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 Replies: 26 / Views: 3,399 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7273 Posts |
Poll Question
A few weeks ago I was talking "emailing" a fellow collector and we started talking about Quality Vs. Quantity.
For example some collectors will buy the best coin they want, others will get 10-20 coins for the same price. As an example one can get a high Mint State Walking Liberty for a few hundred or get 10-20 VG/F Walking Liberties for the same price.
I for one usually set on a budget and get coins that follow that budget. If a higher grade date is more money I get a lower grade coin, but I strive to get a full collection. What do you do? Quality or Quantity?
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
8938 Posts |
I voted quality. I've spent well over 15k on my type set and if I focused on quantity could have completed it long ago for a fraction of the price. Instead I focused on quality, and look how it's turning out, the coins are, if I may say so myself, spectacular.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7273 Posts |
Edited by hfjacinto
08/26/2020 10:35 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8938 Posts |
You certainly have some very nice examples.
I appreciate your compliment! I do have the advantage of not having to deal with many life expenses so I can divert more funds to coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
After many years of collecting my experience has been that quality coins increase in value. "Quantity" coins do not increase.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5663 Posts |
Quality for sure. It's easy to accumulate lots of cheaper, lower grade coins, but then all you'll have is a lot of cheap low grade coins. Eventually most people will want to upgrade, so they may as well be patient and get quality coins to start.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1333 Posts |
depends for sure if you happy with spending like a drunken sailor then quality matters and if you have the time, however if you like silver or just want something to look at from time to time. I however like the hunt I know where I like to end up but the journey matter to me. :D
Edited by ryurazu
08/27/2020 02:50 am
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
It depends
For common and cheap dates and coins - get the best possible, if you are buying a coin worth $1 - get it Uncirculated.
However if its a rare date and hardly seen, like a 1905 UK Halfcrown I am looking it which is like worn down to Fair/About Good - I am buying it as its a rare date and its better than no coin - plus if a better one comes along I can buy it then.
Mostly I buy the best and then upgrade really below average examples. Take NZ Silver before 1946, most of it is VG/Fine, so a gVF coin is well above average - but so much cheaper than AU/UNC to the point the gVF coin may 2 - 3 times as much as Average, but like 1/20th the cost of UNC.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
As for which way you choose it all boils down to value for money, to my way of thinking.
If you buy quantity, it works
provided you can flip the coins you don't need for at least a small profit.
It that option isn't viable, go for quality vs value for money.
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
I voted Quantity , I'm somewhat like Helder wanting to fill multiple sets . My coin budget was always on the low side but lately has increased somewhat . I do take pride in some of my high grade MS coins but I've always been a raw circulated Mid to high grade coin collector of multiple dates and mints . If I put every cent I ever spent on Quality instead of Quantity I would have Thousands of less coins but a nice bunch of pristine rarities ! For the newbies that are just starting out collecting ; Heed my words : Buy the highest grade coins that you can afford ,and DUMP the idea of just filling albums as fast as you can however, if you just want to have a lot of fun coin collecting on a low budget than go for it !  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7935 Posts |
I voted "It Depends." My most valuable coins were purchased when my income was higher. Now, in semi-retirement, I am working on an OFEY collection that will ultimately number about 300 coins, so I am often settling for medium grades on lower denominations, though if I see a coin I really like, I will open my wallet a bit more than planned.
But I am enjoying it no less, maybe more (because I have never cared about appreciation).
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5029 Posts |
It depends.
Quality usually. But I find when I start a new set of something I am like a little kid again and my excitement takes over. Once that is out of my system I am back to quality for that particular set.
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12258 Posts |
I answered "quality."
Coin collecting, for me, has always been a long-term endeavor. I've never felt a need to quickly complete any set on which I've worked. So, I have also always placed quality above quantity. If it meant delaying a purchase until more funds were available, so be it - I've tried hard to never just "fill holes."
Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Moderator
United States
187862 Posts |
I said it depends.  For much of my collecting career I have been completing date-mint sets in Dansco albums. This might look like a "quantity" thing in the eyes of a type collector (all those "duplicates" in a collection). Given my budget I preferred having filled holes to higher quality, at least in general. My Dansco 7070 has not been immune to the "fill the hole cheap" mentality.  When I started my PCGS Ike set four years ago, I went in thinking quality over quantity. I took my time and got the best coins as my budget allowed for them. Once the Dansco albums are finally filled (six holes left), I may focus on quality for future sets. Might be fun to build a slabbed version of the 7070.  |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
251 Posts |
Particularly recently, quality. Used to be the opposite and want quantity, but then hey who doesn't as a young child? I've recently been focusing on strictly a very small number of sets, and going for nicer examples within. If that means I can't start any new sets for a long while, then so be it.
However, not being fussed over minor varieties means I can afford to spend more on each individual coin (for instance there are 10+ varieties for some pre-decimal pennies, however I really only care about having ONE for the set - I never really see why people want to pay hundreds or even thousands of pounds for a coin that's essentially the same as one that would cost £20, except for some minute detail that you need a microscope for).
Edited by Collector28
08/27/2020 12:26 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4333 Posts |
The hundreds of junk halves I bought less than a year ago have all doubled in value.
Edit: whoops I didn't mean to say junk
When I listen to LED ZEPPELIN...so do my neighbors...
Roll hunting since '77
Dirt fishing since '72
Edited by fistfulladirt
08/27/2020 12:50 pm
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Replies: 26 / Views: 3,399 |
Posted 08/26/2020 10:26 pm
, although it will never compete with yours since vast majority of my coins are unslabbed or in Anacs holders.
