Total Beginner Who Needs Help

Found this role looks like its in good condition but most of them from the roll are from '62 and '63 where it looks like the older coins are selling for higher.

I think you should start collecting a set or sets of coins that you find interesting to you as far as the look of the coin as well as,and this is what interests me, history around the coin or history going on at the time the coin was minted. You will have innumerable choices. I have several sets interesting to me for several reasons.
I am hoping one day to complete a nice Morgan set because the coin is just an attractive big coin, had been minted during the old west, and will be a good investment and maybe something to pass down to my kids. My "fun set" is the Liberty V nickels which are relatively inexpensive in AG or G.

Welcome to the forum iron1! You have received a bunch of great options already. Most will tell you to collect what YOU want to collect. This is very true. Having said that, depending on your exposure thus far to some of the older types of coins that are no longer in circulation, I would suggest visiting a local show or a local coin shop. Something may just jump out and you and give you that "itch". Most if not all series are relatively easy to collect in lower grades. There are a few exceptions of course, and some of the older silver will be at least the current melt price.

Regardless of what you chose, have fun with it. Lincoln cents are very popular, mainly because a lot of the set can be filled up quickly with regular pocket change. These will probably go up in value since the design is due to change next year I believe.

Just do yourself a big favor up front and buy some books and do some research before jumping in too deep.

I think it will come down to what your idea of relatively cheap is.

If I were you I'd first decide which series interest you... One of the best ways to do this is to start a type set.

One suggestion I'd make if you decide to create a type set is to NOT start out with the type set album by Dansco (on here you'll see it referenced as the 7070.) There are too many high dollar coins in that album regardless of what your definition of cheap is. Instead I'd try the 20th century type set by album by Whitman. You should be able to put that together in uncirculated relatively inexpensively. More than likely you'll run across 2 or 3 uncirculated examples which you find REALLY attractive.

Once you've got an idea for a couple of series you'd be interested in putting together I would look at the prices of the series keys and figure out which ones are out of reach.

I don't understand why so many people suggest putting together a Lincoln set for beginners. I've been collecting for 30 years and still haven't finished my Lincoln set. I suppose you could just go with the memorials but I don't see those increasing in value as much as some of the other sets.

The Mercury dime set isn't too bad except for the 16D. If you don't have a problem with having one glaring hole in your album, these coins are very pretty.

Sets which I think can be put together relatively cheaply are the Jeffersons, Roosevelts, Franklins, Kennedys, All $'s from Ike on.
If you want to stretch your budget I'd recommend the Barber Halfs and possibly the Barber dimes. These will take you a while, and you will run into a few in each set which will run the $100-$200 range but as a whole aren't too bad.

I think Lincoln Memorial Cents would be a better start. While I agree they probably wont appreciate that much, it is still a fun set that is easily completed from circulation, at least for now.


If you want to roll-search, the Jefferson nickel is probably the best way to go. There are a few people here that have gotten down to needing one or two coins just by searching rolls.

While still found in rolls or in circulation, The Roosevelt dimes, Franklin and Kennedy half dollars, and Eisenhower dollars will require some purchases to complete. However, they are reasonably priced and attainable for the most modest of budgets.

Hey, guys, would you mind if I give him a suggestion for a series with lots of inexpensive dates and up to 140+ years old? No? Okay, I'll be quiet now.

I'm kind of new at this myself, but in my opinion the Jefferon Nickels (starting 1938) are a fun, easy and cheap series to collect. I just started buying rolls of them at my bank about a week ago, and I've already found a handful of old nickels, even a 1936 Buffalo nickel. Just tonight I found a 1941, a 1947, and three more in the 60's, all from two rolls I bought at Wal-Mart. The guy who runs my local coin shop also sells me nickels as old as 1938 for only 10 cents each. Well, I hope this and all the other great suggestions helps. Have fun with whatever you choose to do.