If you only could collect coins from one year what year would it be?

tydye

I have a thing for coins (especially CBH) dated 1814. 1853 would also be a good choice. Lots of varieties. 1853 dimes with arrows are fun - try to collect all the different placement of the arrows.

speety

Hmmm interesting question. I'll say 1873. With all the varieties and die marriages available for seated coinage that year, it would be a challenging date set and include many coins.

relicsncoins

Here's one just for you tydye....In honor of Colonol Jackson.

tydye

Nice dime. Reminds me why I like 1814 so much. Die cracks and clashes galore that year.

Justacommeman

It would have to be a Civil War date for me. MJ

stinkinlincoln

1913

ChrisRx

1883 has the most types.

TwoSides2aCoin

1916

The rest of the story:

The cent doesn't matter & there were no silver dollars.
This was the first year of the Walking Liberty Half and the Standing Liberty Quarter.
Also for a bonus, I'd get a Barber dime and quarter. To top it off came a 1916 Doubled die Buffalo nickel and the 1916 D Mercury dime.

I'd take variety and this year offered enough spice to flavor my numismatic dish.

MidLifeCrisis

1652 of course.

LindeDad

1853 my start is here 1853 Mint set. although I really have a affinity for 1944.

llafoe

My daughter, born in 1999, is collecting only mint and proof coins from 1999. My son, born in 2000, is only collecting mint and proof coins from 2000. Hopefully, once they become teenagers or adults, they'll collect coins from other years too.

cladking

It would be tough but I'd go with 1969. There are an awful lot of great US and world coins of this date.

My second choice would probably be 1957. It's the year I started collecting and paying attention to world
events. It's the year of Sputnik and beginning of the space age. I'm not too crazy about 1957 US coins
but there are lots of great world coins from '57.

dogwood

I recently asked the forum about the coins of 1921, which seemed to me to offer a great date/mint set of 5 cent thru the Dollar, and which everyone agreed was a challenging year.
Otherwise 1897 is great for my Barbers, so I'll go with that.

BuffaloIronTail

1921.........no doubt.

Low mintages, key coins and nicely engraved (for one year) coins.

Pete

Artist

1907 has lots of gold to choose from...

...but if money were no object, 1875!

500Bay

I would say either 1877 or 1793

ColonialCoinUnion

1776.

Dentuck

1888 --- "The Year of the Three Emperors" (Dreikaiserjahr)

OKbustchaser

You mean that 1827 actually WASN'T the only year they made those coins?

ajaan

Either 1958 my birth year, I already have 2 British VIP Proof 1/2d coins from that year, that is 2 out of the about 15 known, or 1854 my great grandfather's birth year. I've always wanted a nice 1854 half cent but couldn't find one in the right condition at the right price.

keets

If you only could collect coins from one year what year would it be?

definitely 1816.

RYK

Either 1861 or 1865, probably the former.

ChangeInHistory

1838, I like the look of the Seated Liberty coins without stars.

SmallEagle

1793.

Rob790

1870 - would love to get a complete set from the San Francisco mint

Baley

probably 1797

Blackborder

Interesting question that I have thought about over the years. Assuming money is no object, I'd make the following observations:

1796 - The only year before 1849 that the mint struck all denominations. A lot of classic coins in this set. You also need to be a millionaire to collect them.

1807 - Love this date for some reason, and you get transitional types as well.

1857 - Great year and you could go for every date/mintmark, although some are expensive, none are show stoppers.

1866-1873 - These are the 16 type coin years (17 for 1873 counting proofs), no other years of coinage have so many different types. Picking a date from this era, I guess I'd have to go with 1872. No proof only issues that year and the S and CC mints are not show stoppers if you want a complete date/mintmark set. 1869 would be good also with no CC coins involved. Interesting thing about 1869, a new series of paper money was issued that year, as well as a new series of stamps. You could do a collecting trifecta.

1890 - first year of the standard 10 denomination set. I like this set because only in 1890-1891 do you get the 10 denomination set with a liberty nickel and Morgan dollar along side the last of the seated coinage.

1921 - First year all classic designs were minted, although the last of the Morgans throws off the symmetry. You also get the nearly impossible $20.

For modern, 1974 - you get the standard 6 denomination set, plus a new series of federal reserve notes were issued. You could get everything from 1c to $100. This is possible for 1977 as well.

RebelRon

I really like the year 1839.So many half dollars !

STONE

Without a doubt 1796. All denominations struck this year, coins can be found in much higher grades than other similar years, and it's exactly 2 decades after Independence

richardshipp

1853

Arizonadesertrat

<< <i>If you only could collect coins from one year what year would it be?

definitely 1816. >>



Ah, you espouse the 'Box of One' concept. I tried that, but staring at a single large cent got old. The year for me is 1857, a bittersweet year for early copper afficionados.

keets

my reasoning is that i figure i could become a Certified Expert with only one coin type to look at and without a doubt i might finally be able to complete a Set!!

doh

1837 could take you a long way...

2manycoins2fewfunds

2008

Numerous rare moderns in silver, gold and platinum.

Blackborder

<< <i>

<< <i>If you only could collect coins from one year what year would it be?

definitely 1816. >>



Ah, you espouse the 'Box of One' concept. I tried that, but staring at a single large cent got old. The year for me is 1857, a bittersweet year for early copper afficionados. >>





Could be a box of 9.

BECOKA

That's tough, I like denominations from 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838 and 1839 but it would be hard to pick just one date.

RWB

1796 - if someone else was paying for the coins.

jsf

1853, my b.y.-100, but I've already got a good start on that.

Next choice would have to be 1861, 'cause I'm big on Civil War stuff and I'm the furthest along with it, gold included.

Heck, anything Civil War dated. I'm so tempted to set a few grand aside for these type of purchases. What is going to be the market for this stuff in 2011, the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War? I wonder what the TV coin show hype will be like?! Sheesh!

Blackborder

1853 is a good year. Some show stoppers exist though.

yellowkid

I started to go with 1936 because I knew that was the big year for commems, but when I got to thinking about the issues, I realized they certainly weren't my favorites. If I went with 1899 I could at least go with a Lafayette, but then I thought "Barbers", they are okay but how many do I want, and only one commem. Hmm 1920? Maine and a Pilgrim, and then SLQ's and Walkers, and gold Indians, but no, isn't the $10 Indian a rare one? 1928, an oregon and a Hawaii, SLQ's, Walkers, gold indians, wait, they didn't do Indians that year, and Lincoln cents. Hmmm, after much thought I decided to go with 1893, I could have an Isabella and a Columbian for commems, I could have a gold Liberty set, I like Liberty nickels, of course I will have to learn to appreciate Barber pieces more, but hey, I can also collect IH's.

IGWT

1867.

partagas

For me certainly it would 1866

My 1866 mint set

BigMoose

1794, of course!

Blackborder

<< <i>For me certainly it would 1866

My 1866 mint set >>




Awesome set!

lathmach

1873.

Ray

seateddime

1804 - the best of the best

Lakesammman

1792 (patterns) - but they come up so infrequently, it would be frustrating! 1879 patterns as a backup.

Nysoto

1806, with half dollars, half eagles, half cents, and quarters a person could have a collection of well over 100 coins with die marriages and die states.

IrishMikey

1845. There is a great assortment of coins from all over the world, plus I like the history for this year.

PrivateCoinCollector

Oops wrong thread. No Brainer. 1795