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 Replies: 18 / Views: 2,949 |
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Valued Member
United States
61 Posts |
What are the criteria that separate classic from modern coinage?
I received 3 v-nickels for Christmas and noticed that they are listed as "classic" and not "modern" on the forum headers.
I also have some miscellaneous world coins and are wondering if they would fall into the classic or modern category.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2368 Posts |
Modern coins depict a real person, like Lincoln or Eisenhower. Classic coins depict Liberty (Barber Half) or some other design ( Shield nickel). The classic/modern designation only applies to US coins. Edited by wheatchaser140
12/26/2014 07:27 am
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
It's arbitrary. There's no written rule. We arbitrarily chose 1950, I think - circulation then or later, it's a Modern.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
937 Posts |
Well, if you talk to a collector of ancients then all US coins are 'modern'. It all depends on your point of view. Even among collectors of ancients this question can stir up some serious debate. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
655 Posts |
SsuperDdave is right, it's completely arbitrary. Any coin currently in circulation is clearly modern, any no longer in circulation one could argue is now classic. I suppose if one is 60 years old then a Franklin half feels modern, if one is 14 then a Susan B Anthony dollar feels like a classic. It's all good. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
Personally, as far as U.S. Coins.... I consider the first year of issue..... 18th and 19th century = classic.....20th and 21st century = modern.... works for me. Another thought....perhaps contemporary is a better word for currently circulating issues?
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
In our case we had to set a line for practical purposes, of course, but everyone knows it's negotiable in the real world.  |
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Pillar of the Community
2087 Posts |
This classic/Modern issue must be unique to the USA. For me anything produced after the development of the screw press(in other words milled) is modern.
Edited by austrokiwi
12/26/2014 11:41 am
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Valued Member
United States
83 Posts |
I'm with NJ Bob. If it's common in circulation, I would probably consider it modern (minus the Franklin halves and SBAs) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1037 Posts |
With US commemoratives, the modern era began with the 1982 George Washington 250th Anniversary half dollar.
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Moderator
United States
16679 Posts |
I like to think of it in terms of antiques. For me, anything 1920 and prior constitutes an antique.
So, any coin minted after 1920, to me, is modern.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5854 Posts |
I tend to separate the two at approximately the time when precious metals were largely removed from circulating coinage and replaced with the current system of fiat money. Since all I have ever known is fiat money, coins that were made of precious metals just feels like a classic to me even though the design may still be found on circulating coinage today.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
I like to think of it in terms of antiques. For me, anything 1920 and prior constitutes an antique.
So, any coin minted after 1920, to me, is modern. Not sure about other place but in Illinois an antique auto is one that is 25 + years old. No set date, just 25 years. I'd like to think of coins as being antique if they will not fit a gum ball machine.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2815 Posts |
For me, the Franklin half was the last "classic" coin series in the US. I can't seem to think of it as modern. |
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Moderator
United States
188770 Posts |
Quote: For me, the Franklin half was the last "classic" coin series in the US. I can't seem to think of it as modern. You know, it is still a newer design than the cent, nickel, dime, and quarter (at least the original designs of each, not counting modern updates). Had JFK not been killed, we would still have Franklin half dollars being minted today. wheatchaser140 has it right, at least as far as how CCF has them divided. Also, as SsuperDdave said, our reasons are practical; could you image having only one forum for all US coins?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2815 Posts |
Yes, the Franklin half is newer than those coins, but it doesn't look newer to me. Circulated Franklins just have that "old money" look and feel. Maybe it's because he wasn't a president, I don't know. I know that it doesn't make much sense, especially because it is a newer design, but this impression of the Franklin half has just stuck with me. |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 2,949 |
Posted 12/26/2014 09:05 am
