Input Needed

If you want to stick with classic coins, Walking Liberty half dollars can be a reasonable set for price and availability (they are my favorite coin set). Or Franklin half dollars are good.

If you venture into modern coins, Ike/SBA Dollars are a short set

I like the Trade dollars but am scared to death of them, that could be something I could collect long term, one or two per year. I got started with the Walking Liberty halves, but started with low quality coins that didn't do much for me so I sold them when silver hit $50. I did keep the two AU liberty's so that is a possibility....also am thinking about Barber halves and Mercury dimes....the dimes are cheap except for a couple.

first off I want to you to the forum and then tell you that is one heck of an accomplishment in 7 months. If you like the look of different coins in one set the Dansco7070 album is a great set to put together. If you like all the coins to be the same series like you have done so far there are numerous designs to chose from and just pick one you like the design of. Or you could go the route allot of people have done once they got into the hobby with Morgans and Peace dollars, they go to collecting VAM's and either pick a certain date and collect those in that date, or even a certain mint mark. There are numerous lists that are challenging to complete and some that are down right impossible because some of the coins in the list is 1 of 1 known so far. But as long as you enjoy the sets there is no wrong answer here and the only reason I mentioned VAM's is because there was something already in you that has drawn you to the Morgan and Peace dollars

not really any website that I know of that compares strike of the coin. I know as a rule there are only a hand full of dates from New Orleans mint that has strong strike with most being very weak and even MS coins can look like XF where SF coins is the other way around, most of them have very strong strike and only a few dates can be found weakly struck. The only way to really tell a weak strike from wear is to look at the luster of the coin. If it is broken in the weak areas then it is usually from wear, if it has all the luster present then it is just weakly struck. This is just one of those things you learn as time passes and I really do not know of any short cuts on how to recognize this

I'm not set on AU's and UNC's. I have basically bought what I could afford in UNC ....I also have a couple F's, VF's and XF's in my morgan set due to affordability but the majority are UNC or AU+. At times this hobby makes me feel like a have cadillac taste on a pinto budget especially when looking at certain dates and series. Lincoln cents are cool as well as IHC. I probably have about 5000 lincoln wheats sitting in a couple bags. In the last few years I've always save my penny's no matter what the date. I have a partial set of lincolns finished from when I was a kid. My problem is I have so many bits and pieces ( a coin here and there) from when I was a kid I just don't know where to begin. Have always been drawn to Morgans and now am down to the dates in which I will need to take out a second mortgage on my home(only kidding). I also have this bargain hunter mentality and have a hard time passing up a good deal....which tends to get me in trouble. At this point I will probably collect a little of this and that as deals come. But try to maintain my focus on the liberty series (seated, walking, standing)......however I doubt this will stick.....I think I have collector ADD.

I've found that Seated dimes are good ones to find good deals on now and again, especially if you don't care about grades.

BUT if you have the Lincolns, it can be intimidating but I'd say organize them first, then worry about buying later. No reason to spend money at all if you've got stuff to work with. In the mean time, you can save up for nicer Morgans and key and semi-key Lincolns so you can have a complete set. =) If you have bags of 5000, you probably have about 90% of it already there - especially if you don't care about grades!

Such a fun hobby. I appreciate all the input. I was going through some of the coins I had from when I was a kid and found an 1853 Seated dime with no arrows. I regret getting rid of much of my collection when I was younger.....I recall having a number Carson City Morgans, indian heads and Mercury dimes.....and probably other goodies that I'm glad I don't remember having. However that 1853 dime was a pretty darn good find.