Bad english, little money...what series should I collect?

Ciccio

I am a bullion guy because it's easier and less risky given that I sometimes need to sell some of my coins for cash and that my english is not that good to read many books about collecting.
In a couple of year I have learned few things about US coinage and started filling few folders from circulation in order to better know the history of your coins. I even began a Dansco 7070 with some common date coins, so that I can add variety to my collection.

I would now like to start a series. I like neat coins, pretty much in mint condition, but I don't have enough money to invest on them.
What's a short series I could start slowly and maybe upgrade when the american dream becomes reality?
I want to learn as much as possible on this series.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

GrumpyEd

Flying Eagle cents.
A very short series.

Ciccio

<< <i>Flying Eagle cents.
A very short series.

>>



You forgot the part about the money!

AMRC

IKE Dollars. They have all the elements and very reasonable.

Tdec1000

Jefferson nickels!!

ANACONDA

Without knowing what your budget is, it's hard to give advice but suffice it to say, you don't have to spend any money to collect coins.

Collect state quarters. Look through enough change that you can get from the bank and start the collection and on the way, learn about the coins and why they show what they show.

It's also a good way to learn a little bit about each of the 50 states.

PinkFloyd

Yup, good suggestions. You can get 40% silver Ikes for basically spot.
State/national park quarters if you want to collect from pocket change.

Are you interested in classics or moderns? Or both?

Ciccio

<< <i>Without knowing what your budget is, it's hard to give advice but suffice it to say, you don't have to spend any money to collect coins.

Collect state quarters. Look through enough change that you can get from the bank and start the collection and on the way, learn about the coins and why they show what they show.

It's also a good way to learn a little bit about each of the 50 states. >>



I don't have a budget, let's say that I can spend up to $100/200 per coin if I like the series and take it slowly (for the last and rarer coins I can raise the budget a little more).
I have done almost all the circulated coins, plus the Kennedy's.
Btw, what about the Sagacawea dollars? It is hard to complete?

Looking for something older and more appealing/interesting.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, keep them coming please.

adamlaneus

gold series

PinkFloyd

What about modern silver eagles in bullion or proof? Include the W-mintmarked varieties and exclude the 95-w. You get silver content and a classic design and some lower mintage varieties. A best of both worlds.

PerryHall

Since you are interested in bullion, suggest collecting Morgan and Peace dollars. You can get many dates in VF to AU and even many MS coins at not too much over melt value. Great series with a lot of history.

SaorAlba

Oh for crying out loud Ciccio, stop it. Your English is better than quite a few "native" speakers. My Italian is bit rusty though.

pitboss

Silver eagles is a good way to go. They are readily available and are reasonable in price.

PerryHall

<< <i>Silver eagles is a good way to go. They are readily available and are reasonable in price. >>



Agree but this is a short series that Ciccio will complete fairly quickly.

sinin1

how about silver eagles

lunytune2

Peace Dollars , only a few are over $100 (raw) and it is a short set .. also Franklin halves in ms condition are not too expensive.

bidask

colonial crowns......1733 - 1823

Moldnut

This should be common knowledge, Mercury Dimes. You can collect circulated coins for just a few bucks and even get graded MS coins for less than $20.


Good luck!

Ciccio

Once again, thanks everyone!
There are a lot of suggestions here.

The Ike dollar must be interesting. A short series from a period I like (I was born in 1974).
Mercury are beautiful too!
No ASE (I have a few anyway), they are just bullion and they tone...(I could be Ricko's alt! )
I thought about Morgans (I don't like the Peace much, they always have that worn look even in MS!) but I am little afraid to get caught in the VAMs variety...

I want a tough series but that can be completed. Do the above have coins that are pretty much impossible to find?


@SaorAlba, thanks, writing is easier but you haven't heard me talking...

SkyMan

<< <i>...
I want a tough series but that can be completed... >>



Franklins with varieties can be kinda' tough, they are well within your budget, and they are silver.

astrorat

So many choices...

Choose a series that is appealing to you, then see how it can fit into your budget. The most important part is that it be fun. For example, a date set of Seated Liberty dimes, quarters, or halves would be challenging, but not too expensive. This is an exciting part of collecting ... figuring out which is the "next" set to tackle!

Lane

Baley

what's wrong with working on your 7070 type set? if you want a series, try Franklin halves or Peace dollars

Ciccio

<< <i>what's wrong with working on your 7070 type set? if you want a series, try Franklin halves or Peace dollars >>



Nothing wrong, I like my 7070!
Most of the coins were bought at some shows but it's hard to learn about such a big variety of coins.
I feel the need of focusing on one series.

MAT1

<< <i>Once again, thanks everyone! There are a lot of suggestions here. The Ike dollar must be interesting. A short series from a period I like (I was born in 1974). Mercury are beautiful too! No ASE (I have a few anyway), they are just bullion and they tone...(I could be Ricko's alt! ) I thought about Morgans (I don't like the Peace much, they always have that worn look even in MS!) but I am little afraid to get caught in the VAMs variety... I want a tough series but that can be completed. Do the above have coins that are pretty much impossible to find? @SaorAlba, thanks, writing is easier but you haven't heard me talking... >>




Ciao Ciccio anche Io sono Italiano

For what I understand by your comments - I would suggest Gold Dollars, they are not all in your price range of $100-$200 per coin but you can start by acquiring good XF-AU specimen from Philadelphia Mint. Trust me, when you get the first one in hand, the little lady will take you away. Also there are some very helpful and knowledgeable members in this forum, ready to help you in your quest.

SaorAlba

<< <i>

@SaorAlba, thanks, writing is easier but you haven't heard me talking... >>



English is dumbest language around. Knowing another language or two like me, and you appreciate that English only serves to torture its speakers.

Cheap collecting can be going and buying cent boxes at bank $25, each - and searching for date and mintmarks for books. I have gotten cents as old to 1901, rare dates, errors, blanks, unusual foreign coins like other day something from Guatemala. Even though I can afford much more, something has to be said for the basics of cent box searching because it is like gambling - so addictive, especially when you find first 100+ year old coin.

I speak English with trace of accent, and Russian with distinctive E. Ukraine accent.

MPLunatic

If I were you I would start with Walking liberty Halves, Nice big silver coins with a very cool design, also the series covers some very important years in American History. You can start with the walker short set, which I believe is from 1941-1947. This is a great series to start with, because you can get MS coins for not too much money. Once you have completed the short set, you can move on and work on the 1916-41 Coins in lower grades.

shorecoll

AU/BU 2-cent pieces, Liberty or Shield nickels. Short series, only a few keys in each (although shield may have a stopper).

BaseballAbs

Mercury dimes would be a nice choice.

Edited, seems I have bad english too. Had to change my spelling of Mercury.

johnny9434

how about the buffalo nickel?

dogwood

Barber Quarter by Date 1892-1916 in XF/AU. You can get tons of quite scarce dates for under $100 each: 07D, 98S, 12S. And they come nice and original!

Ciccio

Great advices guys! Thanks a bunch.
I will start studying on few of your suggestions and will pick my series.
I think I can built a couple since I see few short ones, like IKEs and Franklins, and then I will go with some new ones.

One last question. How would you begin? Fill an album or buy slabbed coins?

Thanks again!!

dpoole

<< <i>One last question. How would you begin? Fill an album or buy slabbed coins? >>



Particularly as a beginner, I would buy only slabbed coins. Most of our mistakes as beginners was because we bought raw coins about which we knew little, that turned out to be cleaned, "doctored," etc.

Also: I would limit my purchases to PCGS or NGC slabbed coins.

Bienvenuto!