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 Replies: 23 / Views: 4,045 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
767 Posts |
Being fairly new to coin collecting I have the urge to accumulate large quantities of coins that I can toss into bags to use as free weights when the girls come over. It's a little baffling sometimes trying to choose between one really nice rare date coin, and bunches of lower grade coins. Right now, I don't know if I should get 3-4 vg-xf common date Peace dollars, or one bu 1926 d. I imagine that most collectors would advise buying the single higher grade coin, but I'm anxious to fill my album pages up, and I actually like slightly worn Peace dollars. They look historic! What would you do? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1839 Posts |
If you have a limited budget I'd advise buying the best coin(s) you can afford at the time. If you spend all of your budget on low priced coins I think you're likely to regret it later down the road. I'm not suggesting you never buy inexpensive coins but focusing on the best coin you can afford is more likely to help you continue to enjoy and be proud of your collection for many years to come. Of course if you have an unlimited budget then bring 'em all on  Edited by Tbone
12/13/2014 11:46 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2543 Posts |
Always.......Always......... quality over quantity.
Determine the parameters of your collection, be it MS, AU, VF or lowballs and make every effort to stick with it. You will appreciate the final overall cohesiveness of your collection. If your collection is VF, don't buy a MS coin because it strikes your fancy. If you decide on MS coins, don't buy a bunch of VF coins because they are affordable. Stick to what you collect, decide from trhe start what your budget will be.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
604 Posts |
I agree with Tbone, buying the best coins within your budget is the best way acquire a good collection. You can buy a lot of low grade coins just because you want to have something and most likely over time you will want coins in better condition. As always though buy what you like whether they are in AG or MS.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
 with Tbone as well...but that isn't what I have done through the years myself. As a collector of "sets" I have my share of "filler" key coins. An AG3 1916 Mercury dime, a G4 1877 and an AG3 1869/9 Indian Head penny for example but when it came to $'s it was put together an entire set OR buy 1 decent "key" date so I opted for the set with less than ideal key dates. The wrong way to do it, but that is what I have done. My latest project is a Dansco type set and I am going to do this one set "the right way" and fill it with some nice coins. I'm sure it will be my last set I put together so I may at some point go back and upgrade some of my other coins. We'll see? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
567 Posts |
I agree with what everyone else is saying to an extent, buy the best coin you can afford, however, I think it's important to realize that expensive is not necessarily better. If you have 50$ to spend and a 20$ coin is catching your eye like nothing else than that is the best coin you can afford, even if it's only 20$, buy the best coins you can afford, just remember to buy the coins that are the best for YOU, not the ones that the market says are the best.
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Moderator
 United States
15408 Posts |
Common coins will always be common coins - and I suspect that someday anyone who pursues the 'affordable' common coins en-masse will realize they have made a mistake as a collector.
That said - you need to pursue whatever you can afford within your personal time horizon and budget.
My advise is to consider your personal set needs and chase the coins meeting that objective -
Trust that many of us (me included) were once caught up in the 'rush' to fill an album ... and later on when some collecting maturity arrived - we resorted to upgrades.
David
Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.artEdited by nickelsearcher
12/13/2014 3:52 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
I would save up to get what you really want. There are several coin dealers/sellers who will hold on to a coin for a few months (Lay-A-Way), if you ask, as you make payments.
Edited by oih82w8
12/13/2014 3:54 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2543 Posts |
Quote:
There are several coin dealers/sellers who will hold on to a coin for a few months (Lay-A-Way), if you ask, as you make payments That is how I have gotten many of the keys to my sets  |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
If you like slightly worn Peace dollars, then collect them. We have an entire Modern Coin Forum full of people having the time of their lives collecting (for instance) Lincoln Cents from circulation. Just be comfortable with the fact that your collecting won't make you rich. The people who collect those expensive coins will learn the same thing, and it'll cost you less.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
567 Posts |
People on this forum seem to have a bias against "common coins" which I think is wrong. Why do you collect coins? Do you collect them because they're rare? Or because they mean something to you? Who cares if you end up with a set full of common coins if they're coins that you like. People tend to get caught up in the superiority aspect when it comes to coin collecting and look down on "common coins" I encourage you to get the coins you like, and that's all, don't worry about value or rarity or anything, just get the ones that YOU like.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
767 Posts |
Yes Arael. That is good to hear. No coin is "better" or "worse" than any other coin. I've always had a thing for coins anyway. Long before I got interested in this sort of organized collecting, I enjoyed saving up large quatities of pocket change, and then turning it all in to my bank, or running it to a Coinstar machine. I actually sat on the floor once and counted $365 worth of pocket change, separating it into quarters, dimes, etc... The numismatic force dwells within me, but I must hone it and sharpen it from within to a fine edge. (That's pretty intense huh?)  Edited by scottk
12/13/2014 6:35 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I too sort of agree with Arael. This is supposed to be a hobby. To many on this forum are buy high, buy big, buy great. I don't just buy coins, I collect what I like, want, need, can use. I collect coins as a hobby. I don't think about selling, trading, etc., just collecting as a FUN hobby. You should just do coin collecting or any hobby for fun. Hobbies are just hobbies.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4691 Posts |
There is no right or wrong. I have completed many sets including a 7070 set, a Barber half set, and a Walking half set, then I upgrade them as opportunity permits. It's all what makes you comfortable.
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Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
'scottk', I find it interesting that you placed this topic in this forum rather than the specialised American coinage forums.
You got some asnwers which are the right ones if you are a collector of a narrow area, then to have better coins is the target.
This does not hold true if you are interested in a diversity of coinages, depending what those areas are you might never be able to establish a collection of top quality coins.
You have to determine what your goals are in collecting, there is no absolute answer to your question.
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Valued Member
United States
337 Posts |
I look at it this way, how often will you see those lower grade coins and be able to buy some, and will ou ever find that quality coin again? I say get the quality coin while it is available, and you can always find lower grade coins.
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Replies: 23 / Views: 4,045 |
Posted 12/13/2014 12:54 pm
