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oktyabyr
Penny Sorter Member
USA
91 Posts |
 Posted - 05/11/2010 : 14:09:02
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Just starting collecting Numismatic coins. My wife got me a couple for our wedding. What are some good, inexpensive coins to start out with?
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uthminsta
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1872 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2010 : 14:18:22
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Oh, man... that's a HUUUUGE question. You could collect by composition, by era, by a specific year, by denomination, by a specific mint, by motif...
What do you like? Silver? Gold? Copper??? Do you prefer U.S. coins or have you considered world coins? Is a certain time period interesting to you. like pre-civil war? I have a real thing for pre-1860 British coins. And anything from Vatican City, as it's generally just beautiful. And my girls collect Canadian and Mexican coins. And... my wife likes coins with beach motifs depicted (boats, seahorses, starfish, etc)... and I collect world coins from the birth years of my kids, wife, grandparents and myself. My aunt collects coins with women on them. I think only one for each woman. :)
The list could go on and on.
EDIT: I look forward to seeing where this thread goes. |
Come to the new and improved realcent: http://realcent.org
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Edited by - uthminsta on 05/11/2010 14:19:48 |
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wolvesdad
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2010 : 23:17:28
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If you want to get some low mintage beautiful coins, there are lots of US silver half dollar commemoratives that go for $200-$600 apiece! The ones I'm talking about are from 1892-194? something. Get a beautiful one in a PCGS holder and you're good to go. Check out the Oregon/Oregon trail one. Or the Arkansas, or Alabama, or Daniel Boone, or the TEXAS!!!!
And every new collector needs to get ONE beautiful Common Year Morgan dollar(1978-1904). Again, an MS63 or 64 or even 65 in a PCGS holder is a good choice.
GET your coins in person, you will likely pay a little more, but EeeBay(fee bay) photos don't always show imperfections or things that will detract from the beauty of the coin. |
"May your percentages ever increase!" |
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oktyabyr
Penny Sorter Member
USA
91 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 09:03:16
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| She got me a nice Morgan, 18 something. lol. It was in nice shape. Not in a PCGS holder. She picked it up from the local Coin/Jewelry store that I've cultivated a good relationship with. I buy small time, but I've spent lots of time in there talking and helping with the computers. She also got me a nice buff. She likes the older coins, but I'm not sure where to even start though. |
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NDFARMER
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1197 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 10:47:14
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| Just collect what you want to, whatever interests you. I personally also like Morgans. But if you like Indian's or Buffalo's, or whatever you decide you can kind of "specialize" in two or three different coins then you will get to know when you come across a good buy. I also like the idea of dealing with your local coin dealer, that way you have the coin in hand and can really look it over. And you don't need to worry about not getting it if you order it through the mail. Plus if get a good relationship going with him, he will know what you collect and help you with your collection and maybe pass on some good deals to you if he buys the coins right. |
COPPER - the "poormans" precious metal!!!
SELLING - $100.00 face copper shipped to you for $189.00 machine rolled or bagged - PM me if your interested. |
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moboman
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
2555 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 11:14:16
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One of the things just about every coin collector should have is either the incused $2.50 or the $5 gold indian coin. It's the only us coin that was incussed. It's just something to have so you can see the different designs of coins
You can normally get the $2.5 in the 2-300 range. Maybe it's a coin you ask for for your birthday or christmas.
Otherwise collect what you like. Whether they are lincoln cents or indian head cents, walking liberty halves or commemorative. You dont need them slabbed unless you personally like the slabs. People always want more for slabs and they always get caught up in getting PR70 and nothing else will do. There are many people who collect the slabs and not the coin. |
"99% of all lawyers give the rest of them a bad name" 
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oktyabyr
Penny Sorter Member
USA
91 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 15:34:14
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| Yeah, I think I have a St. Gaudens. Not sure. Haven't seen it in years. It was a birth present from my great-grandfather. It was several years ago and wasn't collecting coins then. Safely locked up, but I need to get it out and see. :) But I'm mainly looking for inexpensive right now to build a basis for a collection. Not sure what I want to start with so trying to get some suggestions. |
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dakota1955
1000+ Penny Miser Member
2212 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 15:41:23
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| Collect what ever you like in coins. |
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Mikep2020
Penny Collector Member
USA
402 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 17:43:37
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| If your strapped for cash i'd start with wheat or indian pennies to get yourself familiar with grading and pricing and such, then when you feel you've got a good collection started in pennies move onto liberty V and buffalo nickels and mercury dimes. All these series can be collected for relatively little expense (except for the key dates of course) from as little as 10 cents a coin to $30 a coin for typical average circulated common dates. Then you can move onto quarters/halves/dollars where pricing only goes up from there. |
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rainsonme
Penny Pincher Member
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2010 : 22:57:45
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| For cheap, without having to buy very many, I'd say the Lincoln penny and the Jefferson nickle, which are in pentiful circulation. When the composition of these change, they will be harder to find. The half dollars are all pretty reasonable; a full set of Liberty thru Franklin and Kennedy wouldn't require very many special dates. |
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Flbandit
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
851 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2010 : 17:19:05
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| I have a Kennedy Half collection that I'm working on. I completed the Business Strike portion mainly out of circulation. Now I picked up a Real Nice Dansco album and have been working on the Proof issues. It's a good beginner set as nothing is real expensive, and I find them to be a very nice looking coin. |
Are you throwing that out? |
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Market Harmony
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1274 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2010 : 18:25:48
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Talk (face to face or over the phone) to any long time collector or dealer to discuss the best coins to get you started. It seems that everyone starts off trying to complete a series of coin. And commonly they will sacrifice grade for price or pay too much for a certain coin if it is a low grade key date. Once that series is completed, the collector will typically decide to then upgrade their set. When it is all said and done, they end up buying each coin twice and could have saved a bundle if they had just bought the best coin first rather than sacrificing and then upgrading... I did this myself. But, I learned from my mistakes.
My weakness is Morgan Dollars for some reason. I just like them. When I started to collect them I bought them in any grade. I bought cleaned coins without knowing and I even committed the sin of cleaning some coins myself. The lessons that I learned the hard way were:
- Cleaned coins sell for much less than untouched coins, (don't clean them, or don't pay too much for a cleaned coin)
- It is typically more difficult to sell lower grade coins at their fair market value than it is for the same coin in higher grade.
- Buying coins off the internet is OK if the seller is reputable and you can return the coin if not satisfied. Otherwise, it's a gamble.
- Third Party Grading services have their benefits for coins worth over $500, but values less than that, and it really isn't worth it. - Learn to self grade and test your skills against a reputable dealer's opinion
To directly answer your question, I suggest that Jefferson Nickels and Kennedy Half Dollars are two of the least expensive series to complete in high grade... they are not necessarily the most popular, however. If you are looking for specific coins to buy and not a series to complete, then numismatically speaking, there are no "inexpensive" coins. |
goto the new and improved realcent: http://realcent.org |
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thogey
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1617 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2010 : 18:40:11
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Coin collecting is definitely an evolving process, because you can't have them all.
I started hoarding silver, then became a coin collector.
I really appreciate Uthminista's attitude. He doesn't seem to care what a coin is worth, he just loves beautiful, or unique, coins from all over the world. His method has inspired my habits and opened my affection toward foreign coins.
Buy what you like is great advice for any investment.
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Come to the new and improved realcent: http://realcent.org
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Beau
Penny Pincher Member
216 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2010 : 20:06:49
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I personally like Silver Eagles they are about 20 to 22 dollars.
they are a Bullion coin, but I collect them.
Morgans are my second favorite.
I have over the years collected everything, but the Silver Eagles,
are still my favorite.
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DoctorMetal
Penny Sorter Member
40 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2010 : 06:52:25
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| I'd recommend, as the cheapest, easiest, and best way to get started, to work on a complete set of Jefferson Nickels. They are the best way to learn about things like grade, mintmarks, and years. Lincoln cents also. You can't go wrong with any Jefferson or Lincoln. |
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daviscfad
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1664 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2010 : 08:41:06
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| As others have said lincolns are cheap for the most part. And the best thing is you still have a chance to find all of them in circulation |
Inquiring minds want to know |
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zerocd
Penny Hoarding Member
555 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2010 : 15:08:54
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"good, inexpensive coins"
I go to my local shop (a gold/silver/coin shop) and buy junk silver coins near spot.
He sells Barber and Standing Liberty quarters ($3.50) and Barber halves ($7.00) all good or better grade.
Indian Head pennies and Buffalo nickels are a buck I think in pretty nice condition.
I search nickel boxes and pick up plenty of silver war nickels and buffalos.
I have found over 200 war nickels this year. Each worth over a buck melt value. All purchased at face value.
Then you move up to searching boxes of halves. Found over 800 silvers this year including Franklins and Standing Liberties (Walkers)Persistance will get you more but it takes patience.
I have found some indian head pennies in boxes too.
Happy hunting!
0CD |
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myfundsarelow
Penny Collector Member
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2010 : 00:09:11
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| hi all, american silver eagle coin is offical United States mint one dollar coin made of 1 oz of silver stamped with the year they were minted wich started in 1986 just like the morgan or kennendy series made of 90% silver, P. S. i also like & collect the A .S. E. PEACE!! |
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myfundsarelow
Penny Collector Member
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2010 : 00:21:12
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| hi all, american silver eagle coin is offical United States mint one dollar coin made of 1 oz of silver stamped with the year they were minted wich started in 1986 just like the morgan or kennendy series made of 90% silver, P. S. i also like & collect the A .S. E. PEACE!! |
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Just Starting
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