What set do you recommend for a young YN?

RYK · June 9, 2004 11:20AM

I am trying to engage my five year old in numismatics. I think a classic circulated set with an album is the way to go--after all, that's how I got started when I was about that age.

Any idea what would be a good set to start? I was thinking buffalo nickels--as I already have a lot of the dates, it can be completed without great expense, and we could fill in the dates at shows, by mail order, etc. Any other suggestions?

Shamika · June 9, 2004 11:22AM

Funny you should mention the Buffalo nickel...

FC57Coins · June 9, 2004 11:23AM

I was going to suggest Jeffersons - boatload of coins - you can go to the bank - get a few rolls and look through them to see what you find, and definitely inexpensive if you don't get into the picky grades

Placid · June 9, 2004 11:25AM

Depends how young. State quarters are somewhat edumcational.

Shamika · June 9, 2004 11:34AM

Frank and Placid bring up a good point. I remember the thrill of looking through rolls of coins. My father would bring two or three rolls of Jeffersons home every Friday night and I couldn't wait to tear into them. Sometimes I'd get lucky, sometimes I'd strike out, but it was great fun!

Gonfunko · June 9, 2004 11:35AM

Kennedies. They're cheap, big, modern, available, and you can still find silver! In fact, I put together nearly a complete set out of "circulation".

Neptune · June 9, 2004 11:38AM

All good ideas --- why not a book each of the buffalo, jefferson, quarters, and cents ....... all economical AND you can see kick back and notice which one he takes a liking to - and go from there - maybe add an additional 'type' each year, and see if he likes those too. For someone that young, you can pick up the used blue Whitman's at coin shops for dirt cheap.

What I do for my grandson, is I sometimes 'seed' the rolls for him because he isn't here that often, and I love to watch him get excited and says "Grandma WoodstoK`! I found one!!!!!!!!"

Also, has he been to the usmint.gov website to play the games?? Be sure to teach him how to hold the coins by the edges - may as well start young.

berylcoin · June 9, 2004 11:39AM

I'd consider clad dimes or quarters. Many can be taken from circulation and one can make a natural transition to their older silver counterparts. A similar case could be made for Memorial cents, Jeffs, or even the aforementioned state quarters.

BC

airplanenut · June 9, 2004 11:39AM

I'd say a set that can give you quality time together, as mentioned before--lincolns, jeffersons... something in rolls.

Later on, you can start a more in depth set, whether a sole series, or a type set (which is an awesome set!)

DaveG · June 9, 2004 11:42AM

If you want to collect from circulation: Jefferson nickels or Kennedy halves.

If not: Buffalo nickels or Mercury dimes.

toothpuller · June 9, 2004 11:48AM

Another possibility is to jump forward into the new way of collecting

and start a Registry Mint Set using his birth year. I am doing this with my eight year old daughter and she is getting a big kick out of adding coins to her cyber-album.

NJCollector · June 10, 2004 9:41PM

Circulated Jefferson Nickels or Lincoln Cents. Cheap, alot of time you can spend going through rolls together. In just a few years, he can search by himself through change. He'll find many needed dates on his own and that will be a great thrill for him.

razorface1027 · June 10, 2004 9:44PM

Washington quarters. Hell, I'm presently deviating from the slabbed game to the more simpler aspect of collecting (Filling Whitman blue books). The slab game gets TOOOOOOO expensive!

Steve27 · June 10, 2004 10:38PM

How about silver Roosevelt dimes. You can get them for melt value in circulated grades, and there are no keys.

Barry · June 10, 2004 10:41PM

<< <i>Circulated Jefferson Nickels or Lincoln Cents. Cheap, alot of time you can spend going through rolls together. In just a few years, he can search by himself through change. He'll find many needed dates on his own and that will be a great thrill for him. >>

That's what I was going to say. I think there would be a much bigger thrill factor for a young kid finding coins in circulation than buying from a dealer or on Ebay.

MrEureka · June 10, 2004 11:13PM

Collecting Jeffersons from change and bank rolls could be a lot of fun if you teach the kid to look for steps. Filling holes is fun. Upgrading could be even more fun. After a while, when the possibilities of upgrading from change become slim and the kid better appreciates how scarce some things are, it will be time to visit the local shops and shows.

BillJones · June 10, 2004 11:27PM

Buffalo nickels?

Boy, that's a pretty tough row of stumps, especailly issues in the 1920s. The big disadvantage to Buffaloes is that the date wore off so easily. It makes it had to collect in low grade. AND please don't even mention the acid dates. Those coins are rip-offs.

I'd say that beginning YNs show look at state quarters. Beyond that they might try any modern issue that they can find in circulation. When they start buying coins, the Indian cents might be a good place to start. I know I liked them when I was kid. So long as they can live without the 1877 and couple of others, a set in Good condition can be put together for reasonable money.

RBB617 · June 11, 2004 12:07AM

My oldest son, who is now 6, showed an interest in State Quarters about a year and a half ago. Now his grandfather (my dad) hoards state quarters when he travels and brings them to my son when he visits. They have a great time matching them up to a coin board and some Whitman folders. So I give a vote for the state quarter.

After getting into quarters, my son got into filling a Buffalo nickel Whitman folder. He also enjoys lincoln cents and Jeffersons.

Brian

cladking · June 11, 2004 1:48AM

Many factors come together to get people interested in coins. First and foremost there
needs to be some interest in collecting and in coins. This interest can be rooted in curiosity
about some aspect of the coins themselves or in their circulation. The interest might even
be a simple acquisitiveness or a desire to accumulate items of value. Most collectors get a
sense of accomplishment when they plug another hole in their collection and this is what
keeps them going.

The main thing we can do to get and keep kids collecting is to make coins available for them
to seek needed dates or to direct them where they can find the coins for a collection. Pro-
viding folders and albums can help and an occasional word of encouragement can't hurt. Just
talking about coins can be very effective with many children and many love to look at your coins.

mrearlygold · June 11, 2004 2:03AM

Definitely Jefferson Nickels. They're available everywhere, in pocket change, rolls etc, PLUS the benefit of learning some of America's history.

Rgrds
Tom

291fifth · June 11, 2004 3:08AM

Try a twentieth century type set.

1234567890 · June 11, 2004 3:27AM

I myself like a type set... a 20th Century type set would be a good thing to start with.

dpoole · June 11, 2004 3:39AM

I'm with most of the folks here.

Definitely, he should be collecting something he can search pocket change for.

Have a set of Whitmans for one or some of the current series. The state quarters are ideal, because they can be spotted by design rather than dates (a little easier for a five-year-old). The when you come home, you can dump your change on the table and help him go through it, plugging holes in his folders. Part of the daily routine! Then every couple of weeks or so, surprise him with a bank roll.

Dennis88 · June 11, 2004 3:41AM

Lincoln cents. Even old proofs aren't really expensive....

Dennis

mgoodm3 · June 11, 2004 3:46AM

Ask him.

ScarsdaleCoin · June 11, 2004 2:27PM

take him to a coin show....walk around and see what excites him....you may be very shocked....let him collect what interest him.....one never knows....most kids that age (hard to call 5 year old YN) like topical fish birds on coins things like that...good luck

SethChandler · June 11, 2004 2:29PM

Proof Twenty Libs

RYK · June 12, 2004 3:55AM

All great ideas (except $20 Libs, Seth--when I complete my proof $20 Lib set, I will start him on one). Thanks for the input from the community.

Here is my game plan:
1. Continue to collect state quarters with my son--they are "free", available, historic, and fun.
2. Take him to a local coin show in July. Walk the bourse with him and let him look at the coins and decide what he likes.
3. Nonetheless, steer him toward buffalo nickels. When I was a young YN, I was most intrigued by the obsolete coins. I felt that they were worth collecting because I did not see them everyday. At age 5, I probably would have picked a Frankie over a 09-S VDB penny because I saw pennies that looked like that every day. (Now, I would be hard-pressed to choose a Frankie over anything!)
4. Buy the buffalo nickel Dansco album. Hey, maybe I'm a closet buffalo nickel guy and don't know it. The buffalo design is especially interesting and likely to appeal to a young lad. Give him buffalo nickels for good behavior, to reward accomplishments, for a bribe not to tell my wife things, etc. It can also be what I bring him back when I go to a coin show without him.
5. Buy the Whitman folders for Jefferson nickels, Roosevelt dimes, and 20th Century type. Collect these more casully, from change and from my "hoard."
6. Keep him away from the keys to my safety deposit box.
7. Paint a buffalo on the ceiling above his bed.

Baley · June 12, 2004 4:41AM

as others have noted, 20th century type set is a great way to start.

one or more of the series may strike a fancy to the young collector.

the basic set is attainable in MS and Proof, with the possible exeption of the Barber era coins, which will probably be circulated

kamehameha00 · June 12, 2004 4:45AM

Baley, how many type sets do you have?

What set do you recommend for a young YN?

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