Do You Prefer Mint State Coins Or Circulated Coins?

ebay. I would be surprised if even 10% of what is sold there is MS quakity, regardless of the era. I'm also sure what is on display at my LCS is less than 50% MS coins.

I also think back to how I started: pulling coins from circulation as a kid, and filling blue Whitman folders. Sure, many collectors move on from that to higher quality coins. I think our own preferences sometimes affect how we view the the hobby.

My simple answer is YES. I like to see the bright and shiny MS coins to appreciate the design as envisioned by the designer / engraver. I also like the look of many of these same coins to see how they hold up with age. It's hard to put into words, but a worn coin can have a beauty about it that is unmatched. Depending on the wear pattern, it can be a unique piece of art unto itself.

I love the shine and detail of a mint-state coin. It's the kind of coin that allows the designer's full intent of his or her art to shine through.

But as others have said, I also adore coins that have a story to tell--that is, older coins that have a nice amount of circulation wear. For example, I have a 1794 large cent--minted when George Washington was president. It's in barely readable shape, but the date is there as well as a fair obverse and a good reverse. How many people's hands did this go through since it was minted? And who were they? What kind of path did this coin take in the 200+ years it has been around from the day it was minted to the day it ended up in a dealer's stash to the day I bought it? Fascinating thoughts--which make coin collecting the truly wonderful hobby that it is.

For me it depends on the age of the coin.
For instance, my 20th Century Type Set is all high AU or high MS/PR. But for older coins I collect I like circulated coinage as well, especially if they have a nice "circulation cameo".

What to you prefer the look of more(for those of you with full sets)? Do you have a favorite specific coins? If you had to pick one based on eye appeal is you favorite coin MS or lower to AU grade?

I think for me it depends on the coin. Something more modern that can be acquired for less? I'd want the nicest coins I can find. A classic set that will be impossible to complete with the rarer coins in high grades? I'd want circulated examples of even the more common coins so that the set looks more uniform.
Plus, I'm not super concerned with the grades of my coins. While mint state coins are nice, I'm in this hobby for the history and the fun of the hunt. Just my Two Cents.

@T-BOP, I imagine more modern coins tell the story of how horrible all the vending machines, parking meters, and coin rollers have been to them. 2020-2021 coins tell a story that no one wanted to touch coins.

@sel691, I'm in the same boat for older coins I think the first high grade set I'm going to start working in is Canadian 10¢ coins 22-36, as well as working on a 1911-1921 quarter set as the others are out of my league to complete. The quarter set is going to take a while so I'll focus on the dimes between 1911-36 and slowly fill wholes for the 11-21 for quarters. I love the look of the coins from this era(I prefer the Vikki's but out of my price range for mid to high grade sets atm I wouldn't mind having a mid high grade set of the 10¢ and 25¢ though. I figured it was about time I started a better set and these sets sound reasonable to obtain for my budget. Maybe I'm starting to like mint grade coins more. I think for me anywhere between vf30-ms65 it's more about eye appeal then grade. I have seen some mid grade coins I liked more then the AU-MS counterparts. I guess eye appeal to me means more then grade.