What do YOU collect and WHY?

LotsoLuck

Ok, first off, as far as my wife goes i'm "investing" and not a collector. I'd like to ride the fence on that one. Times-a-changed since the 70's when I rode my bicycle for miles to Yosimite coin shop in Fresno California and spent my paper route earnings on various basil-filler-slug type coins. Simple times when there was only a handful of grading terms. Man! have times changed! Fast forward to now. I do shop quite a bit on ebay. I'm starting a slider collection with an occasional whizzed tossed in for good measure. And I hope you know i'm only joking on that one. I have read the Scott Travers collection of books and am armed with $20 catch phrases and the realization that he is talking to people who make six digit salaries. However, I am learning by trial and error.
I'm a sucker for Washington Quarters, cant say why with all the beautiful options out there.


So...as the message title suggests, What and why are ye guru's of the coinage collecting?

MikeInFL

I'm no guru, but I collect mosty type coins and large cents these days. Why? Because I like them.

DUIGUY

I collect whatever trips my trigger.

PCcoins

I collect mostly double mint set coins with extraordinary toning! I love original toned coins and don't like blast white coins.

LotsoLuck

Those are very nice...i'll go look at my blast white quarter collection...sigh....

coinlieutenant

I collect what I like. That is the best advice I can give from a collector level. From a numismatist level,...read, look at tons of coins...as many as you can. Find someone that can teach you what is nice, what is not and why.

What do I like. Swiss type....Swiss Shooters...VF/XF Barber coinage that is virgin original. Two sided toner type, mostly envelope toning. Mainly SLQ's, Trimes, Mercs, Seated, Bust, Indian Cents. Stuff I dont like design wise, I dont collect just to fill a hole. I dont constrain myself to the "registry" listing.

I love toning, I love originality, I love luster. All my UNC coins have these traits. Period. Why? Because I know my tastes well enough that if the coins dont have this, I will end up getting rid of them. I just passed on a nice barber quarter today because it was a second toning, it was low end technically and didnt grab me. Five years ago I would have bought this coin...not today. It had great luster and color...but I know myself well enough to know better now.

My goal, which has been achieved, is for every coin in my collection to be a WOW coin. Every one. That is true collecting happiness.

My collection is small...but I love it. Here is all of it actually! Forgive the download!!

19Lyds

I collect Eisenhower Dollars because I find the size of the coin and its design appealing. The fact that it's readily available is merely a plus. As an opiner, I recall when these coins were issued and were readily available at any bank. I suspect than there are many oldtime collectors that feel the same way but I also suspect that there are many young collectors who only dream of such times and as collectors, is that not what we are doing? Preserving old times?

Secondary to that, I find that this particular coin has been passed over by most collectors and the end result is that there are many different varieties out there just waiting to be discovered and identified.

In seriously collecting these coins, I've learned a lot about the coin making process. I've also learned some basic grading skills which are carried over into other coins and I've made a lot of friends.

For me, this particular coin holds a special spot which can never be replaced by any coin or any series of coins. It will always be at the top of the list.

DwaineO

Birthyear mint and proof sets for myself and family members.
Birthyear-100 mint and proof sets for myself and family members.

Type sets - 7070 VF-XF; USA Type Set; USA Type Set in PCGS Rattlers

sanitarium1inmate

I like PM's coins like AGE, SAE, silver coins 90% and 40%, copper pennies, and dollar coins from Morgans to Presidentials. I know it's a lot to choose from so I have to make good decisions on specific coins before I buy them. I do a lot of roll searching as well, you never know what you might find. Basically I love coins like kids liked pokemon (gotta get them all). Just searching is what makes this a great hobby, being able to maintain patience and my billfold is a good trait I want to continue with.

coinkat

nice coins COINLT.

Excellent images- thanks for posting them

TwoSides2aCoin

To err is human. To cherrypick, divine.

lonelyp

I collect DUST. Why, because I'm lazy.

ModernDollarNut

No surprise, I like Ikes! The more I study them, the more I learn and the deeper the affection.

But I can not afford to "collect" higher-end Ikes so I've followed my heart which gets to thunpin' when I find a sweet NT Ike in a roll at the whopping price of $2. I've put 20-some of these in PCGS holders, no knee-knockers in the bunch (though some come close), but they are all pure NT and they all stir my soul. Rob

BXBOY143

COINS...THE SHEER FACT OF BEING ABLE TO HOLD HISTORY!

LeeG

For the History, Color, and Affordability:

Dog97

I collected everything but I'm selling out and only keeping & buying xx97 stuff because I'm Dog97.

renman95

Type 7070 stuff
Type gold
Modern Eagles and errors
Leadville, Colorado Merchant Tokens
German type set
Everything else is useless.

Ren

bestmr

Well, started with my birthyear of 1975 and in proofs. Went with proofs because, well, they are pretty. However, I have since branched into doing a proof set of 1968-1998. Although I am trying to stick to finishing years before I jump to the next one, I.E. I wont start 73 till I finish 74. So far, its been pretty fun except those cents are ROUGH!

TwoSides2aCoin

I have a friend who is afraid of coins because of what I collect.

Cladiator

Half dimes, cause they're cool.

MidLifeCrisis

Pedigreed early American coins, medals and tokens...because I love the history and the mystery.

BillyKingsley

I collect whatever I can afford. I don't have a lot of spending money, living on a fixed income, so I can't afford much. I get on average $20 or less to spend on coins each month. So...most of my collection has been pulled from circulation. I get what I can, and love what I have! As such, the majority of my collection is modern (65-current) coinage of the USA. I really love world coins though and they tend to be a little less expensive so I can get more of them, plus I LOVE history and will never leave the US so it is my only real connection to foreign countries and the history of the world.

mgoodm3

Camera lenses. Why? becuase all the cool people collect lenses.

speety

<< <i>Camera lenses. Why? becuase all the cool people collect lenses. >>



That makes me cool?

drddm

Capped Bust Half Dollars for their history, variety, challenge in assembling a great set, and of course...........BEAUTY!!!!

Dale Friend's 1823 MS66.............JUST INCREDIBLE!!!!

pennyannie

I collect proof nickels from 1866 to 1937. Just about done and then i am going to collect pre 1800 US coins. I like different world proof sets that have someting different than the masses.

skingspan

World Silver Crowns. See my website below.

FullStepJeffs

Jefferson Nickels... actually a hoard, by definition.

Steve

TwoSides2aCoin

Oddities interest me. I don't know why.

Frankmason

I have come to the point (after trying to collect many different series) that I really love the Morgan Dollars! I can't really explain it. I have collected Lincolns,Buffalo Nickels,Mercs,Walkers,etc....and none of them made me feel the same way as I do when I look at Morgans!

NHSBaseball

<< <i>Half dimes, cause they're cool. >>



Yeah, you right!!

kryptonitecomics

Toned coins....is there anything else worth collecting?

golfer72

MS Wheat Lincolns, War nickles, Proof Franklins and MS Morgans. Thinking of a Civil War Commem set also.

TwoSides2aCoin

I like Franklin Half Dollars, too.

YaHa

I collect dead animals. Sometimes they can be put in the freezer and other times you have to cook them right away. Then it's cool to clean the bones and after you have 20 different animals mix the bones up in a pile and then try to put the animal back together and play a game guess what animal I have.

Why you say, because I am one sick puppy. Sorry puppies is one animal I won't eat.

coinsarefun

<< <i>I collect dead animals. Sometimes they can be put in the freezer and other times you have to cook them right away. Then it's cool to clean the bones and after you have 20 different animals mix the bones up in a pile and then try to put the animal back together and play a game guess what animal I have.

Why you say, because I am one sick puppy. Sorry puppies is one animal I won't eat. >>










You made my weekend





Stefanie

DoUPlayOnePocket

Morgans


DMPL's



Toners



VAM's


Selected Early Commems



Selected Modern Commems



Kennedy's


Ike's


Franklin's



Selected So-Called Dollars





French medals


And anything else that strikes my fancy




These are just a sampling of the types I like to collect. I don't particularly care for all of the early and modern commems. Many of the SCD's don't appeal to me as well. I can say the same for some of the VAM's and toners.

Chris