Hello All From A Novice In PA

Hi there! As a beginning collector with kids, I recommend starting-out buying rolls of cents and nickels from your local banks. Most older folks search for silver, so everyone is doing that. What falls through the cracks are the lowly but affordable Lincolns and Jeffersons. I found uncirculated 1949, 1950-D(!), some 35% silver ones (BIG MINTMARK ABOVE DOME O MONTICELLO ON REVERSE) and many other uncs that someone obviously just dumped out of an old, blue Whitman album to buy gas or whatever. Save any undamaged nickels from, say, 1970 back. Also save all XF/better 1982 and 1983 P & D nickels, and buy anything in Buffalo nickels you can afford. All of these are undervalued and only cost a nickel. With the cents, you WILL find "Wide 'AM'" 1998 and 2000 examples now and then. The more you hunt, the more you find. The 1999 would be a terrific find for you--very, very scarce. There's also the 1972 doubled-die obverse, 1984 doubled ear, 1997 doubled-die obverse, and more that you WILL find in rolls if you do that often enough. The kids will be quite proud of simply filling the blue Whitman albums you've probably already gotten for them, but image the excitement when one finds something like a 1972 DDO-001 or maybe a 1909-S! Even a blank or off-center strike would endear them to furthering their coin examinations--adding to their numismatic education AND their monetary holdings. I STRONGLY recommend you buy the Red Book for starters. Then decide what others you'll need, such as a grading guide, CherryPickers Guide (DEFINITEY GET THIS!), and any books specific to the series of coinage you wish to concentrate upon. You'll teach yourself, and so will your kids. Plus, though it IS work, it IS ALSO fun, a way to bond in friendly, educational collector clubs, AND MORE!