The first coin that you purchased?

I believe my first coin was a lower grade flying eagle cent that cost less than $5. That was 1960 and my sole source of income was a paper route that netted me about $10/wk. My dad made me bank half so the FE was big money for me. Still have it: 1858 small letters, poor condition, but it has significance to me.

 

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I still remember I was 13years old,that was 1988. My grandma bought me one British trade done and 5 pcs of straits settlement king Edward 1 dollar for me.she paid around rm135 .oo.that time,money was big compared to now.my hobbie of collecting old coin was encourage by my grand mothe

 

Early 70's - Mom took me to a downtown coin shop to purchase a complete set of circulated silver Roosevelt Dimes - $11 for the set.

Still have them. Just started upgrading them to uncirculated examples this year.

 

Morgan's at $2.00-$3.00 to me at the time it was great and a Red Book
and don't forget the blue coin folders to put them in

 

The first one I remember (early 50's) was a 1909 VDB that I paid a dollar for. I was showing it around so proudly someone offered me $1.50 and I sold it.....still regret that.

 

9-years old, worked all summer at my Grandfather's farm, got hooked on coin collecting because my Grandmother gave me a CWT (mint condition! and neither of us knew what it was!). I took most of my summer's earnings and purchased $100 worth of fireworks, and $75 on a US Odd-Type Coin Set: 20c, 3c Silver, 3c Nickel, 2c, and 1/2c. The coin shop even forgave the 2% Sales Tax... Still have my CWT, my Odd-Type Set, but all the fireworks are BLASTED!

 

Haha! Whoops you're right. I misremembered. Here it is: 1923

 

I remember mine, I was 11 I think. My Dad took me to a pawn shop and they had a selection of coins in the glass case. I picked up an 1876-CC and 1877 Seated Liberty Quarters for $6.00. They were both pretty well worn, but still cool.

 

In 1984 I bought a circulated, common date Walking Liberty Half Dollar for I think $4. Then I promptly took it home and scrubbed it with my Mom's jewelry cleaner until it was bright white. I was so proud...

 

Got a penny folder back in the late 50's and filled most of it from circulation but was stopped by the 1909 s/vdb's prices back then. Started up again a couple years ago with an 1872P Seated Liberty half dime and it's my " lucky pocket piece"now. Went around the corner to a yard sale and got an 1889P Morgan and an 1989 Silver Eagle for 30.00 when silver was 40.00 so she works! Her sister 1875S Seated dime came along a few days later for 16.00.....

 

@C-B-D That reminds me, I had a Wheat Penny folder with a few pennies in it when I was around 9 or 10. My Dad had some Tarnex, so I figured the pennies would be more valuable if they were not so dark. I went through and put a drop of Tarnex on each penny. It was pretty neat watching them brighten up. But I never wiped the Tarnex off and I remember looking at them a few weeks later and they were pretty ugly then. Thankfully I did not have anything other than common worn Wheaties in it.. LOL

 

Thanks

 

I still have the first Flying Eagle Cent that I purchased many many moons ago as a kid...still one of my FAVORITE type coins! Why they only lasted 3 years as a design is a shame (I understand the wear problems, etc.)... I just love that look, and wish they would bring it back (Just like the Walking Liberty on ASE's.)

 

1961 proof Franklin back in about 1995 or so. Spent under $5 for it.

Once I got back into collecting about a year and a half ago, it was a 1942 WLH which I overpaid for at an antique dealer.

 

Agree. Great design that should be brought back.

 

First coin I can ever remember buying was a 1905-S Barber half G/AG for the princely sum of $1, a goodly amount for a kid getting 50 cents a week allowance. A couple of years before a friend of a friend from around the block was showing us his father's TV repair shop in the basement (You old-timers can remember when a decent living could be made repairing TVs). As an afterthought, he showed us some of his father's coin collection. Back then, there was an occasional Buffalo or very occasional Standing Liberty turning up in circulation (dates all worn off, of course), with a considerable number of Mercurys still bouncing around. When I saw those Barbers, however, I thought, "What the heck is THAT?" I was hooked, and 53 years later, I'm still hooked!

 

A pair of 1970 and 1971 British proof sets by mail order direct from the Royal Mint for the princely sum of $17.50 when issued.

This was a VERY big purchase for an 11-year old. The reasoning was the then-new Eisenhower silver-clad dollar was too expensive for $10 and you only got one coin. There were lots more coins in the British proof sets and more is always better to an 11-year old.

 

My first coins were given to me by a former step-dad. He didn't tell me a lot about them so I spent them. He was pretty upset about it, but we all make mistake at first. But the first coins I ever purchased was from a pawn shop in 1993 with $10 I got for allowance. I remember buying a bunch of common wheats, an IHC, a few silver dime mercs and Roosevelt's and I think a buffalo nickel and a V nickel. My mom also bought me a Redbook a couple of weeks later. I mostly just accumulated coins and didn't learn much about them up until 2000. Then I sold my whole collection and start over later that year. I've been a serious collector ever since then. Although I guess I've been interested in coins for over 22 years now. I'm kind of surprised I survived that first pawn shop visit and still collecting after he refused to show me any of the more valuable coins behind the counter because he thought I would buy any.

 

1st ever?

At Gimbels coin shop, a 1938 D Buffalo, a D/D in unc.

About 1965 or so.
Paid about $2 or $2.50.

Wish I still had it.