You have $100 to spend on U.S. Coin(s). How is it best spent?

sellsatan · December 5, 2005 10:42AM

You have one hundred dollars to buy one or more U.S. coins. How is it best spent and why? I know many of you will say that you'd save the $100 because it isn't enough to buy anything good. Forget that option. You must spend the C-note. What do you do?

note: get as close to $100 as possible. Make allowances for shipping, tax and juice.

nwcs · December 5, 2005 10:44AM

I'd get a nice crusty bust half or a MS 64/5 with one sided PL early S mint morgan or a MS67 common merc or a couple modern commems.

markglicker · December 5, 2005 10:45AM

There are plenty of nice coins available for $100. Anyone who thinks differently, is a snob. If you shop, you can still find a nice PCGS or NGC MS 65 Morgan, for that price. Another option is a 1932-S or D Washington in low grade 4-8, make sure that is is slabbed by a top 3 grader, though.

Again, you will have to carefully shop, but they are available.

Barndog · December 5, 2005 10:45AM

Try to cherry a rare die marriage of a capped bust coin. Depending on the denomination, you could get a choice VF or XF.

DNADave · December 5, 2005 10:46AM

An original 1921 Peace Dollar in XF.

One year type
High Relief
Pretty Design

sellsatan · December 5, 2005 11:01AM

Some excellent ideas so far.

DNA Dave, the 1921 Peace in XF is one of my absolute favorite roughly $100 coins. I recently picked up an eye catching, pristenely original example for $105.

DNADave · December 5, 2005 11:07AM

I'm kinda parital to that date myself

sellsatan · December 5, 2005 1:16PM

Barndog, I really like the cherrying a die marriage idea. This sticks out to me because it would be a challenge that represents learning a lot about the given series and then showing off the fruits of my labor.

FatMan · December 5, 2005 1:20PM

There are lots of nice coin one could buy with $100. But I might suggest buying a book or some books. $100 will cover Breen's Complete Encycopedia of US and Colonial Coins. If you don't have a copy, this would be a great choice.

Abaco24 · December 5, 2005 1:21PM

Invested in the bank until it grows for a nicer coin

marmac · December 5, 2005 1:22PM

lot of options..... nice AU braided half cent, low grade half dime, 1804 half cent in Fine/vf

I can spend it for you if you wish

MrEureka · December 5, 2005 1:25PM

How about a 66 FB PL Merc?

BuffaloIronTail · December 5, 2005 1:27PM

I would purchase an AG-3 1914-D Lincoln Cent.

All 14-D's have nowhere to go but up.

Pete

MrEureka · December 5, 2005 1:30PM

All 14-D's have nowhere to go but up.

Maybe so, but it's only a good deal if you don't have to look at it every day.

roadrunner · December 5, 2005 1:32PM

Something like an 1898-0 10c or 25c in F++ or VF for example. Or a 1909-s dime in VF. The upside of mid range unmessed with Barbers is unlimited. The supply is very thin too. You cannot lose imo. A $100 in 90% silver coins like Walkers is a nice bet too. And you get 40 coins to look at too.

roadrunner

sellsatan · December 5, 2005 1:52PM

<< <i>Invested in the bank until it grows for a nicer coin >>

- Abaco24

<< <i>I know many of you will say that you'd save the $100 because it isn't enough to buy anything good. Forget that option. >>

- sellsatan

Fatman, I am all about the books. As a matter of fact, my entire coin budget for November and December has gone into books. I actually haven't bought a coin of any kind since the PAN show in October and I'm getting antsy. I haven't got Breen's book yet, so I'll take that under advisement. I recently bought the 2006 Krause Catalogue, Coin Chemistry by Weimer W. White, PCGS Grading Guide, Photograde, Cameo and Brilliant Proof Coinage of the 1950 to 1970 Era by Tomaska (great book), and a few others. All this numismatic literature has made me straight up coin horny.

I know I should put money back and be patient. The problem is, something always comes along to claim the coin fund. When I manage to save up a couple of thousand dollars and I get to the point that I'm considering pulling the trigger on something really nice, I suddenly get a flash of hardcore responsibility. I bought my house for $1000. As a result is has all of the problems you would associate with such a cheap piece of realestate (and then some). $2k does amazing things to such a cheap house, especially when you don't mind swinging the hammer yourself. Even when the time comes that my house is immaculate I don't think I will be able to in good conscience spend that kind of money on a coin. I'm 26 and the retirement fund is still in it's infancy. $2k now has a huge opportunity to grow. I love to collect and I specifically love this hobby, but I'll never invest such a large portion of my income into what is essentially a passtime for me.

As a result of all of that, I recently came to the realization that I will likely remain a small time collector that usually doesn't spend more than $100 per coin. I'm fine with that. I know there are lots of fascinating and beautiful coins out there in that price range. There are many series I can collect in that price range. I will probably save and splurge from time to time and buy a $500 - $1000 coin (early commems are very attractive in that range), but mostly it'll always be a C-note.

I like the idea of spending $100 or so on a coin because I can afford to take a bath on it if things go horribly bad for me. Also $100 coins are really easy to flip on eBay if times suddenly become tight. It's just a good price level for me at this time in my life. I love this hobby and to participate in it actively I think I have to do so at this level or below. That about sums it up.

michael · December 5, 2005 1:57PM

a nice as high grade circ piece a twenty cent piece as you can get

a nice barber half dollar quarter and dime of the same years all nice fine/vf

a neat 1798 large cent in an eye appealling circ grade

a circ trade dollar

777 · December 5, 2005 2:01PM

How about a nice circ. CC dollar, 90 or 91

michael · December 5, 2005 2:04PM

i love thst circ cc dollar idea 90 91

cullenbryant · December 5, 2005 2:08PM

you could blow it in on one heck of a giveaway

pursuitofliberty · December 5, 2005 2:24PM

Something like an 1898-0 10c or 25c in F++ or VF for example. Or a 1909-s dime in VF. The upside of mid range unmessed with Barbers is unlimited. The supply is very thin too. You cannot lose imo.

I have to agree with Roadrunner on this one. In fact, if you want a higher grade example, there are quite a few AU55 better dates in the dimes that will set you out right at 100. ... that is, if you can even find them!

Coxe · December 5, 2005 3:00PM

Ideas:

1880 VAM-1A "Knobbed 8" Morgan Dollar in VF.
1850 Half Cent in XF.
1899-S Barber Dime in AU.
1861-S Seated Quarter in VG.
1875-CC Twenty Cent in F.
1917-D Type I SLQ in XF.
1853/4 (A&R) Seated Quarter in VG/F.
1853-S Gem Franklin Half that's just shy of FBL with nice toning.

(Some of these might have priced out of the $100 range since I last looked at them.)

LastExitInNY · December 5, 2005 3:03PM

Dave, very nice. The Peace Dollars now have me hooked. I'd go for a one or two with that $100 myself

Coxe · December 5, 2005 3:03PM

1953-S, that is.....

sellsatan · December 5, 2005 3:07PM

More great ideas... I'm actually taking notes if you're wondering. Michael and 777 I'm with you. Great ideas.

Millertime · December 5, 2005 4:26PM

If I had had a hundred bucks to spend on a coin right now I would look for a Liberty Seated dollar, Trade dollar or Twenty Cent piece in the highest grade I could buy.

Millertime

raycyca · December 5, 2005 4:36PM

Why not start a Morgan set? You start with an album and a book on the varieties. Then, spend the $100 on raw coins to fill in the slots. Start with the "keys" that you can get such as the CC's, etc.. NO WAY can you get an 93-s, etc, but, you can get some nice VF coins for about $25-35. The CC's etc might cost you the full $100. When/if we go into hard times, they will be at least worth $1(face value) OR silver melt( just say NO!) vlaue.
If you're into history, imagine where the coins have been and what they might have been spent on! One of my passions is antique perfume bottles. I have some from the 1820 that almost look new. Image what they survived. There was NO a/c or central heat. Travel was by horse or wagon. How are they still perfect? The same holds true of the silver coins. Your kids will see BIG chunks of silver and feel how heavy they are. You can start them off with tales of how Jessie James might have held up a train to get that silver dollar. Or how it could have paid for a few days room and board. Then ask them what it could buy in a store today.
I know, it's ONLY a hunk of metal. How dare I impose history here? LOL Sounds like a nice idea, BUT, I have only a SINGLE raw Morgan, No raw peace dollars, and only a single raw gold coin! Maybe I should take my own advice. Better yet, that's what I'll do for Christmas. My wife has only 2 silver eagles to finish her set. I'll start her on a Morgan set. Good luck. Ray

sellsatan · December 5, 2005 5:51PM

Thanks for the input everybody. I get the feeling there are many members of this forum that are in a similar situation to mine. I love this place.

nwcs · December 5, 2005 10:01PM

Some other thoughts:

Uncirc raw silver roosie set
Fantastic war nickel or good war nickel set
Nice cameo SMS coin
1950s cameo roosie proof

cointagious · December 5, 2005 10:30PM

Books.

busco69 · December 5, 2005 10:33PM

You could try a 2 cent date set in ef/au execpt the 1872 that would be ag/g

Coxe · December 5, 2005 10:54PM

Almost forgtot! How about 10 unsearched Lincoln cent rolls from eBay?

messydesk · December 5, 2005 11:07PM

<< <i>Almost forgtot! How about 10 unsearched Lincoln cent rolls from eBay? >>

You mean 10 unsearched rolls of circulated 1956-D wheat cents, right?

Best thing I could do with $100 is cherrypick an 1878 VAM 14.17 Morgan $1 in AU, then get it in a PCGS holder. You thought the 1878 VAM 44 in MS61 for $10,000 was impressive...

Coxe · December 5, 2005 11:18PM

Yes, the 14.17 would be great. I almost had a heart attack when I bought an online auction 8TF recently. I wasn't sure but it looked a lot like a 14.17 --- but in NGC MS65! I got it and it just happened to have contact marks in just the right places. Nice coin anyway as one would expect graded gem. Got an 1884 NGC MS65 also one time that was very toned. It had a strong toning spot right where the VAM-4 dot would be. The NGC guys had to crack it out and microscope it to determine it wasn't raised.

carl · December 6, 2005 12:02AM

Possibly do as I do and just go to a bank and buy a few bags of pennies. They come in $50 bags. If you live in an area like I do and the weather is rotten right now, going through thousands of pennies may be profitable, boring or fun but most of all you may loose nothing. When done just take back to a different bank. Where I live the banks are everywhere. I always look for a bank that is old so that I might get lucky and they have a bag from way, way back. Not happened yet but you never know. I used to go through them all pretty fast but then bought the Looking Through Lincolns book and now it takes forever to examine each coin.

RedneckHB · December 6, 2005 2:02AM

<< <i>Possibly do as I do and just go to a bank and buy a few bags of pennies. They come in $50 bags. If you live in an area like I do and the weather is rotten right now, going through thousands of pennies may be profitable, boring or fun but most of all you may loose nothing. When done just take back to a different bank. Where I live the banks are everywhere. I always look for a bank that is old so that I might get lucky and they have a bag from way, way back. Not happened yet but you never know. I used to go through them all pretty fast but then bought the Looking Through Lincolns book and now it takes forever to examine each coin. >>

This is exactly what I was going to say. You will have alot of fun during the winter and quite possibly will find something neat. At the very least you will build some muscle tone hefting those bags all around.

Steve27 · December 6, 2005 2:57AM

Any of the following in circulated condition:

1921-D Merc Dime
1927-S SLQ
1932-D or S Washington Quarter
1914-P Barber Half

Longacre · December 6, 2005 3:01AM

Sellsatan-- Did you say you bought a house for $1,000 in a previous post?

sellsatan · December 6, 2005 4:10AM

The notes grow folks. Thanks for the fantastic ideas. I do search rolls from time to time currently. Stepping up this activity is a good idea.

Longacre - I believe I have mentioned my ridiculously cheap house before. It's always a matter of perspective, although now I think it may sound like I'm bragging. Believe me folks, there's nothing to brag about when it comes to a $1k house.

IndianHeadMan · December 6, 2005 5:05AM

Buy a nice grade RB Indian Head Cent!!!

coinspeculator · December 6, 2005 5:31AM

100 dollar penny find a 1909 vdb. then ask yourself a question.
why did i spend 100 bucks on a stinking red cent?
if you say it sure is a pretty penny, then your are a collector.

You have $100 to spend on U.S. Coin(s). How is it best spent?

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