Pick a lifetime project. Total Lifetime Budget: 10K

MrEureka · August 8, 2005 12:24PM

Like the title says. If you had 10K to spend over a lifetime on one collection, what would it be? Try to pick something that will keep you busy forever, not something you can finish in a week before heading to the beach. Assume that you will not be able to collect anything else, so this collection better be a good pick.

And sorry, Russ, you can not buy and sell with this money and end up with $1 million at cost. We're talking 10K, period. Besides, who would want a million bucks in Augmented Halves?

Russ · August 8, 2005 12:26PM

<< And sorry, Russ, you can not buy and sell with this money and end up with $1 million at cost. >>

Man, that blows.

Russ, NCNE

Baley · August 8, 2005 12:28PM

Draped bust halves by die variety, in grades like VG and Fine. No question about it.

chabot510 · August 8, 2005 12:29PM

lincoln or IHC, long series, some tough dates, and possible in lower grades, even key dates such as the 77, 09s, 09svdb, 14d, 22 no d, etc. IMO

RYK · August 8, 2005 12:30PM

Raw circ US type set
1816-1835 large cents
Yearly proof sets
Modern commems
Lincoln cents (09-date), Merc dimes/Buff nickels/Walker halves

FatMan · August 8, 2005 12:31PM

I'm thinking I would have to put together an incredible numismatic library. I'm thinking with 10K budget, books are the only collection that would keep me going for a lifetime.

dizzyfoxx · August 8, 2005 12:32PM

<Pick a lifetime project. Total Lifetime Budget: 10K>

10K??? That eliminates any more than a few toned-monster commems!

I'd have to say a

project would be a lower-mid grade collection of the Lincoln Wheat pennies.

MrEureka · August 8, 2005 12:33PM

I might try Jefferson nickels by die variety, limiting myself to the latest known die state for each die. The collection could really become something extraordinary, the 10K would last forever, and the set would never be finished.

MICHAELDIXON · August 8, 2005 12:34PM

I would collect matchbook covers from all over the world.

kiyote · August 8, 2005 12:35PM

A complete set of $25 proof platinum coins or.... (other than coins)

A collection of school/church bells, antique fire buckets, or, for those not faint of heart, post-mortum dags from the 1800s.

DickyBetz · August 8, 2005 12:39PM

I would have to go with Lincoln cents. 100 years + 3 mints + many varieties = a lifetime of fun collecting.

Coinosaurus · August 8, 2005 12:41PM

Definitely literature. There are some really obscure 19th century numismatic publications, very hard to find but not that expensive when you come across them. For 10K you could probably put together one of the best collections if you could just find them (I am not counting mainstream stuff like AJN and the Numismatist).

ROBERTB · August 8, 2005 12:47PM

Hate to sound like a broken record, but I'd also vote Lincoln cents. You could easily complete ms/pf set if you exclude errors and varieties. Also, some would be somewhat difficult to find and make the pursuit last.

MrEureka · August 8, 2005 12:53PM

Definitely literature. There are some really obscure 19th century numismatic publications, very hard to find but not that expensive when you come across them. For 10K you could probably put together one of the best collections if you could just find them (I am not counting mainstream stuff like AJN and the Numismatist).

You could also spend millions and never be done. However, a highly focused collection could work very well. Dealer buy lists would be a great choice.

tradedollarnut · August 8, 2005 12:54PM

chopmarked trade dollar set.

DSH1963 · August 8, 2005 12:55PM

Barber half set fine to veryfine that may take a lifetime
DAVID

MrEureka · August 8, 2005 12:57PM

chopmarked trade dollar set.

Tough set. The chopmarked 84 and 85 probably don't exist. At least not yet.

ziggy29 · August 8, 2005 1:10PM

<< chopmarked trade dollar set.

Tough set. The chopmarked 84 and 85 probably don't exist. At least not yet.

>>

If someone chopmarked an '84 or an '85, I'll go back 100 years in time and kill them.

Didn't these first surface around 1908, though?

100proof1957 · August 8, 2005 1:22PM

1857 Circ set in slabs,dont know that 10 k will do it with all the fricking gold !

mirabela · August 8, 2005 1:30PM

You didn't say it had to be US, did you?

A massive type set of contemporary business strike for-circulation coins from every nation.

Coinosaurus · August 8, 2005 1:38PM

You could probably find a chopmarked 84 TD on ebay. How about a counterfeit collection

MrEureka · August 8, 2005 1:41PM

A type set of die struck contemporary counterfeits would be fun and a great challenge.

MrEureka · August 8, 2005 1:46PM

For those of you thinking about Lincoln Cents, don't you think you can finish that set pretty quickly for 10K? This has to last you a lifetime! So how about trying to complete a date set of off-center Lincolns?

LincolnCentMan · August 8, 2005 1:48PM

10K.... geez.... want to make it a little lower?

WIth the 10K limit
Bust Halves, as nice as 10K would get for me.

Without the 10K limit:
Lincoln Cents, all 64RD and better
or possibly a
Copper, nickel, silver, gold US Type set, none of the ultra rarities like the $4 stella

David

OKbustchaser · August 8, 2005 1:49PM

<< A type set of die struck contemporary counterfeits would be fun and a great challenge. >>

Actually, that does sound like fun. Just wire me the money.

dthigpen · August 8, 2005 1:51PM

<< A type set of die struck contemporary counterfeits would be fun and a great challenge. >>

I think this would run over 10k. I agree that it would definitely take a lifetime to complete, though.

originalisbest · August 8, 2005 1:56PM

10k face value, all 1987-D cents. A grading set of 1,000,000 1987-D's, from worn smooth to MS-70 - carried out to the umpteenth decimal point (MS-70.0000001), with every reasonable variant of red included. You can expect to spend a lifetime carefully sorting and holdering these. As you age, the worn ones you need will appear here and there.

MoeSzyslak · August 8, 2005 4:08PM

<< A massive type set of contemporary business strike for-circulation coins from every nation. >>

That would be a) a lot of fun, b) probably take a lifetime, and c) cost much less than $10K. Heck, you could even go back a few decades.

Does Dansco have an album for that?

Pistareen · August 8, 2005 4:16PM

How about a check from every county seat in the nation?

A date set of Morgans with advertising stickers on them?

A Redbook set of colonial coins ... in electrotype form?

Colombian 5 centavos doubled dies?

I have a few collections I'm working on that, when as complete as can be, will have less than $10,000 invested -- but I have no hope of ever "completing" them. I could tell you what they are, but then they wouldn't be cheap any more!

relayer · August 8, 2005 4:17PM

A non-gold type set would work...from half cent to Sacawagea

morgannut2 · August 8, 2005 4:37PM

I'm pretty close on a circulated EF-AU Morgan and Washington Quarter Sets--The big hold-up on Morgans is finding true EF 1885cc, 1903o (actually most of the late O mints) and a few others totally original circulated.(The later date Quarters are hard too)-- I just found a nice original 1884cc $1 in true AU55. Combined sets are way less than $10,000 currently-and if I sell 2 keys from each, they really would cost zero out of pocket--Hmmmm, maybe I'll keep the 94-P, 32D, etc and dump the 93S the way prices are going up!

Naa, I'll wait to find an 85CC in AU50 below MS63/4 money first!!!

A current el Cheapo Project is a 20th Century Gold Collection of Indians, but from Peru, not US Eagles

tmot99 · August 8, 2005 11:49PM

A complete (as of 1893) US type set of elongated coins from the 1893 World's Fair.

ecos · August 9, 2005 12:09AM

Nice and original 3 cent silver pieces. YummY!

Longacre · August 9, 2005 12:26AM

Counterstamped coins in general

Steve27 · August 9, 2005 12:32AM

Civil War Tokens

mgoodm3 · August 9, 2005 12:32AM

Probably circ large cents.

Nysoto · August 9, 2005 1:06AM

I have been working on a collection of commemorative medals for Washington state for 17 years, everything from the 1909 Alaska-Yukon exposition to modern centennial medals. Some are very rare and not listed, this is a good way to learn about local history.

meos1 · August 9, 2005 1:52AM

$2.5 Indians

PhillyJoe · August 9, 2005 1:57AM

A set of Washington medals; the President, not the state. Hundreds have been made over the last 200 years, you don't have to have them all to have a nice collection, most are not that expensive and you could spend a lifetime searching for them. Send me the $10,000 and I'll give it a shot.

Joe

DarkStar · August 9, 2005 2:01AM

I'd attempt to re-create the collection of my childhood - nice circ SL half dimes.

BillJones · August 9, 2005 2:32AM

A few years ago, I would have said that I would purchase every common variety of 19th century presidential campaign medalet. Sadly $10K wouldn't go very far on that project now.

dorkkarl · August 9, 2005 3:27AM

roosevelt dimes. lots & lots of 'em.

K S

LincolnsRule · August 9, 2005 3:51AM

All twentieth century US (business strike) coins.

Stork · August 9, 2005 4:02AM

OFEC-- One From Every Country...you could take forever deciding what constitutes a country (Lundy anyone?), how far back you want to go etc. This one could last through a long lifetime.

Cathy

JackM · August 9, 2005 4:10AM

1 million copper (not zinc) pennies.

dorkkarl · August 9, 2005 4:16AM

actually, that's a pretty interesting choice as well

K S

MrEureka · August 9, 2005 7:03AM

A few more lifetime projects:

1849 gold dollars by die variety and die state.

1866 Shield nickels dollars by die variety and die state.

And for the adventurous, Bolivian 4 Soles by variety! (Sort of like Bust half dollars, but far more crude, cheap and interesting!)

TorinoCobra71 · August 9, 2005 7:24AM

<< 

<< And sorry, Russ, you can not buy and sell with this money and end up with $1 million at cost. >>

Man, that blows.

Russ, NCNE >>

He's got ya figured out, Russ!

TorinoCobra71

MrEureka · August 9, 2005 7:26AM

He's got ya figured out, Russ!

Not exactly a difficult thing to do...

billboat · August 9, 2005 7:44AM

Totally original Draped and Capped Bust half date set in AU+.

MrEureka · August 9, 2005 7:47AM

Draped and Capped Bust half date set in AU+.

For 10K?

This does not bode well for the market.

Pick a lifetime project. Total Lifetime Budget: 10K

Comments

Leave a Comment