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 Replies: 24 / Views: 3,233 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5184 Posts |
The "cheap" coins mentioned earlier are no longer cheap it seems. For instance, the 1888 mombasa 1 rupee can easily be $150+. Apparently, a lot has changed in a couple of months!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3324 Posts |
I would consider myself a history buff before a coin buff. The main reason I started collecting was the tie-in to historic events. My interest is American history. I enjoy seeing and holding old items (coins, notes, and others) that provide a tangible link to my interests. My family came to America from Europe. I've started becoming interested in coins from those areas from the time when they would have been there. A coin or token that links me to the past will always provide interesting diversion.
Perceived value rarely enters into my equation. If it did, I may want to venture farther afield. But for now, there are plenty of local examples to hold my attention.
"Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1610 Posts |
Bump111 - Great sentiment. I too love the historical links to coins and tokens.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7940 Posts |
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My family came to America from Europe. I've started becoming interested in coins from those areas from the time when they would have been there A (small) theme in my collection is genealogial birthyear coins. I have world coins from my birthyear; Philadelphia mint coins for mine and my parents' birthyears (my dad and I were both born in Philly); a U.S. type set for the year my paternal grandfather stepped off the boat (also in Philadelphia); a coin from the year of my paternal grandfather's birthyear minted as close as I could get to where he lived, and a coin from my paternal great grandfather's birthyear from where he lived. That's as far back as I can go for now on birthyears. But currently the largest part of my collection is a OFER/OFEY from the country of my paternal ancestors (Poland / Poland-Lithuania). Edited by tdziemia
11/24/2021 07:27 am
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5173 Posts |
Quote:Take for example the 1916-D Mercury dime. This date and mint mark had a total mintage of 216,000 pieces. Graded good, this coin can fetch around a $1,000. By many world standards, this is a pretty high mintage number. Even by many American standards, this is a pretty high mintage number. Compare the 1860-S Seated dime, which had a mintage of 140,000; you can get an ANACS EF-40 for $550 right now on eBay and I see no indication that this is a particularly low price. (Numismedia FMV is $528 for this grade, less than a tenth of that for 1916-D.) That said, comparing with NCLT is a mess at the best of times. Lots of NCLT coins have fairly low mintages and it doesn't make them valuable in the slightest. |
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
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For most decades it wasn't narcissism which drove Americans only to American coinage I don't agree with that at all. Americans like their country and the classic coins. Who wants coins with despots and monarchs on them. The theme of US coins has been liberty. You can blame that on narcissism but I think the objection itself is narcissistic. Markets don't lie. US coins are popular with collectors because the public likes them more. I would even venture to say that they are flat better designs and they excite people. World coins are designed to project political power. US coins were made to use up all the Pitt Silver with pretty pictures. this is boring and has a lousy message https://www.allcoinvalues.com/unite...ng-head.htmlThis is beautiful and has an uplifting message https://coinvalues.com/morgan-silver-dollar/1878 |
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
Quote:Compare the 1860-S Seated dime, which had a mintage of 140,000; Discussing mintage (supply) without evaluating demand is useless if one is talking about monetary value. |
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7940 Posts |
That was quite the gauntlet thrown down a couple of posts back on what we collect and why, what is uplifting and what isn't  I can agree that for many monarchies, the designs were often formulaic: monarch's portrait and titles obverse, and coat of arms or national symbol reverse. But if I try to be objective, weren't American coins just as formulaic for most of their history? Liberty obverse and eagle reverse (or something even less inspiring reverse on smaller denominations). The 20th century brought us more in line with traditional monarchial coinage designs, even if that wasn't the intention. I can think of plenty of beautiful and uplifting designs from autocracies like the Papal States (who had the advantage of Renaissance sculptors to engrave their coins), Archbishopric of Salzburg, and so on. Then there are the Belle Epoque / Art Nouveau designs of the French Republic. I think how we react to our coins depends on who we are just as much as it depends on what the coins look like. |
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Replies: 24 / Views: 3,233 |
First Page
Posted 11/18/2021 3:47 pm
