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 Replies: 25 / Views: 4,355 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
I'm kind of new to this and I'd like some ideas for coins made in 1800s to look for under about $40 that I can find in VF or better condition. I'm not really looking at specific dates or years yet, I just want some old, quality coins to add to my tiny collection of 1900s stuff. I was looking at some 3 cent, large cent and Seated Liberty dimes and quarters. Anything else cool I'm not thinking of? Or I guess the short version is, "where does a newbie start with pre-1900 coins?" |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2368 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
You can buy an uncirculated 1883 Liberty "V" Nickel without the word "CENTS" on the reverse for less than $40.
Paul Bulgerin
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7187 Posts |
A nice option could be a a 1892 or 1893 Colombian exposition comemotative half. They have a pleasing design and a larger silver coin.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1158 Posts |
good options, thanks!
Would love to hear anymore ideas.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
So on a related note, I got a little carried away and just won this auction for 3 lower grade braided large cents for about $34 shipped. ANyone want to comment on if this was a good purchase or not? In particular the 1847 date is significant to me, so that's one reason I was attracted to the coins.   Edited by tkbslc
07/02/2014 1:23 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2362 Posts |
tkbslc - did you want these three coins or were you mostly interested in the 1847? The later date large cents are very reasonable in price and you could buy a really nice 1847 for that price.I wouldn't have bought them but it's just my opinion. If you're happy with the purchase then it was a good deal.
Member ANA and EAC "You got to lose to know how to win". Dream On by Aerosmith |
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Pillar of the Community
968 Posts |
Two problem coins, I would have passed on that lot.
You could get an UNC Morgan for $40.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
Well my logic was that I didn't see any readable Large cents going for less than $12-15 each, so it seemed like a decent deal for 3. But maybe I overvalued them individually.
I know there are other coins I could have bought, but I can get those next time. I honestly plan to buy probably everything listed by wheatchaser above. :)
Thanks for the purchase critique. I need to slow down and be patient I guess.
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Pillar of the Community
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4897 Posts |
Quote:
I need to slow down and be patient I guess.
THIS!.....one of the hardest lessons to learn.....imho |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
Yeah, I wasn't going to pay more than $25 and then some nutbar tricked me into a bidding war up to $31. I'm only in my 30s, so I have a long time to find these coins. Don't need to get sucked into bidding wars. I'm a little too excited I guess with just getting started in the hobby. So just to summarize, do you think those large cents were a bad deal, or just not a terribly good deal? I guess if they are a bad deal it cancels out the XF 1941 Walking Liberty half I got for $5 yesterday. Edited by tkbslc
07/02/2014 3:19 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts |
Since I only own one large cent, braided hair cents like these, and an 1847 to boot, I'm not exactly a good person to comment here, but I will regardless. I bought by 1847 about 10 years ago, paid $16 for it in Fine condition; Red Book says it's now worth around $25, so a little appreciation is good. It's all brown (uniform, other than the two that are tarnished/got crud on them), no verdigris (like two of your have), and lacks tons of obvious nicks (like your third one has). Mine also doesn't photograph as reddish, making me think that one of your might have been cleaned. I've been interested in buying more large cents (as my 1847 is my favorite coin I own, even though the date for me is meaningless), and although they can be cheap of ebay, I've avoided picking any up since they're mostly heavily worn or problem coins...and while I'd pick up a nice problem Morgan or heavily worn Seated Liberty dime or a nicely worn Indian Head cent (etc) in a heart-beat, I've never been able to actually pull the trigger (so to speak) and get a problem Large Cent, Half Cent, or Flying Eagle cent (even though I've contemplated it many times, with the rational that if I buy a number of really cheap problem Large Cents (for example, nice local auction a month ago had a really great deal on them), then with them sequestered, the theoretical implication would be that there'd be less of them on the market, less of the available (not to mention less bad in general) and would raise the value of the surviving market population and of the value of better-quality specimen in general...at the same time allowing me to create plastic coin tube "rolls" of large cents and feeling special for having them, albeit low-quality problem coins. But I cannot pull the trigger. Maybe one day I will. Maybe I won't. I'm a little partial to coppers I think. With all that said, your 1846 would have been the only coin I would have contemplated buying, if I could more tell that it hadn't been cleaned...although a coin in that shape I would have preferred having had a nice 150 year tarnish on it. So, bad deal, okay deal, it's all up to how you view it; and what your goals on collecting are or your taste in how your coins look. I wouldn't have bought the lot, that's just me; but if all you wanted was to get some cheap 1800's coins with the intention of building upon them (and probably up'ing them in the process), than you did just fine. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1511 Posts |
Personally I would have passed on the deal, as mentioned you could have gotten that one date you really wanted in far better shape for the same price or not much more with some patience. Go slow.... And don't just buy everything you see and "love" immediately, this is a mistake that many newbies make at first, I did when I first started as well.... But then later on down the line when you really focus, and learn how to grade/what to look for these lesser coins just arnt going to have a place in your collection anymore and you'll take a hit when you go to sell. At first I wanted exactly what you just said... At least one of each series as well as complete sets (of the ones I was working on, it's still primarily Morgans) and if I found a date/coin I needed I'd buy it... Until I realized I could spend not much more for far better coins, and now I won't look twice at a Morgan under MS-63 (unless it's a key, the toning is stunning, DMPL or a rare(er) VAM) more likely not under a 64-65. Now when I buy any classic coins I save save save and buy the best examples I can afford... I don't think I've spent under $200 on a classic in at least a year... Usually much more. So again, personally I'd save up more than $40 and buy coins in much nicer grades that you'll love forever... But to each his own.. But either way take it sssllloooowww! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9792 Posts |
The Two Cent series is a short and yet pretty affordable one to get a complete collection in business strikes. Save for the small motto and the 1872, the rest should be easy enough to find in decent shape in F-EF condition in your price range. Quote:
Now when I buy any classic coins I save save save and buy the best examples I can afford... I don't think I've spent under $200 on a classic in at least a year... Usually much more. So again, personally I'd save up more than $40 and buy coins in much nicer grades that you'll love forever That does have merit, as you will end up with coins that you really like owning! But you can always start where you can afford to and upgrade as time goes on. "Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
good advice, thanks. I think the $30 was worth it for the lessons you guys are passing on right now. The more I think, I'd probably prefer owning 20 amazing coins rather than 300 ugly coins. So I think NathanASE maybe has a good strategy for me.
Although honestly, I'm still so new to to this that just the idea of owning 160-170 year old coins is blowing my mind! I still have to figure out what my goals are, though. Right now I'm all over the place.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1511 Posts |
West, your absolutely right, I just learned the hard way that it made more sense (to and for me at least) to save for months if need be opposed to buying coins I'd likely loose money on when I went to upgrade.. It sucks not being able to buy as often, but the quality and not loosing money makes up for it. But hey, it's not for everyone and I respect that, I was just giving my opinion based in the OP's recent purchase.. Tkbslc, that's exactly the way I look at it, I'd rather have X amount of great coins with value that I absutely love over thousands of common, low grades. And it's definitely good to focus your interests opposed to being all over the place, as fun as that is I'd recommend choosing a few series you absolutely love. You can also start a "type set" (ex. Dansco's 7070), many of us, myself included are working on them. They're expensive but at least they focus your "type" collecting. And also, if you think about it, in the " Coin World" 160-170 year old US coins are considered "modern", lol... If you really get a kick out of and enjoy the history aspect of "old" coins you may want to consider checking out ancients.... They're not my cup of tea (though I have a couple) but you can get them with amazing details still for great prices and those are a couple thousand years old.... Just some more food for thought, lol Edited by NathanASE
07/02/2014 7:37 pm
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Replies: 25 / Views: 4,355 |
Here are some ideas:
Posted 07/02/2014 10:39 am
