Top 10 coins under $1000 1 1

[Khuggins78]

I just joined the group and I know nothing about coins. Could someone tell me what their top 10 coins under $1000 they would get for their collection?

[Coinbuf]

On 5/5/2024 at 3:35 PM, Khuggins78 said:

I just joined the group and I know nothing about coins. Could someone tell me what their top 10 coins under $1000 they would get for their collection?

Just to clarify, do you mean 10 coins who's prices equal $1,000 in aggregate, or 10 coins worth $1,000 each or potentially $10,000 aggregate.

[Khuggins78]

That’s my fault $1000 each. 

[Sandon]

   Welcome to the NGC chat board. 

   As long as you "know nothing about coins", you shouldn't buy any!  Knowledge is essential to making the wise purchase of any coin, and you will be ready to make purchases when you can answer your question yourself, which will depend upon your own goals and tastes.

   We have an old expression, "buy the book before the coin".  First, get and study a current (2025) or recent standard edition of A Guide Book of United States Coins, also known as the "Red Book".  A grading guide and a current price guide are also basic and essential. See the following forum topics to locate these and other print and online and resources for new collectors:

   Your education should also include attendance at venues such as coin shows and coin club meetings, where you can examine a variety of coins and speak with knowledgeable collectors and dealers.  

Edited May 5 by Sandon

[Coinbuf]

On 5/5/2024 at 4:40 PM, Khuggins78 said:

That’s my fault $1000 each. 

No worries, those are very different lists.    While I do not have such a list per se, I would undoubtably include as many key date coins in nice collector grades as I could fit into those parameters.   Most would have to be circulated coins to fit under that dollar cap, say a 1909 SVDB Lincoln in VF25 or VF30 as an example.   As well as gold coins, many of the gold $2.50 pieces can be had for under 1k in close to MS65 grades.

Edited May 5 by Coinbuf

[powermad5000]

Being as you are new to the hobby, you need to get familiar with coins in general and the specifics of each series. I would take the advice of @Sandon in your shoes. I collected for decades before I ever even thought about spending $1000 or more on a single coin purchase.

I don't expect you will get too many solid answers to your question as it is really something very specific to each different collector. Each one will have a different list.

Also, as someone who has been at it in this hobby for over 4 decades, I can tell you I just went to one of the largest coin shows in this area last week and specifically intended to spend $2,500 on a single coin. I looked at roughly over 100 different coins and types, and I have to admit, there was a lot of coins priced in that area that were "nice", but grading wise were just not worth the money being asked for them. As an example, one was an 1874 CC Trade Dollar which looked fantastic and nice white color in the case and in the flip it was in.  It wasn't until I asked to have it removed from the flip, which the dealer abided by, and I got to examine the surface without a barrier over it that I found many hairlines on the surface which would have given the coin an Unc Details - Cleaned grade and surely impacted the value of it to well less than $2,000. The ask price on the flip was $2,700. Had I bought that coin, I would have basically lost at least $1,000 as soon as I walked away from the table with it. It is reasons like this that I say to take the advice given here, and spend your money buying books and paying entry fees into coin shows, and spend time reading those books and examining as many coins as you can for either true quality or for flaws.

[Just Bob]

DISCLAIMER:  This should in no way be taken as investment advice, or as a suggestion of what coins anyone should collect. It just seems like an interesting topic to think about  and discuss. 

My 10 under $1000, in no particular order:

New Jersey copper

Proof Three cent silver

Draped bust half

Isabella quarter

Bust half dime

Capped bust large cent

Capped bust half

Maybe a Nova Constellatio, Vermont, or Connecticut copper

A couple of patterns, not sure which ones.

 

I limited my choices to US only. If we are including ancients or world coins, the list would be much different.

Edited May 7 by Just Bob

[GoldFinger1969]

On 5/5/2024 at 6:35 PM, Khuggins78 said:

I just joined the group and I know nothing about coins. Could someone tell me what their top 10 coins under $1000 they would get for their collection?

Are you saying you would spend about $10,000 hypothetically ? 

[GoldFinger1969]

Assuming you have $10,000 to spend or are just using that as an example to generate ideas....I wouldn't limit myself to the $1,000 threshold.

I'll talk my book as we say in the financial trade  and make a plug for gold coins in general and Double Eagles in particular.  It'll be a purchase closer to $2,500-$3,000 but you can get exposure to gold (which I think is going higher) and also own an iconic American coin with lots of history and wonderful stories behind it (check out the threads on Saints and DEs).

Not sure that is your cup of tea but if it is happy to help you and/or direct you to the multiple threads we have here on those particular coins.

Good Luck !!