Ideas For Starting A Collection...

Welcome to CCF.

There are hundreds of different ways to start a coin collection.

I started by trying to get at least one coin from every different reign in Britain ( different rulers for England and Scotland until 1603), and then at least one coin from every current country, when I realised I could never afford even a cheap coin from reigns before 1100AD.

You could start by getting one of each denomination of US coins and then one of each type.

You need to learn to grade - https://www.PCGS.com/Photograde/ is pretty useful.

For prices, use https://www.NGCcoin.com/price-guide/united-states/

Join a coin club if there's one near you.

There are people who'll tell you it's better to have a few coins in top grade rather than lots of coins in lower grade but I prefer to have lots of coins in lower grade.

Buy yourself an album and keep a record of the coins you acquire including the date acquired, the supplier and the price paid.

Are you wanting to just collect from pocket change? Are you willing to buy coins that you need? If you are willing to buy how deep is your pocketbook?

If you just want coins made for circulation and you avoid varieties or coins made just for collectors all of the Lincoln memorial and clad dimes and quarters are available in circulation Halves and dollars are a little tougher since they don't readily circulate, but they aren't expensive. If you want to go a little further back the Jefferson nickels are a long and inexpensive set, the silver Roosevelt dimes are not difficult. If you want an older and larger coin Franklin halves are a good choice. Even the "key" coins aren't expensive unless you want them in Mint State. For several of the sets I mentioned many of the proofs and other "made for collector: coins aren't that hard to acquire.

One thing I must say though, most likely NONE of these sets are going to be something that you are going to be able to get your money back out of. For the most part coin collecting is a hobby, not an investment, and especially not with circulated modern coins.

I believe the best way to start a coin collection today is CRH, ''Coin Roll Hunting'' . Start with Lincoln cents and Jefferson nickels . As stated above pick up the 2018 Red Book of U.S. coins ,and get ready to enter a new dimension in life .

@Condor: Perhaps my post was vague. I apologize.

This past weekend, I was bored and had several jars of change. I decided (for whatever reason) to start rummaging through them. I've always had an interest in coinage, but have made very little attempt to start a collection. After finding some interesting, albeit worthless items, it peaked my interest in to starting something up.

I've always been very partial to half dollars. I like having them. I like spending them. I just like everything about them. So I likely answered my own question, but more or less looking for pointers.

To answer your question: yes, I am willing to purchase what may be needed.

One thing I don't quite get is grading. It seems there are several different companies. Who do I avoid? Who's best?

If you ask nicely, most banks can get you a box ($500) of half dollars. Most boxes have at least one silver coin, and the handful that I sorted through each had more than 90% of all circulation issues, usually in high XF-AU. Fill up an album from that, spend or deposit the rest, and then you will have an idea of what you need to focus on. Lots of members here are heavy into hunting through half boxes, and would be more than happy to sell or trade the tougher dates that weren't issued for circulation, namely the 1970, 1987 and all issues 2002 onward.

I'd also echo that a type collection of earlier halves would be a good supplement--get an uncirculated (but not necessarily graded) Franklin and Walking Liberty, and aim for at least problem-free VF for the rest. Don't settle for problem coins that you will need to sell at a loss later!

Maybe you could extend half dollars into an international collections, coins that are the size of half dollars or coins that are the "2nd highest circulating denomination" of the issue at the time. Something that may help in the future is to consider not only what interests you, but why something does. What is it about half dollars that interests you? Is it the design, the size, the metal content, the utility/functionality? Once you figure that out, it will give you insight on ways to expand your collection.

I am completely biased. Start with a set of Ikes.

I would say that at this stage in your collecting life, you should not be buying coins graded by grading companies or sending them in to be graded/ slabbed.

You should first learn how to grade, from books or by taking a grading course.

Read the many threads about grading, here in the CCF, and you might well be totally confused at first, but eventually you will see patterns.