if you had only $200. to spend at a coin show what ....

JTMC · February 24, 2006 9:53PM

would you buy?

hi all. i will be attending a local coin show tomorrow with my kids and i want to get them something to put away for them that will appreciate in value for them when they are older. i was thinking of either the 2004 westward journey sets with the 4 ms coins and the 2 proof coins( as i recently saw some on ebay that seem to be appreciating rather quickly ) or maybe a slabed $5 gold proof (west point mint mark ) . if anyone has any other opinions or input it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
john

tmot99 · February 24, 2006 9:58PM

Given the choices that you mentioned, the gold is likely to be a better choice.

I don't have any other good choices to offer.

fc · February 24, 2006 10:11PM

I would buy a half eagle between the dates of 1839-1866.
this would be a no motto type coin.

it would be slabbed by NGC/ANACS/or PCGS.

I would expect to find a XF30-35 coin from the Philly Mint.

that would be a most excellent deal.

hm. edited to add: appreciate in value. now i have to defend
my choice from a investor angle.

Well if gold goes above 800 an ounce you are sitting very pretty
with this coin. By the time your children grow up, I am sure that
is what it will be.

You can sell this coin on ebay in a slab for no less than 140-150
right now. There is very little downside if the coin is GOOD LOOKING
for the grade. If PQ, it should sell easily for 225+ right now.

have fun.

claychaser · February 24, 2006 10:14PM

I would stay away from modern stuff and look to buy higher grade coins in slabs. How about a 1913 Type 1 Buffalo nickel in ms 65? I recently bought one out of Legend's junk box on e-bay for about $110. You can get a lower MS for $50-$75. Or a MS Indian cent - under $50. You can get some nice circulated "crusty busties" for under $200, but unless you are experienced, you may want to pay a little more for a pcgs or ngc slabbed coin. Just some ideas - remember, free advice is worth the price!

If you want modern, how about 1970 mint sets? You can get these for $15 or so, with 87 cents in nothing coins, and the key 1970 half. You can also look for 1970-S small date cents.

partagas · February 24, 2006 10:15PM

I agree with FC, buy the old gold.

coinlieutenant · February 24, 2006 10:16PM

A nice choice XF ORIGINAL WITH LUSTER bust half dollar....later date. You will have a hard time finding an original one though.

J

claychaser · February 24, 2006 10:18PM

Busties are cool . . . . .

michael · February 24, 2006 10:23PM

a trade dollar a super nice xf uncleaned and unmolested with great eye appeal and an original skin to it

michael · February 24, 2006 10:25PM

oh and coins are not an investment but i think this trade dollar i suggested is a great collector coin and will rise in demand and opportunity

and the coin will be the best investment in your kids learning and i9nterest as there is much history with this trade dollar that can be accessed googled in the internet and this might spark some brain cells to want to collect and study coins history or spark a career goal in coins international trade etc.

this for me would be the best investment you could ever possibly give your kids for around 200 dollars

Gemineye · February 24, 2006 10:30PM

One of Russ' Cameo Accented Hair Kennedy Halves......................................

PerryHall · February 24, 2006 10:33PM

A nice AU58 Lib $5 from the 1800's.

MrSpud · February 24, 2006 10:52PM

One thing worth trying on a low budget is to learn a few varieties to cherrry pick. Like learn how to identify just one or two VAMs that carry a premium and look through some dealers binders of inexpensive Morgans and cherry pick some that are unattributed. This way you can pick up a coin for about $25 that might be worth more than that to the growing number of VAM collectors. I have ben having good luck doing that with the 1921Ds after looking at Rob Joyces site and learning what to look for in just that one date. It is a lot of fun to do this and it is exciting when you find one. Also, do look through at least a couple of dealers 1964 proof sets for the Accent Hair 64 Kennedy, just look for the missing serif in the I as seen on Russ's Accent Hair link. That way you can pick up a coin that is worth more than $20 for about $10-12 or so.

Lakesammman · February 24, 2006 11:00PM

Agree with cherrypicking, but you likely won't find much.

If I HAD to spend it, I'd buy a round of beer for everyone. Then ask them to call me if anything interesting comes in.

slipgate · February 24, 2006 11:01PM

I'll suggest the opposite - since you have only $200 to spend, I'd concentrate on types of as many vareties as you can. If you can pick up 20 or 30 coins of different types and let your kids play with them (so much better when they are not under plastic) then they can decide what series they uilitmately might like to collect.

It is nice to buy the best you can but $200 is not going to go far, so why not go the other way and go for quantity in this situation?

Kids are kids, a nice set of coins that they can't touch and will sit in a drawer will not pique their interests in this great hobby!

You know, there is nothing like the feel of a handful of unslabbed Morgan Dollars running through your hands! The sound of silver on silver! I miss that because I have gotten rid of all but 2 unslabbed coins and all my coins are now plastic coated! It really takes the fun out of it.

marmac · February 24, 2006 11:33PM

A nice au58 half cent, but after you look at all three of them on the bourse and don't find one you like, a nice bust half dime, and if you don't see anything you like between the two that are there, a nice 1903-s Dollar in XF....just a few of the hard to find/ lower valued coins I look for.

Another option after you come to realize that all of the above choices are sparse is to start on a Dollar date set- I love putting them together. Take a look at the price guides and figure out what the most expenisve year is going to be (1895) and decide what the max you are willing to spend on one coin at anytime for this set will be. THat will give you an idea on what grade to go for..than start building a set at that grade.... at VF for example, you could leave your $200 at the show and come home with half a dozen or more choice vf dollars and be well on your way with a date set. Paying close attention to matching color of each of the coins and you will have an outstanding set well on its way!!

TwoSides2aCoin · February 24, 2006 11:36PM

grab the highest grade wisconsin leaf error you can get for those couple of bills.

RYK · February 24, 2006 11:45PM

Last week in St. Louis, my son picked out a beautifully toned PCGS MS-65 Morgan for $175. It would not have been my choice, but he is happy with it and it helps to further his interest in coins. I am not sure that the coin will appreciate in value, but if he stays interested in coins, it is worth the "investment".

THEONLYTBONE · February 24, 2006 11:49PM

JTMC, First thing you do is get these members table # if they are there, second hit there table first and ask a few questions, if you get a great welcome and some knowledge, spend your 200 bucks there.........It will by far go alot further.............

ChuckC · February 24, 2006 11:51PM

common slabby slab slabbies

or

raw wheat cents or jeffs to fill the albums

RedTiger · February 24, 2006 11:53PM

Forget about investment at $200. $200 is a day at Disneyland if a person skips lunch and buys no souvenirs. Invest in the experience of coin collecting. Coins they can touch and feel and even toss around and play pirate treasure with if they want to. So with that in mind I suggest some well-circulated old coins at very good prices. If they are old enough to help, let them. Many dealers have a sweet spot for young ones and will sell them coins for a song if the children pick the coins out themselves. The caveat is that they do have to be well behaved and well-mannered kids, or many dealers will want them gone. Depending on the age and level of interest, the parent can help a lot, or help a little.

If you are dead set on resale, maybe buy a bullion 1/10 gold coin for each and then let them spend the rest on whatever they can find that is old and cool looking. Again, given a "cute kid" discount, they might be able to buy coins at prices that a person could turn around tomorrow and sell on Ebay for a profit. They'll have fun and may remember these fun days at the coin show for the rest of their lives. That will mean a lot more than having one $500 "investment" coin in ten years that dad or mom bought them at some boring show many years ago.

IrishMike · February 24, 2006 11:55PM

Spend the money on a nice slabbed MS 65 red/brown IHC. 01-08's can be bought in this range. They have done well in past few years and they are a beautiful coin that will be hundred years plus in age. Copper is a good gift for children, buy them gold and silver when you are an empty nester.

roadrunner · February 25, 2006 12:29AM

Forget the pennies and type coins at the $200 level. All are fairly speculative imo (have been known to crash to unheard of levels once the market expires). And your kids won't really appreciate them. What they will appreciate is a nice gold coin. How many kids have a gold coin? One of my friends had a $5 LIb in XF/AU back in the 60's and we always marveled at it...it was GOLD. And he would never think of selling or trading it. And your kids will be less apt to trade it away or sell it or get ripped off while doing so. For $200 you can possibly pick up a BU $5 Lib (CDN bid $185). The gold alone in it is worth $135. In an emergency, worst case, you always have $100.
You can't say that about the US dollar in 5 years. If you can stretch another $100, I'd go for the BU $10 Lib at $300 - 1/2 ounce of gold.
None of this stuff is rare, but it is gold.

2nd choice would be 90% US silver coins. But chances are your kids won't understand the stuff.

roadrunner

Coxe · February 25, 2006 1:22AM

I'd recommend getting them a couple nice type coins (eg. arrows & rays quarters). They are liquid in nearly any market and do appreciate in the long term generally well in all grades.

Another suggestion is clashed die Morgan dollars. They are big and beautiful. Many of the most common dates (affordable in UNC grades) exhibit clashed varieties. Some are quite rare by their nature. Dealers are not putting premiums on these by far and large currently too. They have a lot of future potential (and specialists today will pay premiums for some varieties). They are fun to hunt down as well. Take a date like 1886-P and you can get quite a few in lots of grades for $200.

JTMC · February 25, 2006 4:00AM

THANK YOU ALL for the great input. you have given me some good ideas and this should be fun tomorrow.
i will report tomorrow on what we purchased and also a little commentary on how the show was.
catch ya later.

john

mirabela · February 25, 2006 4:38AM

<< <i>I'd recommend getting them a couple nice type coins (eg. arrows & rays quarters). They are liquid in nearly any market and do appreciate in the long term generally well in all grades. >>

I totally disagree with the claim re: appreciation -- these have stayed nearly flat in circ grades since 1979. On the other hand, they are attractive and interesting. I'm giving my nephew, who has an emergent interestest in coins, an arrows & rays half for his birthday -- if that coin doesn't fire his imagination, I don't know what will.

RYK · February 25, 2006 4:42AM

<< I'd recommend getting them a couple nice type coins (eg. arrows & rays quarters). They are liquid in nearly any market and do appreciate in the long term generally well in all grades. >>

I totally disagree with the claim re: appreciation -- these have stayed nearly flat in circ grades since 1979.

I agree with your disagreement. I have owned an 1853 AR quarter in VF since my father gave it to me in the mid-70's, from his boyhood collection. It is worth the same now as it was then. Allowing for inflation, it is worth less now than it was then.

MrEureka · February 25, 2006 4:45AM

One more thought. How about getting the three Morgan Dollar albums. Give each kid an album to keep and fill, maybe keep one for yourself depending on how many kids you have, and then give them some money and let them loose to shop around. They'll learn more that way and they'll have more fun, especially when they help each other find coins. It will also give them a project to look forward to continuing at the next show.

MikeInFL · February 25, 2006 4:46AM

<< <i>I'll suggest the opposite - since you have only $200 to spend, I'd concentrate on types of as many vareties as you can. If you can pick up 20 or 30 coins of different types and let your kids play with them (so much better when they are not under plastic) then they can decide what series they uilitmately might like to collect. >>

BlindedByEgo · February 25, 2006 4:48AM

If it's Long Beach, probably parking, a slice of pizza and a diet coke.

Other than that, raw gold from a known dealer.

Coxe · February 25, 2006 4:48AM

I yield to the disagreements. I could have sworn the circ grades had come up too. (Haven't gotten much other than very early copper in circulated grades in a long time.) I guess there is just too much supply out there.

cladking · February 25, 2006 4:50AM

The only good way to invest in coins is to invest in the hobby. Buy some books, supplies and
whatever tickles their fancy. If nothing jumps out at them then buy something that can be fair-
ly to work on like circ buffs, later dates, or whatever you're working on.

Making a profit on some coins may be a good way to get a kid's interest but it won't keep it, pro-
bably.

Coxe · February 25, 2006 5:00AM

That's a good point, cladking. $200 is hardly investment money. Maybe show the kids all kinds of $50 coins to see what they like and then (as Emeril says) kick it up a notch and spend $100 for a grade tick up or a better date. Assorted dates of various series in lower circulated grades (Buffalo or Liberty nickels, wheat cents, ...) always were fun for me as a kid and you can probably get a fair number still for a couple hundred bucks.

Freak1c · February 25, 2006 5:15AM

I would probably buy the highest grade silver proof I could. Or possibly a proof set.

Freak

Baley · February 25, 2006 5:34AM

get a proof set and silver eagle from their birth year, then buy a nice certified silver coin minted 100 years before their birth.

RiotAct · February 25, 2006 5:57AM

I would buy as many rolls of circulated wheat cents as I could find, but that's just me.

coinkat · February 25, 2006 6:01AM

A decent 1905 1/2 crown but you won't find one

majorbigtime · February 25, 2006 11:15PM

<< <i>One of Russ' Cameo Accented Hair Kennedy Halves......................................

>>

You must be nuts! If you want to crap away your money, buy the coins imbedded in a toilet seat and enjoy the dump!

Shamika · February 26, 2006 12:18AM

Since there's almost always a dealer of numismatic literature, I'd but a book or two or three. I actually love coin books as much as coins.

if you had only $200. to spend at a coin show what ....

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