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 Replies: 16 / Views: 3,375 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1388 Posts |
I have a question that most would think is pretty dumb... I would like to know the timeframes that are considered "Classic Era Coins" and "Modern Era coins"... I think I know modern started in the 1900's but I'm not exactly sure if I'm wrong, right, or in the ballpark range...  ... Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2120 Posts |
i think modern is a loose term. to me it refers to current designs and any design the ended within the last 10 years.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
I consider classics as non-circulating, regular issue coins. Lincoln cents still circulate so I consider all of them (wheat and memorial) as moderns. This is just how I interpret the categories. You're welcome to develop your own criteria, unless Bobby (forum dad) creates a rule.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2120 Posts |
ditto on the lincoln concept.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
You can also introduce 1964 as a guideline as well since that year represented the end of intrinsic coinage. Classic coins are generally thought of as ones that are no longer circulating but no one would think of Ikes or SBAs(barely circulating) as "classic" but they should be considered modern since they were introduced in the post-silver era. Conversely, any coin with a still-circulating design should be considered as modern regardless of composition changes.
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Moderator
 Australia
16827 Posts |
I personally don't like the way Americans subdivide their coinage into "Classic" and "Modern", mainly because "Modern" already has a definition used by historians and numismatists: the "Modern" period, as opposed to the "Ancient" and "Mediaeval" periods, began sometime around 1450 AD and continues to the present day. I put my "ancient and mediaeval" coins in one album, and my "modern" coins in my other 15 albums. From my perspective, all US coins are "modern". But if you want to know the definitions Bobby laid down when he split the US coins forum into "Classic" and "Modern", just look at the subheadings for those two subforums on the forum mainpage: Quote:Modern US coins: Lincoln Cents, Jefferson nickels, Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, Franklin halves, Kennedy halves, Presidential dollars, Sacagawea dollars, SBA Dollars, Eisenhower dollars, All Bullion Eagles ..... Classic US coins: Half Cents, Large Cents, Flying Eagle cents, Indian cents, Two Cents, Three Cents, Half Dimes, Shield nickels, Liberty V nickels, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes, Twenty Cents, Standing Liberty quarters, Walking Liberty half dollars, Trade dollars, Morgan dollars, Peace dollars, Flowing Hair Coinage, Bust Coins, Seated Liberty coinage, Barber coinage, Gold Coins It's not so much a precise timeframe or a cutoff date, but a somewhat subjective judgement on whether or not people are sentimental about them. Example: Lincoln wheat cents (1909-1958) are "modern", while Mercury dimes (1916-1945) are "classic", despite the fact that the period of issue of the Mercury dime falls entirely within the period of issue of the Wheat cent. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1571 Posts |
SAP, I agree, with one exception, the Mercury dime. I also understand your reasoning, to its placement. The design is of the "classic era", and by rights should be considered classic, but the dates are the thing that must determine where it should be placed. "IMHO, any coin minted with the Lincoln bust, shoulad be considered modern, lest the design be declared classic, and with it the 2010 cent, be a "classic? The Modernera coins are a complete contradiction, as dfar as the designs are concerned, but bobby has made the distinction, and I won't quibble. I think he has done an outstanding job, and we all benefit, as a result.  Dick |
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Moderator
United States
188415 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3294 Posts |
My view is that anything with a real person on it is a modern. Anything with liberty, or a generic Indian is classic. Exception for the silver eagles and commemoratives.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
My view is that anything with a real person on it is a modern. Which would make Morgan and Peace dollars Moderns, since both had busts of single, living women models.  I've always compartmentalized this in my mind - one must apply entirely differing definitions (per Sap's wise words) to World coinage as opposed to US coinage. For US coinage, my personal opinion is that any US coin which can be found with a date of 1950 or later is a Modern. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2120 Posts |
Quote:
I personally don't like the way Americans Well I dont like they way Australians... uh... have... I got nothing...  |
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Pillar of the Community
Luxembourg
588 Posts |
To my understanding modern coins are machine struck coins - thus US coins would all be modern coins. But on the other hand since the introduction of the euro here, you can say everything before that era is classic era in the euro-countries... or classic era ends already with the introduction of the franc or the decimal system or... ;) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
modern and classic coinage is COMPLETELY subjective, and can mean hundreds of different things to hundreds of different people. a classic coin to 1 person could be a 2009 LP1. likewise, a modern coin to another person could be an Indian Head penny |
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Valued Member
United States
254 Posts |
In the context of U.S. Mint coins I think most would agree that all bust coins and Seated Liberty coins would be considered classic since they fall entirely in the 18th and 19th century. Everything else is debatable; Barbers, Mercury, Liberty nickel, etc. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1388 Posts |
Man I really cracked open a can of worms, huh? ... Just kidding... This is why I love this place, so many different views to open the eyes just that much more...  |
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Moderator
United States
188415 Posts |
Quote:Which would make Morgan and Peace dollars Moderns, since both had busts of single, living women models But they were representing Liberty, not like the model used to represent Sacagawea.  Quote:
modern and classic coinage is COMPLETELY subjective, and can mean hundreds of different things to hundreds of different people. This conversation appears to back up your claim. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 3,375 |
Posted 06/07/2010 3:01 pm
