My Five Favorite Coins posted by Beaw

[CSJournals-migration]

and My Five Least Favorite Coins

 

Regular issues only.

 

For some reason, I was unable to sleep last night and I started thinking about coin designs again. Although the list changed quite frequently, I did finally make my list. So here goes.

 

Most Favorite Coin Series:

 

1. Mercury Dimes

2. Peace Dollars

3. Lincoln Cents (Pre 1959)

4. Walking Liberty Halfs

5. Sacagawea Dollars (Native American Theme Reverses)

 

Okay, 5 is a bit of a fudge as they change every year but I love the Obverse of the Sacagawea and I am fully onboard with the Reverse concept.

 

Least Favorite:

1. Susan B. Anthony Dollars

2. Roosevelt Dimes

3. Washington Quarters (pre 1999)

4. Eisenhower Dollars

5. Silver 3-Cents.

 

I betcha you all have your own list in your mind. In my case, the list does have some parallel to my registry sets although Franklin Halves almost made my Bottom 5 list and I do collect them.

 

For me, collecting is sometimes a pure joy and sometimes just another example of my obsessive need to complete things (the Franklin set).

 

See more journals by Beaw

[Six Mile Rick]

Beaw, If you go through your coins and happen to run across one of those unwanted silver three cent coins let me know. I WANT ONE!!!

[Thane]

Nice topic - my top/bottom five -

 

FAVE'S

 

1. Jefferson Nickels

2. Sac Dollars

3. Lincoln Memorial Cents

4. Washington 25c Type B reverse

5. Buffalo Nickels

 

HATED

 

1. Lincoln Shield cents

2. any Barber

3. any Seated Liberty

4. any commemorative involving sports

5. any commemorative involving women for the sake of involving women

 

The U.S. Mint really did a great job in the 20th century. Love the obverse portraits, love the buildings on the reverse, love how the designs filled up the coins. What I loved most was how, in high-relief and single-strike, the coins look when uncirculated with less than a perfect strike. It amazes me how a 5c Jefferson can have F details but still grade out MS65! And I love those crazy sedimentary rock-like Jefferson hairstyles when the dies are especially worn. The beauty of the design is there in both full steps and in the dying die stages.

 

I'm bored by the generic god/goddess designs of the 19th century. And this return to large, clean fields is a BIG FAT BORE. The new Lincoln Shield Cent is as boring as a three-cent nickel with its reverse. Like I've posted before, what a great way to get rid of an unneeded denomination - make the design so unpalateable, that the public screams for its demise.

 

And too many of the modern commemoratives are a stretch. Congressmen adding amendments to spending bills for particular demographics to win votes, that's probably how many of these coins came into being.

 

So while the First Lady gold program is utterly ridiculous (but acumenic collectors are probably snapping them up for their deserved rarities ...), the Sac Dollar is FANTASTIC. Sacagawea was not even a woman, but just a girl old enough to have a child with one of the Lewis and Clark expediteurs. The obverse design captures that innocence and motherhood just FABULOUSLY. The traditional reverse design celebrates the GOLDEN eagle (not the bald) ... folks on the East Coast probably don't even know what a golden eagle is. Drive an empty highway in Nevada at 5 in the morning when the scavenger is out scooping up last night's roadkill, you'll find out soon enough. And what a great balance of design and open space, just like the American West. This coin captures SO MANY aspects of the American landscape, Americana, motherhood, Westward expansion ... wow ...

 

[coinsbygary]

Great topic! What a diverse hobby we have that has just about something for everyone and maintains the common passion we all have within the hobby. As to my faves and dislikes, tough choice, but here goes.

 

Faves

1. Type coins (A desire for one example of every major coinage design the United States has minted)

2. Morgan Dollars (As much as the design I love the history and politics involved with this series)

3. First Spouse Gold (A means to add more gold to my collection with a recognition and history of this nation's first spouses)

4. Foreign coins that fit into any of the themes of my custom sets

5. Some commemoratives that feature themes and designs I like.

 

Dislikes

1. Lincoln Memorial Cents (Just not that much interest)

2. Jefferson Nickels (I respect the Jefferson Nickel and love Lehigh96's posts. However, I do like the Westward nickels and the new obverse design)

3. Washington Quarters (I still like the state quarters)

4. SBA Dollars (Enough said)

5. Roosevelt dimes (These designs have been around from since before I was born, I think its time for a change)

 

Looking at this list you might get an idea of what type of collector I am. I enjoy history and allegories, and love diversity in designs. One thing you may not get from this list is that I have a fondness for the beauty of high grade classic coins and toning.

Gary

 

[shirohniichan]

Favorites:

 

1. George V commonwealth silver

2. Double dimes

3. Trade dollars

4. Draped bust silver

5. Pre-1955 commemorative half dollars

 

Least favorites:

1. SBA dollars

2. Eisenhower dollars

3. Roosevelt dimes

4. State quarters

5. Modern commemorative half dollars