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 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,653 |
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New Member
United States
33 Posts |
Hello All, I am a "Beginner" to coin collecting I use the quotes because I collected when I was younger with my father, who has since passed away, but got away from it and am looking to start again. I should mention I have nothing left from my old collection and am truly starting from scratch. Now here is what I am seeking to start out collecting: 1. Lincoln Cents 1959-2019 2. Jefferson nickels 1938-2019 3. Roosevelt dimes 1965-2019 4. Washington quarters (Including State & National Park) 1965-2019 All coins I am seeking in MS-60 or better. I am quite content with MS-60 as its what my father collected and I always thought those coins looked nice. I know those ideas do not sound as "sexy" as some would think. But those 4 sets having special meaning to me as they were what I was working on as a kid with my father. I do eventually plan on expanding my horizons but for now those will do. Now all that leads me to my question. To start is it better to buy and cut up mint sets or buy MS-60 grade coins from dealers? The reason I ask is I have been pricing state and national park quarters and to buy complete sets of both (Up to 2018 for National Parks) it would cost between 300-400 dollars (Now that is using the only 2 online coin shops I know of Village Coin Shop & Littleton Coin Shop). But yet if I used Amazon and Village I would get every mint set from 1999-2019 for around 250 dollars. So I guess my thoughts are what is the catch? Because it seems from online coin shops the offer a Brilliant Uncirculated coin which they seem to grade MS-60 and yet is that not at worst what would come out of these Mint sets as well? I wanted to give you guys a look into my thoughts process of things but I am dying to hear all yours. So, please if anyone has any advise on how I can hit the ground running with my "re-start" in coin collecting I am all ears. Thanks for listening! Brett |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Brett:-  to the CCF ! One approach to consider is to take two of the best examples of every commemorative coin you can find from circulation. Cost? Face value. I still do that!  A next step is to take two of the best examples of every date and mint mark from circulation, of every of every denomination. Cost? Face value. THEN You may consider actually going to a coin shop and searching through dealer's junk bins to fill the designs and dates and mint marks that you don't have. Cost? Perhaps one dime for most purchases. Coin Roll Hunting (CRH), is also a great way to go, and with a bit of luck, you may pick some rare and significant error coins. Along the way, you will get to learn how errors come about, and how coins are made. You will also get the first steps into how to identify and expose fake coins. Cost? Face value, plus time and effort, and perhaps a pair of sore eyes. BY then, you may have caught the coin collecting bug, and by then you may have already purchased coin albums coin pocket pages, coin flips, and coin catalogs. It starts to get a little serious after that. For example, coin slabs and significant money purchases of rare coins. For my part, I went down the ancient coin gurgler, and then into World coins, covering all of the past 26 centuries, over which coins have been used. These days, I am even into international public coin auctions. Edited by sel_69l
07/22/2019 03:16 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1667 Posts |
I'd think if you have your mind set on MS60 or better, mint sets would be the best way to do that. You'll struggle finding mint state coins from circulation and there will be considerable time and effort to do it. One problem with the mint sets though will be the cost to get those early Jefferson nickel's from mint sets so probably best to buy those as individuals. Pre-1959 mint sets are gonna be expensive and they won't go back before 1947. You could buy those sets if you decided to get into MS dimes and halves and quarters or cents before 1959 but expensive sets for 1 coin that isn't the expensive one from the mint set isn't a good idea. Other than that the mint sets from 2005-2010 the coins were a satin finish. It's a minor difference between the mint set coins and circulation strikes and up to you but figure you should know about that too incase you don't know. The 2009 mint set has copper Lincoln cents so you'll probably want to buy the zinc Lincoln examples of circulation strikes separately also. You should avoid Littleton it's expensive in general. I don't know the other one. Most mint sets you could get pretty cheaply from ebay with the exceptions of the shipping costs so finding a local coin shop or monthly coin show where you could get mint sets cheaply would be best with no shipping costs. Mint sets will net you At least MS64 level coins. the coins are nice usually. And you'll get each of the P+D for each year at once and it will start you on other sets you dont list like the Kennedy halves and dollar coins to keep you going. Finally if you are doing this, probably buy the 2019 mint set from the u.s. mint website, it comes with a W mint mark Lincoln Cent free with it packaged seperately and once they stop selling that set I think that coin will be difficult or more costly to get than from the mint now. Getting that now wouldfrom them would be the cheapest way to do it and get the set complete. BU is just coins in Mint State, coins from MS60 or better. Gem BU would be MS 67 or better. All intact mint sets should be at least MS 60 or better also usually MS 65 average mint state or better. Good luck to you! Edited by Big-Kingdom
07/22/2019 03:58 am
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
to CCF. I recommend to first learn the basics in grading https://www.PCGS.com/Photograde/Get yourself a good jewelers loupe,10x or 12x Hastings triplet. A good light source. John1  |
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New Member
 United States
33 Posts |
Thanks for the advice all! I should have explained my plan was only to use mint sets to go so far back before switching to individual coins. Thanks again for all the tips!
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I have seen such a strategy of collecting mint or proof sets, going back year by year.
My mom did that, back in the 1990's with all silver Australian proof sets. My kids now are the owner of these.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Look up coin web sites and purchase what is called The Red Book by Whitman Publishing. Next look up coin shows and if any in your area, go to them and see what is available there first. |
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Valued Member
United States
135 Posts |
Watch out for mint sets from 2005 to 2010. They aren't actually business strike, but rather satin.
But yes, buying mint sets is a great way to get coins.
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Moderator
United States
187582 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Valued Member
Australia
369 Posts |
Quote:
I wanted to give you guys a look into my thoughts process of things but I am dying to hear all yours. So, please if anyone has any advise on how I can hit the ground running with my "re-start" in coin collecting I am all ears Best advice I can give is to listen to all advice and do what suits you. Everyone has different opinions on almost everything. There is no right or wrong way of doing things so enjoy yourself.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1272 Posts |
You'd do well to go to your bank and ask for boxes of these denominations. You'd put a large dent in these collections at the quality you are looking for - and at face value.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3733 Posts |
 , you will probably find lots of ms 60+ coins, in a box of bank coins, if you have the time to do so.. then when you narrow it down to a few holes that you can't find, you can put a want list here, or search them out at a coin shop.. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4212 Posts |
My advice would be to stick around awhile, get your post count up to where you could
post a want list. I've seen more than a handful of sets assembled this way.
Another option would be members ecrator sites. The prices are reasonable & some offer free shipping to
fellow members.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3207 Posts |
If you have time, for each slot in your album, save the best coin you find from circulation. If you have more money than time, on ebay you can buy albums other people filled, then look to upgrade the weaker coins. By mentioning MS-60 that tells me you want mint state coins. They can be found in circulation but require lots of looking. Determining the quality differences of, say, an MS-63 coin vs an MS-64 requires magnification, so get yourself a 5x or 10x loupe. Also, visit the coin grading forum here so you can learn the differences between MS coins. |
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New Member
United States
33 Posts |
Thanks all so the biggest thing I am learning is the quality of coin I am seeking can be found in rolled coins from the bank. I will give that a try I must admit I never really gave it a thought I figured simply MS-60 is also called Brilliant Uncirculated so how can it have been circulated. I may just give it a try and maybe I will come across a 2019-W National Park Quarter I have been hearing people talk about!
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Replies: 14 / Views: 1,653 |
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Posted 07/22/2019 03:44 am
