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What series is collected the most today?
Vetter
Posts: 791 ✭✭✭✭✭
I know when I was young the Lincoln Cents were popular with the “younger” group and the Morgan’s were the hot coin with the older/ wealthier group. I’m just curious what coins are collected by date/ mintmark today?
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Silverman68, jfoot13, GAB, ricman, Smittys, scrapman1077, RyGuy, Connecticoin, Meltdown, VikingDude, Peaceman, Patches and more.
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I think for collectors its either Lincoln cents or American Silver Eagles.
For the average person, its US state quarters, I don't know of anyone that doesn't have a set.
My current registry sets:
20th Century Type Set
Virtual DANSCO 7070
Slabbed IHC set - Missing the Anacs Slabbed coins
Moderns that have been run over by multiple cars in parking lots.
At least when I got started it was wheat cents that later turned into buffalo nickels. Overall I would say Morgans are still number one.
Young Numismatist/collector
75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
instagram.com/klnumismatics
I have some ATBs that I threw under a MacLaren.
By the looks of every local and national coin show it's Morgan Dollars. Nearly every dealer table is littered with them. They are the hay in the haystack, and it actually fatigues me at shows. But, I know that dealers would not carry such volumes if they did not sell...so I have to assume they are making hay (and there are less collectors of the needles).
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
This topic comes up from time to time.
A good way to get an idea to the popularity (for slabbed coins at least) is to go into PCGS Registry sets and take note of how many sets there are in the different categories of interest. That should give you a rough estimate on popularity.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Even if they were real they have no value post run over since the extra a makes it counterfeit.
I would think that Lincolns would still be at the top, but maybe Morgans have overtaken them.
Type collector, mainly into Seated. Young Numismatist. Good BST transactions with: mirabela, OKCC, MICHAELDIXON
Let's face it, are you going to tell friends you collect pennies or or you going to tell them you collect silver dollars?
You should see the puzzled looks on people's faces when I tell them I collect twenty cent pieces. And I get them from collectors and dealers in the hobby too, not just non-numismatic normies.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I collect half cents..... lowest denomination value, lowest bullion value there is.... I am an idiot (...an idiot in love with half cents
).
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
Yes.
Small cents have a lower bullion value than half cents.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
My guess would be the same as it was years ago - Morgans & Lincolns.
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
Given that the vast majority of people that are doing this collecting are people that we would label as "casual collectors" or "not serious", I would surmise that the answer would remain a toss-up between Lincoln cents and US State quarters.
Worldwide, I'd think the answer would still be the same - these "casual coin collectors" in the US outnumber those in every other country put together. And most collectors outside the US just collect "coins", they don't break it down and only collect one or two "series". Even the euro collecting craze in Europe is dwarfed in comparison.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD.
In that case I would think it would lean towards the state and national park quarters
From what I’ve witnessed Morgans are the most popular.
“I may not believe in myself but I believe in what I’m doing” ~Jimmy Page~
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947)
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
The Morgan DATE Registry set has over 1,300 participants.
The Lincoln Wheat DATE set and Basic Set (with all of the mint marks) have 655 participants COMBINED! Many of those with the Basic Set also participate in the DATE set Registry, so there really are fewer than 655.
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
On NGC the most popular sets are Bullion with Silver Eagles ruling supreme at 18,000 sets.
But I don't think the person that collects cents is on the registry set, they most likely have a bunch of Whitman folders.
My current registry sets:
20th Century Type Set
Virtual DANSCO 7070
Slabbed IHC set - Missing the Anacs Slabbed coins
In my orbit no one collects coins with any regularity. They may find in circ. the occasional Lincoln Wheatie or some silver.
For myself started with Wheats/Memorials. Migrated to Merc. dimes stayed with them for a number of years. Still favor them but also enjoy the vintage Peace dollars. And still retain error coinage from years ago.
I suspect silver eagles followed by modern proof sets and then Morgans. But I have no data to back it up other than the observation that the Mint sells a lot of silver eagles and proof sets every year.
If I had the money I would collect everything. I think it's all beautiful. Especially Morgan's. For me it's Morgan PL and DMPL's. I lean towards PL because theu are cheaper and almost the same as most DMPL's. Especially when your picky about them.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
Morgan Dollars are the most widely collected numismatica of value as is evidenced by price points to entry for amount of available pieces and conversely, enormous prices of actual scarce or rare pieces. Within the space there are many subgenres one can collect, but as a whole, Morgans reign. The registry at PCGS and NGC also supports this via number of sets and sub-categories.
Another support of this thesis is breadth of inventory at coin shows. Overwhelmingly, at every show I have ever been to, Morgans take first place in availability and representation.
There are so many quality examples that exist, one can easily see the merits of the series.
In the USA I would think dollars & cents.
Coin collecting interests: Latin America
Sports: NFL & NHL
From what I’ve seen the leaders are ASEs, Morgans, and world silver bullion, (Australian, Canadian, and Chinese predominantly). Oddly enough I see A LOT of “generic” proof sets moving.
That’s what I see. Mercury dimes, and Lincolns were bigger 20 years ago but seem to have fallen off. Washington silver had a brief surge early 2000’s as well.
Having fun while switching things up and focusing on a next level PCGS slabbed 1950+ type set, while still looking for great examples for the 7070.
From the looks at shows, Morgans are the established kings of tables. Just what I've noticed. I mainly collect wheaties, buffaloes, and Rosies.
Cheers, and God Bless, CRHer700
Lincoln cents, and it’s not even close.
Dave
I have no idea, but I would be surprised if it were not Lincoln cents or Morgan dollars.
And, FWIW, of the series I collect (all significant series started in the 20th century, not made of gold, plus Morgan dollars), the Morgan dollars, top to bottom, have appreciated the most in the last several years.
Although, keep in mind, The lincoln Cents are not as an expensive start or venture, within a hobby.
With so many minted each year, their always available to hunt. Keeps me busy anyway. it's like doing a press check.
Zinc cents are the perfect speed bump. (don't ask why)
As some may understand or will someday.
Must be cents. As most of the parking lot finds come from that realm.
I’d actually say that it would be quarters, I know so many informal coin collectors who still collect the various quarter designs issued in the last 25 years.
For those willing to spend money buying coins it would be Morgans and silver eagles. In general though, I feel that younger numismatists tend to collect by type over any series.
For non modern coinage and based on the monstrously high certified coins available compared to the prices, it seems it would be lincoln cents and Morgan dollars.
Last person I would tell that I collect coins(other than forum friends and they already know).
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
I get a lot of confused looks when I tell people I collect quarter eagles. Trying to explain often deepens the confusion.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
$2 1/2 gold pieces will really get their attention.
Around here it seems to be plastic and stickers that people collect above all else..... so probably that.
Apart from that, at all levels, if you include everyone, it's probably Lincoln cents. A few years back it probably would have been statehood quarters. In 1977, it might have been bicentennial quarters, half dollars, and dollars.
If you include coins worth more than their face value -- actually found while searching or purchased for a premium, things change. It's a much smaller group of collectors, and it will possibly be a different series. Mercs, Morgans, Buff nickels, and Walkers come to mind.
If you are discussing 5 and 6-figure coins, it's a very small group of collectors and their favorite series might be Saints.
I for one have not collected Morgan (or Peace) Dollars since I sold mine in January 1980. I would agree that this place is the plastic and sticker set of collectors. Beyond that, I collect what I like and never think much about what others collect. Everyone has different interests, and some even collect coins of one sort or another.
I did face it and concluded that I would rather not have "friends" who would look down their nose at me were I to tell them I collect pennies.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
So over the Holidays, my uncle said he wouldn’t mind collecting a nice, impressive series, maybe less than 20 coins, that he could have some fun with. He also said he didn’t want a series that everyone had.
So……….. I suggested perhaps completing a set of Draped Bust $10s. Said I thought it met his requirements and assured him that not everyone would have ‘em!🤣
>
Wish I could be have been there when he actually started researching them!😂
Well, cost was one of the things that wasn’t brought up, and it will be ‘impressive’ if he completes the series.😉
I had a lot of fun when I was in Tiffany's previewing diamond engagement rings for my son who was planning to propose to his then girl friend. This was 20 years ago. After viewing a few rings I pulled out my PR65RB 1877 Indian Head penny I had just purchased that day and shared that it was of equal value to his rings,
1) Lincoln cents
2) Morgan Dollars
I colect series, but been majority of time in errors and varieties I can say the Lincons by pass all the others. For shows and Dealears No 1 is Morgan's.
IMHO here majority go for Gold series, which it is specific for this place. On others forums, 20 Lincons to one of other coins series.
NEVER ARGUE WITH AN IDIOT.
FIRST THEY WILL DRAG YOU DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL.
THEN, THEY WILL BEAT YOU WITH EXPERIENCE.
MARK TWAIN
This
Didn't read all the posts but the Morgan dollar is too expensive for most collectors to buy in any series format unless the definition of collector is narrow.
If collecting out of circulation is excluded, I still infer it's the Lincoln wheat cent. The ASE is probably second but much of this collecting seems to be quasi-stacking. Given the supply, a majority of buyers for the most common Morgan dates must either be "investors", collectors buying multiples for "investment", or maybe impulse purchases by non-collectors from a source like coin TV. The evidence doesn't indicate there are anywhere near enough hobbyist collectors for the supply of 1881-S or similar dates.