting coins for 40 years. I didn't have a plan until last year. >>



I did have a plan, but it's a bit fuzzy now. My gem Franklin set is complete and I don't really want to upgrade anymore...as a matter of fact, I may sell it to fund new purchases.

I'm always working on my Lincoln set and my 7070, but I feel like I need something to focus on, with laser like intensity, like I did with my Franklin set. I really miss that feeling and I haven't found anything that gives me that rush.

LincolnCentMan

Do you buy coins according to a plan, or do you just buy whatever you please, whenever you can?

I have a long term plan in mind. I'd ultimatly like to have a full set of each of the following:

Indian Cents (not actively working on... have about half, only a few matter)
Lincoln Cents (done... might eventually upgrade)
Liberty nickels (not actively working on, but have the 85, 86, and 12-S in the grades I want)
Buffalo nickels (done... but actively upgrading, this is my center-piece set. I'd like to get as many full horn examples as possible. Right now about 2/3rds have full horns.)
Jefferson nickels (done, all coins are super nice 64 to 66)
Barber Dimes (done as of today, might upgrade a few, but this set will probably go dormate for a little while)
Mercury Dimes (done, might eventually upgrade)
Roosenvelt Dimes (Got none... cheap set raw, so I havent worked on it)
Barber Quarters (very passively working on this one, that 01-S is going to be painful)
Washington Quarters (Got none)
Walking Liberty halves (Done, might upgrade a few)
Franklin Halves (Havent even come close to starting this set)
Peace Dollars (Havent started0
7070 type set (I got a large cent, two half cents, the commem halves, and the two seated dollars to go...)
....
and if I finish all of that, I might work on a set of Morgans.

-David

ajia

Plan?

My plan is to stay broke while purchasing all the coins I need to fill/upgrade holes in my registry sets.

And I'm going a good job sticking to it.

Colquhoun

I have a list of 141 coins to buy over the next 141 weeks, have all the money for the purchases budgeted.. I might pick a piece up here and there that isn't on my list.. but for the most part if its not on my list of 141, I am not buying it. My wife is the opposite.. she has a look.. and if she sees a coin with that look she needs for her type set or not, she rarely passes if its in her budget.

Jcarney

<< <i>My wife is the opposite.. she has a look.. and if she sees a coin with that look she needs for her type set or not, she rarely passes if its in her budget. >>



That's so cool that your wife collects too. My wife likes some of the coins I've bought and encourages me to collect, but has no interest in coins beyond that. It's a shame too. Her eye for things is amazing...she'd make an awesome collector.

Colquhoun

<< <i>

<< <i>My wife is the opposite.. she has a look.. and if she sees a coin with that look she needs for her type set or not, she rarely passes if its in her budget. >>



That's so cool that your wife collects too. My wife likes some of the coins I've bought and encourages me to collect, but has no interest in coins beyond that. It's a shame too. Her eye for things is amazing...she'd make an awesome collector. >>



My wife has just started about a month ago, but her eye is amazing.. I don't know what it is, but she has never handed me a coin that didn't have nice orginal surfaces and ask my opinion of it. She does claim that coin collecting (after picking up a cherrypickers guide) makes Anatomy and Physiology look simple.

cladking

Plans are great while real life isn't getting in the way.

Ya' gotta be flexible.

tradedollarnut

My plan is 'see coin, buy coin'. I used to have a different plan, but I got tired of waiting 12-18 months between coins.

fastrudy

I don't even have a clue.



The reason you make a plan is not to plan ahead. The reason you make a plan is, if things don't work out the way you want them to, you can CHANGE THE PLAN!
This is why it is important to have a plan, you can't change the plan if you never had one. So you dream up a plan (doesn't matter how unrealistic) so that you have the ability and show the intelligence to CHANGE it. Just sound political advice.

PM me if you want to know about GOALS

oldcameoproofsguy

I've started collecting a series for the first time in many years.

It is a date set of $5 Liberty gold coins. It should take me about 7-10 years to complete, but it will be good fun in doing so.

Konahead

i don't need no stinking plan, just buy stuff and go broke

HonoluluDude

No plan, just fly by the seat of my pants.

Bear

Those in my age group, seem to be responsible for our aged parents

as well as our children and ourselves. It does take some doing, but somehow,

all is being taken care of and while life is never dull, it's not too bad either. I have

put together some nice coins, some stock, some cash and lots of jelly donuts. While

I will never be rich ,I seem to be happy and content. Of course, Mrs Bear is a big part of

the happy and content part.

TahoeDale

My plan and accomplishments are pretty solid. Completed several series, sold some, and now will complete the early and capped bust halves.

As most, I will try to buy a rarity that becomes available, even if it is not part of a current series.

But plans can change, and if the right series, in total, came along, I might even try to purchase it intact.

And, I plan to sell one of the current completed series next year.

BECOKA

Like you I collected for a few years and have only recently come up with a plan. While not quite 40 years, more like 5 I have jumped from series to series as attractive coins become available. My budget no longer allows for this and I have a one year plan to get on track and I have sought out some help from published experts in the field to make it happen.

sumnom

In the series in which I am concentrating I have a plan but outside of those, I buy what catches my eye.

jfoot13

I cherry everything I can find and trade them for warnickels

johnsim03

I plan never again to be a stamp collector, or stamp dealer.

At one point, the collections I had took over my living space. I had reference materials, supplies and albums all over the
place. What a mess.

In coins, I like high-end Roman Imperial coins. But I also like a lot of other stuff. So the plan is right now to get rid
of all the floor sweepings (a stamp term) and concentrate on my primary passion, which is Roman Imperial.
A sort of non-certified box of 20 approach. I plan to adhere to the old adage, "Know your coins, OR, know your
dealer."

I plan to sell stuff to buy new stuff. I guess a lot of folks here have the same approach...

John

LeeG

<< <i>Lee, What do you mean by priced correctly? >>


I've found that you need to have a trusted Dealer network. A core group of a few folks who know what I like and will be fair in their pricing when they find a coin that may fit my collection. Use the various price guides and auction prices realized to get an idea of current prices. Then pray like hel* that I made the right choice.



<< <i>I plan to wait until LeeG sells some more stuff! >>

FilthyBroke

My plan-

four collections (or directions of interest)
1- IHC collection
2-Gold type set
3-Various US coins of interest that don't fit in first two catagories
4-Ancient coins

I have a loose goal of 4 "box of twenty", one full box of each listed above. Now, recently I've decided that I can't do each seperately, but will still arrive at the final destination with the same collection. Gold prices are keeping me from making any purchases right mow in that area.

These won't be complete sets, or full type sets, as I'm more budget minded (having three kids and general expenses to factor in), but a nice affordable collection of coins that interest me, and hopefully some key dates and points of interest.


-William
As you can see, my plan is loose and my plan is that of a collector with diversity. Thanks for asking.

OKbustchaser

My plan is to buy my last coin aproximately 42 seconds before my ticker comes to its final tick.

Swampboy

Currently my plan is,

1) continue working on my Lincoln circ set 09-date.
2) continue working on my Kennedy proof set with my grandkids.
3) continue with a very informal type set approach - raw and certified.
4) buy any Darkside or ancient that I like and can afford.

Hard to believe that I was very unfocused at one time, huh?

SmallEagle

When I restarted collecting coins a couple of years ago I hatched a plan to build a complete US type set before I bought a single coin. The plan includes an estimated grade level for each type. At my current rate it'll take another 6-10 years to complete the set to my satisfaction but I've enjoyed it very much so far!

bidask

I'm putting together a date set of ef 45 pcgs bust dollars dollars. Must be original. (Ex the 1794)

MrEureka

I'm putting together a date set of ef 45 pcgs bust dollars dollars. Must be original. (Ex the 1794)

Good, because I know of a cleaned, repaired POS 94 that I can offer you!

Griv

My plan has remained the same for many,many years and that is to put together the finest modern bullion coin set. Along the way I have added other focuses such as Sacs and Presidents and most recently toned Morgans and War nickels. I actually have a Morgan from the 1880's. Can you believe they made coins back then.