The problem with the grammar and punctuation is... If it's hard to read, most people, including myself, will just stop and move on to the next topic. Also, poor writing skills destroys any credibility to the post, so some on here will simply think "troll" and move on. Your defense of poor writing skills only further erodes your credibity. You came on here to ask for help. Take it as it comes. With that said, let's get back on topic. I can't believe you've researched this for over a year, and still seem clueless. You have received a lot of good advice here. Let me throw in my two cents. You need to decide if you want to be a collector or an investor. This needs to be the first choice. You mention buying cheap and selling high. To make any money doing this you need to lose the word "cheap". Any significant profit will come only after significant time and investment. Profit comes with time. It won't be instantaneous. Roll hunting is an option, as long as you realize not every roll of dollars will be all Morgans, nor every roll of dimes mostly silver. You could go through hundreds of rolls before scoring any significant silver. The same applies with error coins. I'm not knocking roll hunting. But you should understand the process. As a collector, I am not interested in turning a profit. I collect simply for the enjoyment I get finding the coins I want. I rarely sell anything, and when I do it's things I don't want, but accumulated anyway (proof and mint coins from sets I bought and broke apart for the one I wanted is an example) and this money gets turned into the coins I do want. I became a collector when my wife and I inherited several boxes of coins and currency when my mother-in-law passed away. I looked into what we could get selling, but as the research went on, my interest increased. It was the first time I had ever seen a Morgan dollar, and I was in my late 40's at the time. The money to be made (couple thousand dollars) wasn't needed at the time, and sent me in pursuit of more interesting coins and currency. I admire you wanting to build something to pass on to your kids, and can relate to your grandmother's story. I have a four year old granddaughter who loves to sit with papap and look at coins (I have told this story before). I hope she continues the interest, but even if she doesn't, she gets the collection when I'm gone. Even if she sells it for less than I paid, she makes 100 percent profit simply because she has no money invested in it. Start small. Lincoln cents are a good place to start. Relatively cheap, and you can find many in your pocket change. Jefferson nickels is another choice. Again, cheap and readily available. Build sets, learn the history of the coins. As you complete one set move on to the next. Save your money for the more expensive coins you like. Bottom line is, no one can tell you what to collect or invest in. The advice "buy what pleases you" is the best advice you'll get. Don't collect with the aim of getting rich. This will take more than 10 or twenty years, and you'll risk losing interest and moving on. In that case, it is better to find another hobby (a hobby is, after all, something to do that you derive pleasure from). If you're looking at an investment, think long term. You won't become Warren Buffet overnight, and again, losing interest bcause it isn't moving fast enough is simply wasting money.
Rare is subjective. If there is a coin with a 50,000 mintage and 150,000 collectors, then it is rare. OTOH if there is a coin with a 100 mintage and 50 collectors, then it is not rare. Just my 2¢
That kind of attitude will ensure that sooner or later people here will not bother to help you at all. While this isn't an English test here, people will avoid posts that tend to run on without paragraphs with no punctuation and atrocious grammar.
I'm really hesitant to enter this debate. It's against my better judgement and my character. You've stated several times now that people will avoid poorly written posts, and yet you seem unable to do so. The beauty of a forum is that if you read something that you are not interested in or that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you can just close it and move on. One kind comment on how to behave according to a particular forum's unwritten code of conduct is helpful, but I think he has the point. Why put energy into getting snarky with each other? That said, this is the kindest, most helpful forum I have ever followed. I ask stupid questions, and post underdeveloped comments all the time as I struggle to learn the field and develop my own opinions. Thank you to the coin talk community. You collectively have brilliant minds and the hearts of a teacher. That most emphatically includes TheCoinGeezer. :hail:
To jhsmith87...I read your OP and glazed over some of the responses. I feel I have to apologize for my CT bretheren. Perhaps if I read everything, I might have a different opinion, but the little I read didn't seem to address your question. The answer to your question is...begin with Lincoln Cents. In an effort to get my co-workers interested in coins, I bought some cardboard albums and have them posted on top of the flippers in my cubicle (yes, I live in a cubicle ). It was a joke initially, but then slowly people were checking their change and filling empty slots...or even upgrading coins already there!! We have the entire 1975-Present folder filled (mostly with Unc coins) and have the 1941-1974 folder about half filled. Someone even found a 1943 steelie in their change! This project has become a lot of fun. Anyway, I think Lincoln cents are the best way to go because they commemorate one of our dearest Presidents and the series will end in the not-to-distant future. The collector base for these coins will only grow (imho) and beginning this collection now, when the Key Dates are still affordable, is a must. My advice is to get the very best NGC/PCGS graded KEY DATE coins you can afford...then branch out from there. Good luck and enjoy the journey! :cheers:
I didn't state that "several times". Your post is confusing, to say the least. You say people should help educate new posters, yet when they do, you criticize them with your snarky posts. Make up your mind.
My post did not lack clarity. There have been at least 12 posts attacking his grammar and formatting. One would do. There have been more posts in relation to this than his actual question. Now my tangent is creating yet another distraction. As for the question at hand, I think yakpoo makes a great point. Lincoln pennies would be a great place to start if you had any type of interest in them. I think the OP had mentioned buying a '77 penny already? Sounds like maybe you have in interest in this type of coin, and it is a cheaper collection to start. I get the sense you want to jump start this and get on the fast track so that would be another reason to go with pennies. You can use pocket change or buy rolls of pennies. $10 gives you a thousand coins to go through! This gets some spots filled in your book so you can get a little bit of a sense of accomplishment. You can always replace the circulated coins with nicer examples as you find them and/or can afford them. I love the idea of posting a folder at work and letting my coworkers get involved!! I just may try that, so thank you for the idea Yakpoo!! :thumb:
thanks for the advicee an i agree that have been more post on the subject of correct english than the title of the post. coingeezer and Hobo. if your have so much trouble understanding it how i type it and it is such an incovience (yes i know that is most likely spelled wrong) for you to read it.. why the read it??? i am here to learn about collecting not have two guys try to teach me english. thank you model77 and yakapoo. i wil take your advice i think i will start out with pennies, by roll searching. but how do i not keep gettin new pennies with bank rolls when i got to the bank and get change 9 out of 10 times every coin looks brand new. and i have gotten a roll of quarters before and they were all new all same date and mint thank you
Just tell them what you are doing and that you don't want the new pennies. they surely have some rolls that customers have brought in.
Suck it up..... You asked for help. The members who would be able to help you could barely make out your query because of the way it was written. If you had gotten a response written in your writing style, you wouldn't have made heads or tails out of it, either. Start with coin roll hunting. I buy my rolls at grocery stores because more than likely they are re-rolls rather than new rolls from the bank. There's a much better chance of finding collectible coins in those. I've found my share of silver in them as well. Good luck.
well thank you to the ones of you who actually tried to help. (yakpoo, modell77). And also to the ones trying to correct me on how to type, post, and spell. Some one mentioned if i posted on threads much i would know people will ignore the ones with poor grammer, and just skip over it. Well this is proof here that is clearly not the case. In my defense I dont post on threads ever this is my first fourm to join actually, and as far as right clicking and check the spelling making it as you so nicely put it "idiot proof" I am 9 out of 10 times on my phone so i dont really have a right click opition. But still I thank you anyway for teaching me, in a way the correct format and clarity i should use when posting. Although instead of assuming I spend alot of time on posting to threads, as most here seem to do, Because they know excatly how to. Think maybe he is new to this let me try to help instead of put down. The name of the thread after all is help, and if it is just so hard to read either nicely correct me or "move on" as you say "people will do". so lets all just stop this thread now since it is so off topic its not funny. I just was hoping to get some stories on how you started, advice based on your knowledge. Instead I got tought Correct Fourm Posting 101. But thank you to the ones who actually gave me some good COIN COLLECTING advice and tips.
OP you can start off with some Morgan dollars. they are cheap, old and silver. you can buy some low grade Morgans for just a little over melt value. your collecting taste will change several times. mine has. first learn all whats out there ,then start buying what excites you.
I love Morgans any idea where I could get some online like u say for a little over melt? There are no coin shops near my area.
try ebay. you just have to watch for the good deals. I have won some for less than melt. be carful, there are some fakes out there.
you might be interested in some 1964 Kennedy half dollars , some walking liberty half dollars ,franklin half dollars ,barber quarters, peace dollars, and maybe a couple of modern coins like a silver eagle.
I have a couple silver eagles. But I think as much as I've read about morgans they'd be the best. And I really like them to
