How did you pick your series (or how did your series pick you)?

Boosibri

I often see written on these forums apologetically..."well, it's not my series, but..." before offering an opinion. Or, I'm a large cent guy, or a bust half guy, etc, etc.

So, it got me thinking, how did you pick the series which you collect? In some cases, like mine, the series picked me.

For me it started when I went to visit my mom in Atlanta. I had recently been promoted and took over the manufacturing plants in one part of our business and one happened to be in Atlanta where my Mom had recently moved. We decided to go to Dahlonega. Up until that point I was collecting commems or modern mint issues, nothing serious, just a very passive hobby.

When I got to Dahlonega it all changed. Upon returning home I searched around for a nice Dahlonega $5 and happened upon an auction on eBay for an 1850-D $5 in P45 CAC, seller JimDimmick (of forum fame). I won the coin for a very reasonable $2200 (2010 great receession prices) and upon seeing it I was hooked. I began engaging with Doug Winter and began seeking out undervalued $5's.

Justacommeman

My series picked me as I befriended Gregg Bingham and Larry Shephard. They literally mentored me and I went to school on them before I ever bought my first coin. I remember every word they spoke and every nuance within the series. They were very patient with me and I spent countless hours on the phone, at shows and through e-mails with them. They always made time for me. I remember my very first major show and sitting down with Gregg, Larry and Dale Friend for drinks after. I was a kid in a candy store……………Very grateful. M

BryceM

I went back and looked through some of the coins I've sold over the past 5 years. Good gracious, some of what I was buying was hideous. Peace dollars sort of picked me. I bought a bit of bullion and somehow the design of the Peace dollar latched on somewhere around the brain stem. Morgans seemed to common, with too many issues and too many keys.

After buying a bunch of eBay and Internet junk I found this place and the world of certified coins. I then bought quite a bit of junk inside plastic slabs. Gradually a bit of wisdom and knowledge evolved. After acquiring a bit of patience and discernment, and making connections with some very helpful folks, the collection has progressed. Unfortunately, upgrades at this point are few & far between. I'm getting pretty picky and even at high grades there are plenty of coins to stay away from.

I sometimes wonder what the next adventure should be. Whatever it is, it needs the right mix of do-ability, affordability, scarcity, and interest. I'd like something slightly off the beaten path, but not ridiculously esoteric. We'll see.

JJSingleton

My mountain home (soon to be my primary residence) sits up on the ridge above Dahlonega about 9 miles as the crow flies from the location of where the mint building stood. As a history buff it just made sense.

keyman64

My father got me started in Mercury Dimes when he handed down to me his largely circulated collection of close to 10 complete Whitman Folders with a couple rolls of extras. With me having the desire to obtain the nicest of Mercury Dimes but not able to compete with the bank accounts of others, I chose to go after the varieties, many of which I was able to cherrypick in Top Pop. Now I am selling that collection for a nice little profit having kept my mistakes to a minimum.

The next collection I build is yet to be determined.

RYK

I will let you know when I settle on something.

Fantastic set and photo, JJ!

jdimmick

Mine goes back to youth. I like key dates and better date coins because when I was young, I never could afford the key dates of the sets I was putting together like merc dimes, Indians, etc

Now, all the coins I have in my personal collection are of better date. Although some of the really early keys are prohibitively expensive so I may or may not ever obtain them. Such as the 1802 Half dime, 1823 /2 quarter etc.

I used to settle for a marginal coin when I couldn't find or afford a specific date I wanted, but after the past 2 years with the way the market was /is, I didn't want too find my self taking huge losses when the time came to sell em, so now I only buy them if their all there and then some for the grade. An as example I had an 1873-cc Seated $ in PCGS 40 OGH, when I bought the coin I was on the fence, but took it anyway, but after owning it I just didn't care for it, so I sold it, luckily got rid of it with just a 500 buck lost over a 2 year period. The next buyer lost over 6k on the coin when it re-surfaced again 4 months later.

I do like type, but just don't collect it due to the above. I have often thought about selling my collection and reassembling a nicer scarcer type set/coins like 1797 Half, chain cent, gobrecht dollar, 1796 2 1/2 gold stuff like that.

coinkat

Good question... I really don't have a good answer other than to say I buy what I like. And that has to do more with the look and the likelihood of seeing a better example within the framework of "quality for the grade". Complete sets are fine, but in some instances they are not possible. I like Seated Dollars- unfortunately, I rarely add to the set. It has probably been over 5 years.

I will not even go into the World coin thing here.

Barndog

I decided that I wanted to put together an affordable Registry Set. I noted that capped bust half dimes required just nine coins for a complete set. I thought choice AU would be good, since at the time, they were readily available for well below $300 each. It got out of hand, I guess.

BillJones

I always have had a strong interest in history, probably from my mom who enjoyed it too. Therefore type coins, which cover everything from 1792 to the present were an easy fit. I have been buying type coins since I was in the sixth grade. My first type coins were an 1846 large cent and an 1838 half dime.

I was fascinated with Indian cents when I was high school because the compete date set went from the Civil War through Reconstruction and then through the emergence of The United States as a world power. My interest it those waned after I finished the set however.

I still remember when I got my first 1877 cent, it was a big deal. I was Gimbals Department store and the head of the department made arrangement to buy a piece from a collector, who was probably in his 40s or 50 buy a piece in Fine condition (full LIBERTY although not strong) from him. I paid $210 dollars for and then the price of that key date along with the entire Indian cent series went down the chute. I didn't wait for them to come back, and I ultimately sold the set for a big loss.

ms70

Years back I was putting together an expansive type set but as an AR type of person, I suppose it was natural that I became intrigued at the detail that is on tiny little Half Dimes. After about
an 8 year hiatus, I came back and decided to stay in the Half Dime series, still amazed by the intricate details of these coins.

hchcoin

When my kids started going to shows with me, the oldest one got interested in bust dimes and started buying them in lower grades at shows he worked at as a page. He would work all day at the show and then take his earnings and buy coins. He also met Brad Karoleff who had a huge impact on his collecting and was a great mentor.

He got his younger brother hooked and he started buying bust halves. They told me that I was not allowed under any circumstances to buy a bust dime or half so I was stuck with the quarters. I initially started just because the kids were interested in the bust series and it was fun at shows for all of us to go in search of varieties in our own series. Now they are older and the eldest hasn't bought a coin in years but still has his collection of bust dimes. The younger sold all his bust halves but still collects silver eagles.

morgansforever

Mainly Morgans because they're readily available in any grade, mostly inexpensive and fun to shoot. I'm now dabbling with Seated halves, not so inexpensive in AU and up.
My income dictates what I purchase, just like the rest of us.

winky

Out standing gold set JJ. My set is 1946 to Presend Roosies and I love them even they might not be worth a ton of money you need to try to get a variety set together and then you will know that I am not an amateur at this. My set is #2 in the registry and I am happy as can be.

AUandAG

I grew up in Carson City and having the Museum there and inheriting a 1870cc presentation dollar I was hooked.

I do have many other coins but the CC's are my first love (coin wise).

bob

OGDan

I've always been fascinated with history and travel, so Trade Dollars were a natural choice. I tried them out and was quickly hooked, mostly due to the amazing support of my mentors in the series and overall great people who also collect them and were so willing to share knowledge and just nice people in general. Except for the occasional lunatic, the community is very welcoming, the series is rich with history, short and not impossible to complete, and there's plenty of research still to enjoy.

Walkerfan

My Dad got me started with raw coins that I put into blue Whitman folders, as a kid, and Walkers were among them. In my mid to late 20s I started collecting XF-AU coins from 1934 on. After that I discovered the 'Early Dates' and was enamored by their beauty and scarcity. I collected them raw, until I bought my first certified coin around 1994 or so. It has been a love affair and obsession ever since.

Baley

It's a good question and interesting responses so far. In my case, I've been a US type set collector for almost 40 years, started as a kid with the bicentennials, on through the 20th century types, into the 19th century during jr. high, (took the common time off from coins for high school and college-- had many other things to spend money and time on during those years) resumed 19th century after I had a job, and now working on those tough coins whose dates begin with 17-- or 180-, with new coins few and far between.

In the process, found an interest in the draped bust and early capped (pre-1815) half dollars and then the draped bust and early capped (pre-1829) quarters by die variety, mainly because of the challenge. When I was a kid, the local coin stores never had any of these coins ("oh, we sell those to experts and "special" customers as soon as they come in"), and these were among the last of the "easy" type coins that I bought once the internet was invented, finally getting an example of the draped bust design was quite a thrill, I'd admired the coins in the red book for so many years

I like the intermediate size of these coins and the absolute (in any condition) rarity of many of the marriages and die states, once I got the Overton and Browning books I was hooked.

breakdown

I was given early 20th century coins from grandparents and an uncle when I was in my teens -buffalo nickels, mercury dimes, SLQs, Walkers. When Ireturned to collecting ten or so years ago, I went back to those series and decided to discard any that had strike designations (don't like them). That left me with two awe-inspiring designs -- Fraser's nickel and Weinman's half.

I sold my business strike Buffalos last year to help me in my new pursuit-- seated halves.

oih82w8

I picked my series, Major U.S. Types, due to the fact that I feel that series collecting is boring, the majority look the same. I tried it back when I was younger with the Whitman folders, but I picked the nicest coin out of each album and proceeded from there. I even broadened it a bit by collecting a variety of the coin, primarily CherryPicker Varieties that PCGS recognizes.

Sonorandesertrat

I have been in and out of a number of series of coins. Initially, my paternal grandmother, who was an experienced coin collector, gave me books about U.S. and European coins. The books by Davenport got me hooked on Austrian/German thalers and later Swiss shooting thalers. Plus, I speak German, so there was no language barrier. Later, those coins were sold and I began collecting SLQs and Barber halves. After finishing those, I got bored and disgusted with dealer shenanigans, and exited the hobby for an extended time. I sold those coins, and began collecting large cents, medals, and numismatic literature, largely because of my interest in the history of the colonial and early federal periods of the U.S.

Barberian

I started out filling Whitman folders of 20th century cents through halves as a kid. Later I started developing an interest in seated dimes. After a 10 year pause, I found out far-sightedness had kicked in, so I started collecting Seated halves and would buy Barber and Capped Bust halves from time to time. I also liked acquiring circulated commemoratives at much lower prices than what one would pay for choice or gem coins. I generally prefer the look of circulated coins with nice toning over bright uncirculated coins.

TopographicOceans

I started collecting Lincoln Cents as a kid, then on to Jefferson's, Roosie's, and Washington quarters in blue Whitman albums.
I still have those, but got bored of series and went on to collect US coins by type.

I prefer type over series because you can obtain the best examples you can afford without having to worry about those rare keys to complete a series.

Type2

I don't have a series. I buy any nice coin I can at the right price. I'm a sick puppy with no leash running wild.