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 Replies: 16 / Views: 1,084 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1107 Posts |
So, I've taken a stance on always collecting the same types of coins. My main enjoyment has been collecting the Lincoln cents series and Jefferson nickels. I've also enjoyed other nickel sets as well. I feel it's almost more interesting collecting the various time frames of specific coins, I.E., Jeffersons from 38-2005, and then 2006 newer, Lincoln cents from 1909-2009, and then various Shield cents. Upgrading the coins I already have, adding satin finish coins, etc. I have attempted to collect in some cases other various coins. However, after time has gone by, I lose interest in them and basically stop. I am sort of going through this right now with my Susan B Anthony, Sacagawea and Liberty nickels. I had a Dansco album full of business strike Kennedy half dollars that I basically broke down, sold the silver coins, and sold the album. I don't know, I was about halfway through the book and I was like, "I'm not feeling this. It's.... boring." Does anyone else go through things like this? Edited by Humanist1287
11/25/2025 1:25 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
6449 Posts |
I have had the same experience when contemplating long runs of essentially identical coins. It just doesn't spark my interest to assemble a large pile of nice coins that are different only by their dates and mint marks. To an extent, I also feel that way about superlatives like full steps or full bands. Only a tiny sliver of microscopic metal makes it special or ordinary. That's the main reason why variety hunting has captured my interest so strongly—I am actively searching for something unusual and possibly valuable using knowledge and technical skills.
If you want to dabble in other denominations, have you considered building a type set or two? You could build one for nice grade coins, and another for the coins that you like the most. That's would be compact and achievable, and get you out of the business of collecting long runs of coins that you might eventually find boring.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19108 Posts |
Numismatic pursuits will almost always be in flux--not a bad thing. What interests a collector--and why--is usually a personal matter. Do what you enjoy.
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Moderator
 United States
187446 Posts |
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"I'm not feeling this. It's.... boring." Does anyone else go through things like this? I had a time when I was "not feeling" the 7070. It was after I had all the more modern holes filled (aka, "the cheap stuff"). It took a few years for me to get excited and start spending the "bigger money" on it. After that, it was another fifteen years or so, but I got it done.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
25562 Posts |
I have not been collecting for nearly as long as many of the members here but I decided early on that I liked the pure silver coins that were produced for collectors. My first purchases were American Silver Eagle Proofs, America The Beautiful Silver Proof Quarters sets and Presidential Silver Medals.
I now regularly collect silver coins from six different countries; US, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Australia and South Africa. This gives me enough variety so I don't get bored with or tired of any coins I collect. Collecting BU, Certified and Proofs also adds to the variety.
My American Silver Eagle collection http://goccf.com/t/448125My random silver coin collection http://goccf.com/t/449270 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
613 Posts |
One nice collecting goal I have and enjoy is to collect coins from around the world minted in my birth year. It is not too costly and it is an educational trip around the globe.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
You don't decide at first - start collecting then let time make the decision for you - it's a conglomerate of price, quality, and what you end up really liking that will make your decision. It's almost like "Predestination" !
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
25562 Posts |
It was different with me, Marve. Once I received my first Silver Eagles in the mail I knew what type of coins I wanted to collect. I eventually discovered the Silver Swan and Libertad and then the Silver Krugerrand, etc.
I've continued working backward and forward to get as many different years that I can of the silver coins I regularly collect.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
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It was different with me, Marve. I understand. I started with Wheat cents when I was a kid because we did chores for 25˘ - we would ride our bikes to the banks and ask for a few dollars of rolled cents then search them in the banks parking lot looking for wheats. Back then we didn't even know about key and semi-key wheats. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
25562 Posts |
That's interesting, Marve. When I was a kid I spent my change on baseball cards.
I didn't start collecting coins until 2019. That's why I've had to work backwards to get the earlier years.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
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That's why I've had to work backwards to get the earlier years. Funny how people start at different destinations and end up at the same ending. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
25562 Posts |
Most of the coins I collect were being produced long before I started collecting. I've been working backwards a lot more than working forward.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
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. I've been working backwards a lot more than working forward. Yes - moving forwards seem to be less "Coins" and more "Medals" - the good old days of collecting rare business coin strikes seems to be over. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5029 Posts |
The set collecting mentality is a tough one to follow at times. I do not focus any more on specific items - intentionally. However, contrary to most, my biggest growth item has always been my library. I'd rather a good reference to use for research and the history of an item than owning an example I can not tell someone about. We all take our own journey. As long as you can find your own joy in what you are adding to your collection you will never be bored. It need not make any sense to others  |
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
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However, contrary to most, my biggest growth item has always been my library. It is okay to say you collect (coin) books more than coins. There is nothing wrong with that at all! I married a lady who collects books.  |
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Valued Member
United States
139 Posts |
I've struggled with what to collect. I only started collecting coins in the past two years so I have a lot of catching up to do. I've tried to collect as many of the US coin sets as I could. Shortly realized that CRH would take forever and likely never be able to complete any set that way. I've also realized I'll never own a 1909 S VDB LWC so that set can never be completed (and now the 2025 LSC Proofs are prohibitive). I've gone from only silver coins to only proof coins to focusing on one denomination. Someday, as I complete some sets I think I'll give up on others (ALL Morgans as an example). I love looking through my albums and folders to see how far I've come and I think that for me, that is the greatest satisfaction, regardless of knowing that I'll never have a 100% collection of certain coins. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 1,084 |
Posted 11/25/2025 1:52 pm
