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 Replies: 26 / Views: 3,561 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2205 Posts |
Do you have a coin or series that you find particularly alluring? It could be for any reason--dates, compelling design, oldness, stories you've read about it, etc.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1475 Posts |
I find why some series of US coins have high survival rates compared to others, such as Bust halves & Morgan dollars. Stories behind them are fascinating. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1559 Posts |
Interesting topic with hundreds if not thousands of designs and origins! I'm particularly fond of coins depicting Native Americans, the Indian Head cent, the Buffalo nickel etc... And all gold coins  I also like a lot of the medieval coins. Roman mostly, as well as some of the commemorative's and Trade dollars mostly for their intricate designs and themes. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4469 Posts |
The Trade dollar is the only US coin to be demoitized. The coin was sent to China in trade and returned with chop marks. Business men scamed their employees by paying them with Trade dollars. The business man would buy raw silver for 90 cents on the dollar and take the silver to the mint and have Trade dollars made and pay their employees with Trade dollars. The Trade dollar was never intended for circulation, but ended up in circulation because some employees were being paid in Trade dollars. When the employee tried to buy goods the merchants only wanted to give 90 cents in goods. The banks were not required to take Trade dollars for deposit or exchange for other currency. This unloved coin has very few books written about it. Interesting that the coin is one of the most counterfeited US coins. Edited by Slider23
02/19/2018 12:21 pm
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
I have nearly completed most of the series I'm interested in, just by happen stance. I collect by date, rather than by series. That gives me the advantage of becoming familiar with all the different types, rather than learning about a single series in depth.
The early coins are excluded from so many collectors want list because of the price. When you are talking Flowing Hair, there is no denomination that's easy. Same with the Draped Bust, small eagle reverse. You could also call them ugly, if you are going strictly by artistic appeal (or lack thereof).
But the more I've learned as I continue my coin quest is that if you stay with no problem examples, there are many of those very early issues that are really "beautiful" in F-12, or even any VG.
To a certain extent, I was a snob on anything older than 1820, because if I couldn't buy it in MS something, it wasnt something I would be interested in.
Now that I've collected a few of those no problem early date coins, I'm completely amazed at how much I do appreciate those "lower" grades of fine and below.
So I've been rounding up the early type, rather than leaving for the end of my type set pursuits, and with each one I land I appreciate the importance of protecting and passing on those lovely pieces of our early heritage.
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Valued Member
United States
149 Posts |
I've always liked the Peace dollar. It has a lovely design (an answer to a call for victory design after WWI with many renowned designers taking part) with some interesting stories attached (modeled on the artist's wife, last minute changes to obverse & die), it's a small enough run to not be daunting to collect (24 examples date/mint), it has a unique production history (meant to replace melting of Morgans during WWI, stopped production after legislated silver amount was minted), and there's even the addendum of the 1964 mintage that was supposedly all melted. That's a lot for one coin! Edited by Coronet1832
02/19/2018 4:55 pm
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Pillar of the Community
7234 Posts |
Flying Eagle cents! I try to buy one every now and then.  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2205 Posts |
I've always found the 1922 Plain Lincoln Cent to be intriguing, because it makes it look like cents were made in Philadelphia that year. In fact, when I first started collecting, I thought the "1922-Pl" I would see some dealers use as a description actually meant 1922-P, as if they were trying to make it sound like it was from Philly. Normally Philadelphia issues have large mintages and thus can be pretty boring. But this seeming Philadelphia coin is not what it seems. AHHHH!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2205 Posts |
Quote:The Trade dollar is the only US coin to be demoitized. The coin was sent to China in trade and returned with chop marks. Business men scamed their employees by paying them with Trade dollars. The business man would buy raw silver for 90 cents on the dollar and take the silver to the mint and have Trade dollars made and pay their employees with Trade dollars. The Trade dollar was never intended for circulation, but ended up in circulation because some employees were being paid in Trade dollars. When the employee tried to buy goods the merchants only wanted to give 90 cents in goods. The banks were not required to take Trade dollars for deposit or exchange for other currency. This unloved coin has very few books written about it. Interesting that the coin is one of the most counterfeited US coins. That's fascinating information, Slider! Thanks! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3324 Posts |
I am drawn to the "orphan" coins such as 2-cent and 20-cent pieces. Those are interesting to me because they failed for one reason or another. Plus, I like the look of the 2-cent coin. It isn't really like any other U.S. coin. Other than the 3-cent silver and Shield nickel, I think we've always had a personage of some sort on them (not counting colonials and such.) Edit: after reading some of the other posts, I guess you could say the F.E. cent doesn't have a personage. But I was thinking of design elements rather than living things. "Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
Edited by Bump111
02/19/2018 2:09 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8715 Posts |
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Moderator
 United States
188513 Posts |
If I had the budget I would certainly like to have more capped bust coinage in my collection.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
824 Posts |
I really like the Capped Bust Halves and Seated Liberty halves and was not really interested in any other types until recently. Since I joined this forum, I am starting to like the early Half Cents and the early quarters. I do prefer the early 1800's coinage over any other time. |
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New Member
United States
12 Posts |
I always loved the Morgans, Peace, Silver Eagles, Capped Bust, and V. Nickels. I collect the all.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2125 Posts |
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Replies: 26 / Views: 3,561 |
Posted 02/19/2018 11:59 am
