What is most under rated US coin?

LOL...you're right!

I'm sure we'd all like to own the one in my avatar. (which I, unfortunately, do not own)

 

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So, you ask why did they design & mint the Susan B. ANthony $?

Why you ask?

So this way the Shield nickel can now be the 2nd ugliest coin in US history.

Now you know the rest of the story.

 

The Washington Quarter is the most underrated coin DESIGN
For numismatic value: half cents

 

Another vote for half cents. 99 circulated varieties, most affordable. There is a lot of history associated with this denomination.

 

I think the Ike dollar has the most potential for moderns, not top pops because those are pretty expensive already but one grade below top pops and they are much cheaper.....

 

Nice color on that Ike. :thumb:

 

Lol thank you!

 

I'm going to have to cast my vote for Proof 19th century type coins. This includes 3CN, 3CS, Barbers, Shield Nickels, Inidan Head Cent(my favorite) and the like. Almost all, if not all have mintages under 10,000 and they can be had in PF63, 64, and 64 and not break $1000.

 

I think it has to be eagle reverse clad quarters. I doubt even today there are 2000 serious collectors. There are another 10,000 now days trying to put together choice sets from various sources but few of these collectors are very far advanced yet. There are another 100,000 casual collectors who are active. These collectors actually watch for coins to add to their collections or for upgrades but usually are just checking change and the like rather than pouring through boxes.

It seems remarkable that so little interest exists in a series that can be collected by most people in any condition. This is especially so in light of the fact that not only are they actually circulating but they are the same denomination as coins that are quite popular; the various states programs to date. These date back nearly half a century now yet there isn't enough demand to even cause high prices on things like the '72-D type b reverse quarter. In other words with a 40,000 mintage and no more than a few hundred located by collectors in poor condition from circulation there isn't even enough demand to affect the price of even nicer examples. Unique and rare clads rarely change hands due to the shallowness of demand. If there were 1% as much demand for these as there is for morgans many of the prices would explode. Something like an AU-58 1969 quarter could sell for $100 rather than 25c. This isn't to say anyone should invest in clad quarters and I sincerely hope they don't. You aren't going to find things like AU-58 '69 quarters to buy because they are quite rare and so inexpensive owners won't even seek a buyer. This is one of the reasons they are rare; owners will tend to put them in circulation. There are so few collectors by the time it's found it will be XF.

Keep in mind that 99% of all the eagle reverse clad quarter collectors have started collecting since 1999 when the states coins were released. This is important because it highlights the fact that there aren't any "old collections" that will appear in the future. There are precious few BU rolls and this leaves the dwindling number of mint sets and increasingly lower grade and lower quality of the coins in circulation for collectors.

Sure there are more eagle reverse clad quarter collectors than there are capped bust half dollars but there are a far larger number of collectors who can't afford old rare coins. They can afford more modern rare coins with much more room for growth in demand.

All coins are equally collectible and most can be collected on a wide variety of budgets but nowhere in US coinage can better quality be had for less money and scacity for less as well. I believe these factors make circulating clad (especially quarters) the most underrated of all US coins and there are not great numbers of modern world coins that are more underrated. The best thing about US is that a market exists even though it's small. Many of the underrated world coins don't have established markets and collectors are left to fend for themselves in bidding on coins and then have to hope for at least a couple bidders when they put it up for sale.

 

Did anyone notice the age of this thread?

 

Cladking, have you read this article over at PCGS? It echoes perfectly what you're saying about clad coins as collectibles...

http://www.pcgs.com/News/A-Clad-edged-Investment

The reasons for collecting that you give in your post are many of the reasons I collect the Kennedy series.

 

Well, if this thread is going to be resurrected, then I say 19th century copper.

 

If you think that things a couple of years old lose their value, you may be pursuing the wrong hobby.

 

You are very funny!

 

“Those that know” LOL If anyone really knew where demand would be in the future, well……. There are no underrated coins, all of them sell for exactly what they should based on their availability and demand.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

This article appeared many years ago in, I believe, Coins magazine but it has been rewritten slightly.

 

I was mistaken about the artical being merely a rewrite. I just skimmed it earlier and saw all the quotes from his earlier article. It is exceptionally well done especially for its time in 1998. It's a wonder I missed it.

Very few world moderns have been saved and the US is no different. Coins don't save themselves and that even seems to apply to most of the coins in mint sets!

 

It's definitely a good read. I certainly agree with him about the value of clads as collectibles. As you stated with the quarters, the whole spectrum of numismatics is available at very affordable prices.

 

The main thing I would toss in about Washington quarters is be careful of the statement "dwindling numbers of mint sets". Exactly how many mint sets were made in the 70's thru the 90's? Sure looks awfully high to me. Also, none of these were broken up to melt, unlike the silver mint sets, so theoretically all should still be around in BU. About every coin shop I have ever been in had loads of mint sets and mint set singles priced very cheaply. If it isn't the cent or the half dollar, there doesn't seem to be large demand for these.

I agree about the 82 and 83's, but would never say mint set supplies will run out any time soon IMHO.

 

A few of my favorite dealers have rolls of Kennedys cut from mint sets, still in the wrappers. And they're not expensive in the least. I just ordered a roll of 71-Ps. Can't wait to cherry-pick them for varieties, high-grade coins, and toners!