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 Replies: 25 / Views: 2,048 |
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Valued Member
United States
455 Posts |
quote hunter20ga: ".. They tell a story and are part of the every day fabric of life, changing hands for many reasons and bearing the effects of wear and tear proudly.."
Very well said Hunter. I love proofs and uncirculated coins, but there's something special about circulated pieces, like a well worn Standing Liberty half from the 30s. The wear gives it a personality.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
834 Posts |
I collect both and have sets of both and I truly enjoy all of them some of my best finds have been through roll searching though.
Bruce.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2269 Posts |
I also collect both. I've always enjoyed collecting circulated coins, I find it to be more challenging when completing a series.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9441 Posts |
Circulated coins for me, although I do have 3 or 4 uncirculated coins, that I have bought from the mint. Steve  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
595 Posts |
I prefer uncirculated coins most of the time. Yes, I do buy uncirculated sets from the Mint every year and also brand-new Sacs and Kennedys from my local dealer because they are not circulating and I need them to continue my sets.
But for other coins, I would always prefer a raw AU to an uncirculated MS-** just because it has had a life outside a plastic holder. It is fascinating to think about where coins have been and what they have seen. I like to think that my 1886-S half eagle was carried by a cow-poke into a saloon in Tombstone where he slapped it down on the bar and said, "Set 'em up, Barkeep -- the drinks are on me!"
When I think about the Mint making coins "especially for collectors," it seems kind of cheating somehow. Pulling a coin out of circulation, or obtaining one that somebody else pulled out of circulation decades or centuries ago, seems more like the real deal to me.
Jan
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
I collect what ever will fit my budget. I mainly have circulated with a bunch of uncirc coins. When I get new coins that I already have I see if it is an upgrade if it is than I trade the lower grade coins for better grades. The cycle never ends.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4870 Posts |
When I am back at this at full force, I'll just buy a box of nickels and sort alll the dates and mintmarks and choose the best from each bunch for a series set.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
A little of everything. I started coin collecting well over 60 years ago. Back then, all out of change. Somewhere about 1952 I started ordering proof sets from the Mint and sometime there after started with the Uncirc sets. I started with Lincoln Cents back in the old days and from my Dads pockets. He let me of course. As that book filled I went to Buffalo nickels and even those expensive Dimes. All were going into Whitman folders then and somewhere graduated to Whitman classic Albums. Back then there were still no such things as Roosevelt dimes and even Washington quarters were rather new. Over the years I started sets #2 or even #3 of everything moving the worst coins from #1 to #2 and then to #3, etc. Eventually all sets #1 were becoming MS something or other. Now going to about 3 coin shows a month to improve all #1 sets even further. Most sets #10 have coins from when I was a kid and great memories acquiring them. My Dad is now long gone but the coins from him are a momento of his generousity. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1582 Posts |
I'd have to sday I go both ways - circulated and uncirculated. I've only two years into serious collecting, and am on a, somewhat, tight budget, so the majority of my collection is circulated. Washington quarters, Roosevelt dimes, Jefferson nickels, and Lincoln Memorial cents all come from pocket change. Coins issued prior to those are purchased because, with a few exceptions, they're almost nonexistant in circulation. I do have uncirculated coins - my dollar collection from 1971 forward is uncirculated, as well as my Kennedys and ASEs. Everything else has seen a good deal of use. I, as well as my pocket, pefer the old circulated coins. I don't buy them for resale, nor do I consider them to be an investment. For me, coin collecting is an enjoyable hobby, and, hopefully, when my meager collection is passed on to the next generation, whoever gets it will get as much pleasure from it then as I do now. |
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Forum Mom
 United States
5877 Posts |
I actually prefer Bust Halves that are circulated (F15-VF30). I like the way that they wear/tone. I have obviously seen uncirculated examples that I like, but I have no desire to add any of them to my collection. My unicorn coins are all uncirculated/proof. I don't think it's possible to find them in circulated grades anyway. They were not released for circulation. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
One could start a circulated series set and perhaps you could just buy the key coins in a higher grade. That's probably what I will end up doing. Granted circulated sets of a modern series may not have any value to most, but I think it would be quite satisfying. Then down the road you may decide to upgrade some coins to BU. But at least for now you you'd have a whole set. I started collecting with those blue Whitman holders. At one point I about had a whole set of clad roosevelts. But I was young and foolish and spent them!
Edited by TheForce
03/24/2007 11:17 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1626 Posts |
I collect both plus the proof series, but as yantzee said....what ever fits in the budget
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1151 Posts |
I too collect more circulated than uncirculated because I enjoy the "history" of the coin. Who once had it in their hand, what it has purchased, where it has traveled, etc...
But, I do enjoy UNC due to the pristine condition that they are in as works of art or just because they are pretty shiny new things. Like that new car smell!
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Valued Member
United States
62 Posts |
I'll continue to do both as long as my bank dosen't get sick of me going in every other day and asking for rolls and shuts me off.Most times they have to leave their station and go to the vault
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1203 Posts |
While in my heart there is still room for the circulated well-warn coin, it has become a rather dull rutine to collect these modern sets.
My collecting experience reflects almost exactly as described by 'just carl' and his updating of collection. You get to a point where only the finest example of what the mint produced in a certain year and at a certain location, to make a collection better than what you already have. This forced you to go MS and proofs, reguardless of your appreciation for old used coins.
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Posted 03/21/2007 8:58 pm
