1

1. I already know and care about them, and so do people I might interact with. 2 is amazing and hard to get, but at this point, I wouldn’t get the same enjoyment.
   Similarly, I could get a super rare collection of foreign coins, but the value would be in what I could sell them for so I could buy coins I’ve read and dreamt about for the last 30 years (option 1)

@DisneyFan said:
A high end set of Early United States of American coins would be nice. Do you consider them Colonial coins?

I certainly prefer door #3 to #1. Not a series collector so many other choices are preferred over #1.

The added option 3 early US type would be my preference, but back to the OPs options, I think #2 would be interesting.
And I’ve long coveted an Elephant token, (even the common London variety is fine), so I’d probably start with that one.

@DisneyFan said:

@PeakRarities said:
A variation of #2, I guess?

Interesting; but, are values in the Wild, Wild West?

Perhaps, but my answer remains the same even on a budget. Plenty of fun stuff sub <5k.

I would choose the colonials since they have more interesting designs and history than the key date type set. I also think my dollar could go farther with colonials. Owning a 1916-D dime gives me no more pleasure than another date in the series. I’d rather that the coin itself have a compelling feature beyond mintage rarity. Interesting toning, die cracks, off center or double strikes, cuds, etc would be my choice.

2 - I love the Colonial coins...

K

1

Key dates are mostly readily available, even in high grade, just expensive.

But I hate colonials....so key dates it is.

@pcgscacgold said:
Very nice @PeakRarities Really like that $10 1860 Pike's Peak. One of my favorite territorial designs.

Thanks Tom, mine too. 🫠

@MidLifeCrisis said:
1) A high-end type set of US key dates (09-S VDB Lincoln, 16-D Mercury Dime, 93-S Morgan, etc.)

2) A high-end type set of colonial coins (coins that circulated in early America, as defined by the Red Book and/or PCGS Registry)...but they include super-rarities (R6 and R7).

The key dates are generally more well-known and popular, but practically none of them are rare.

The colonials are much more rare and historical, but much less popular or known.

(I forgot how to create a poll, but I would rather get your responses, thoughts and reasons for your choice anyway. So a poll is not necessary.)

You asked, so I'll give you my answer.

Since I don't have the money to get either on my own, my answer is simple: If someone is offering one or the other to me, I would prefer the one that is more valuable. In addition to the obvious reason, a "collection" that I didn't work for is largely meaningless to me, except as a repository of value; so I may as well take the larger repository. The major part of the pleasure I get out of this hobby is simply the chase; without a chase, it's an empty acquisition, for me.