Best Coin for the Money

Looking for your opinions. A member of my club recently received $100.00 as a gift for Numismatic contributor of the year. He stated he was going to use the money to purchase a coin for his grand son who recently got into collecting. If you had $100. to spent what coin would you buy?

 

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An SMS Cameo coin .....or set.....penny nickel or dime..half if you can get it. One of the best stories about coins, the only years of no proofs, supposedly because of the collector.

 

Me? Whatever I saw first that I liked at $100....could be anything from a Lincoln to a Morgan to a Florin or a Catherine the Great 5 Kopeck. There isn't a map big enough I can't be all over it.

$100 will buy a lot of Morgan if you're careful. Since obviously the child doesn't seem to have a direction yet, best to get a feel for whether he prefers Classic, Modern or non-US coinage.

 

If he doesn't have any major focus yet I would go for a nice BU certified 20th century type coin. A Morgan, Peace or Walker would be good. Or you could get an AU58 Standing Liberty quarter. A solid VF bust half wouldn't be bad either.

 

I was thinking along the same lines. A boy just starting will probably be most intrigued by big, flashy or unusual. Half-cents, large cents or two cents might work too. Grandpa should have a friendly talk with grandson about handling and security too.

Cal

 

Maybe a nice MS wheat cent? Something he can collect pretty easily yet still a nice coin.

 

I would take him into a local coin shop to see what "lights up his eyes". Maybe the $100 would be enough to buy more than one coin. Maybe the $100 would be better put into a savings account until the youngster decides what he like to do with it.

Chris

 

I have been buying some Washington Silver Quarters and also looking into getting varieties Close AM cent Slab.

 

buy him some books. red book the big 1.

 

A $100 MS Buff nickel.

 

I find the younger generation are much more turned on by something REALLY old. Show him some really good Roman Silver and explain the age and the history that goes with them. In the UK it would be Medieval hammered Silver coins - preferably from one of the monarchs he will learn about in school such as Henry VIII or Elizabeth I. (Sadly USD 100 would not get a William the Conqueror!)

 

Go to the US Mint on line. They have special sets for beginning collectors: http://www.usmint.gov/kids/

 

If you are asking for the best numismatic value for the money, it is definitely outside of US coinage. There are a lot of affordable coins from elsewhere available for $100 or less that are a lot more interesting than what can be bought for the same money in US coinage.

 

I don't know about anyone else but I certainly would not buy new coins from the mint - whether that is US or the Royal Mint in the UK. It seems you have to wait a long time before you even get back to what you paid for them, let alone turn a profit on the deal. (There are exceptions - some issues DO turn out to be genuinely scarce and then you can win, but you don't often know about this until much later.)
If you don't fancy ancients then go for Old Silver from whichever country you find most interesting.

 

Turn the $100 bucks into an experience, take it to a coin show and ask every dealer the same question, "I have 100 bucks to spend what would you recommend?"

 

The American Silver Eagle Dollar which began in 1986 and continues today is a pretty cool way to go or with The US Mint/Proof Sets,if you start with the mid 1960's, sets are still inexpensive and if that intrigues him he undoubtedly will want to bring that up to current date and then backtrack a little to at least include from 1960 on... Good Luck

 

Personally I would buy a really nice bicentennial quarter and half dollar cause I was born in 75 and can't find 75' quarters. But I agree with the post of old coins for young ones. But also special mint or silver dollars which are super shiny are really attractive to children. Maybe he could get both!

 

Seems like you're answering the related but different question, "what should I buy for my grandson so he can get the most money when he sells it?" Somehow, though, it doesn't sound as nice when you put it that way.

 

I like the idea of going to a coin store or show with your grandson and browsing through what's there. You never know what he might show an interest in.

 

I can see your point. I suppose the thing is that in due course he will know the full story. If he gets into coins and comes to realise that you have bought him a pup he will be disappointed and maybe put off. If he does not get into coins he will inevitably get to the point of selling it and again may be disappointed. With an old coin the chances of a devaluation have proved much less likely over the years and even if he does not like coins he has the history to (hopefully) relate to.

I stick by the recommendation - buy something genuinely old!