Have the coins you collect changed over the years?

[lclugza]

And I would appreciate you telling me why your collecting habits either have or have not changed.

[jom]

Interesting subject.

 

Let's see. When I was a kid it was Memorial Lincoln Cents out of pocket change. I bought at few coins at the local shop, the major purchase was a 1856 quarter in Fine (I think). It had "LIB" left in "LIBERTY". It was a $5 coin...whoop te do.

 

Anywho, after a few years I pretty much got out of it (circa 1974) and didn't get interested again until 1992. At this point EVERYTHING was different: MS65, slabs, investing...bla bla bla. I, for whatever reason, started to look at Kennedy Halves and Ike dollars and proceded to try to put sets together raw. I got most of it done and learned a lot about grading. One thing is was that even without a Pop Report I can tell you that even today I'll bet that the 71-P, 72-P and the 76-P (1) are the hardest Ike to find in Gem condition. I figured that out by just trying to put a raw set together....the things you learn....

 

After somewhat finishing Ike, Kennedy and most of the Washington set raw I decided to start buying "real" coins. My first "big" purchase was a 1919-S Mercury dime (in MS64 near-FB PCGS). A whopping $650! I really got interested in early 20th coins and ended up with quite a few early Mercs, a few Buffs, some $5 Gold, SLQ etc etc.

 

In late 1997 I decided to slow down quite a bit since we had decided to buy a NEW house so coins took a back seat. In fact, I had a few of my peices regraded. Some with good results and some not so good. But overall I did very well and sold off a few of the bigger gains. I kept a number of my favorite pieces (the 19-S and 18-S Mercs, a couple of Buffs and some $10 Indians).

 

In mid/late 98 I wanted to start buying again but with more of a conscience effort to STAY ON TRACK for once instead of flopping around from series to series. I had always liked the American Indian depiction on coins and I decided to take my time and put together sets of Buffs, and the Indian gold peices since these were actually REAL Indians depicted (actually the $10 Indian is liberty with a head-dress but who cares?). I had a good head start since I kept a few pieces from before but these series are difficult enough that it will take me YEARS to complete. Just the way I like it.

 

jom

[jtryka]

I have changed a number of times. When I first started, it was all raw coins (there were no slabs), and mostly circulated. Eventually I started more unc sets, then moved on to some mint and proof sets. Then I went to college and stopped for a while. After college, I got into some mint sets, proof sets and unc Morgans, but I was really not into very much. I also bought unc and proof silver eagles every year. After grad school I got back into it again in a bigger way. Started buying certified coins for the first time, focusing on type coins, but then I realized I could suddenly afford to buy the gold coins I dreampt of as a kid. So first it was gold type coins, then eventually I started on a Saint set. I may never complete it, but I sure do enjoy it!

 

So I guess the underlying themes that changed the way/coins I collect are: Life circumstances (like going back to school) and money (I can certainly afford much nicer coins now than when I was 12 years old!), and just plain ADD, as I find that sometimes I get bored with something, drop it, then pick it up later!

[cladking]

I started with buffalo nickels from pocket change in 1957. I finished the set in '66 after buying the last several additions starting in the early 60's. Since then I've collected almost all the US series in circ condition. I also had collections of silver roosys, Washingtons, and Franklins in gem. None of these latter collections got far because of the difficulty in finding the coins before the advent of the internet.

 

Today I collect tokens, medals, world coins, and all US made after 1964. I'm not working much on most of these collections because since 1996 when I started concentrating on the modern. My primary interest here is in Washington quarters(especially varieties and high grade uncs).

[bigd5]

I started with Wheaties, and buffalo nickels. Kept going with buffalo nickels, and expanded to type coins. Buffalo nickels and type coins were it for the the longest time. Eventually I had all my buffalo's slabbed, and decided to sell 'em off. Learned the difference between grading and the numbers that the certification companies put on the holders with that expedition, and now I keep a simple type set that constantly changes. I've experimented with classic Commem's, but I just can't get myself to commit to them. Too many designs that I don't care for. I really enjoy the seated series, and I've also finished a few albums as of late also.

I also tried to like modern stuff, but it's never going to happen. Ike's, Franklin's, Kennedy's..............no way.

[Count_Erfit]

Yep. I'm older. 8 years from 70. Wow! Where did it go?

 

I had my day in the sun with wonder coins and the "Hey, Larry, whutcha got fer sale" at the shows.

 

Now I look more to liquidity and smaller values. I now collect F-XF bust coins. Nothing smaller than quarter. Seated dollars, cc gold, early gold, and ALL keys.

 

Don't want or need 50-75k from sale of a coin. Just a nice coin that will perk up ANY dealer, local or national. Or any auction.

 

A stash of bullion gold coins and very little silver.

 

My needs now are the fun of the search and ....IF.... I sell, a ready market very very very close to home.

 

The kind of stuff that is "mad money" for any occasion.

 

[BillJones]

When I was high school my #1 interest was Indian cents, and my #2 interest was type coins. Later the Indian cents totally lost their charm for me, and I mostly stopped doing very much series collecting.

 

A little over ten years ago I got into political tokens and medals and Civil War tokens. I still collect type coins and that interest will probably stay with me forever.

 

[IrishMike]

Yes and no, I quit collecting wheaties which I started in the 50's. However after almost 50 years I am still collecting IHC's.

They have never lost their charm and appeal. I have been in and out of other series over the years, but still buy coins of my generation that are nice or unusual, i.e mercs, silver washingtons,frankies,walkers and buffs. These coins harken back to my chilhood days of collecting them out of pocket change.

[Oldtrader3]

I started out collecting Nickels (circulated Buff's and Unc. Jeff's). Then I became interested in Morgan's and put together Capital Holder Sets of "P" and "O" mint Morgan's, respectively (AU55-MS64). Then I built a Capital-Peace Dollar set (AU58-MS65). This was all before slabs appeared on the market.

 

My ex-wife disapproved of collecting coins (as she did of most of my hobbies) so I stopped for several years, except for modern sets (half's, dollars). When we divorced a few years ago, I was collecting Modern Proof Kennedy's and Ike's, followed by Franklin's and Roosie's.

 

Since the divorce, I have been collecting NGC/PCGS Certified Type, Trimes and Gold. IMHO prices for BU gold coins have been artificially low for the past several years and I have purchased those that I can afford. I will most likely never finish my Saint Set, however I will finish my Business Strike, Half-Eagle Short Set and Trime Set. I also still buy 19th Century-Type coins.

[Hoot]

From the time I was a kid, I collected only circulated stuff into Whitman albums. My attentions waned into my 20s, then I began to collect modern commems (proofs only) while I was in college. This interest picked up a bit after college and I added in Mint proof sets. I became intensely interested in coins again only 3 years ago. I began learning as much as I could about the modern approaches to collecting and started to take interest in numismatics at large. This is what really opened the doors for me, and one of the resources I found for information was the ANA. I picked up collecting high grade buffalo nickels, then got bitten by the Jefferson nickel bug only last year. During the course of this time, I completed the ANA's Numismatic Scholar correspondence course, which really helped with understanding many of the basics of collecting, grading, history, etc. I also fanatically began looking at as many certified and raw coins as possible to improve my grading skills. I submitted many of what I considered the best coins to NGC and PCGS to test my skills a bit and also to claim for my sets a few nice coins. (i've submitted hundreds of coins in the last couple of years and it is both a joy and a disappointment). Last year, I began slowing my purchase of certified coins and concentrating on finding excellent raw coins, particularly those that were underpriced and/or undergraded. This was (and is) a bit of a hunting expedition for me and is what makes this hobby the most fun for me now (it's a little like what I did as a kid with circulated coins). These I submit for grading and also keep raw. In addition to my certified sets, I also stuff albums, which to me is fantastically fun. I also try to keep my enthusiasm up in the hobby by writing about stuff. This causes me to look more deeply and broadly into any single aspect of the hobby that is relevant to me. It's amazing where this can lead.

 

Hoot

[lclugza]

I now like to collect as many different types of coins as I can, instead of collecting complete sets of all the same type. A set of coins that all look about the same is rather boring.

[Oldtrader3]

For me, two changes that greatly impact my collection have evolved over the years. They are:

 

1-Having more disposable income to purchase better coins.

 

2-Developing the specialized skills to grade Unc. gold and 19th Century Type Silver. These skills for me have met looking at many many examples of types and varieties in different grades. Studying the texts and establishing boundaries of what a particular series or variety should look like and being suspicious of anything that is an outlayer of those defined boundaries.

 

Everytime that I go against these instincts, I get burnt.

[reid1836]

As a young person I collected old coins and those that I found interesting. But those were of little value to dealers. Later I tried assembling sets. But alas only a few select coins were of any value. Presently I have refined my collecting habits to assembling a type set of only key dates from the various series. This has given me much satisfaction. My collection has increased in value with market changes. One day I will give it to my children and they will actually have something prized by most any collector or dealer, and if the need should arise they would have instant liquidity.

[shirohniichan]

When I got back into collecting in 1997 I bought coins I only dreamt about owning as a kid. I bought CC type coins and moved to 20 cent pieces and trade dollars. I even got my 1876 set well under way. As 1998 moved to 1999 and 2000 I noticed prices for the coins I chased to go up and up. Couple that with my daughter's birth and I found myself not being able to afford to complete the sets. I sold the centennial set after I got laid off this January and decided to collect inexpensive dark side coins until I save more money or 19th century type coin prices drop.