Worn coins

I am a very amateur collector, but I like worn coins. I like to be able to see some details of course, but prefer coins with some wear on them.

I just think a 150 year old coin showing wear through the years is pretty cool. It's interesting to imagine all of the pockets, purses, cash registers that a coin has seen, all the places it has been, and all of the things it has purchased.

Any other collectors of worn coins out there?

 

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I collect worn commems when I can find 'em.........

 

I'm with you. This is one coin I own. Not only a real lowball and a PO-01 candidate, but a pretty scarce date survival-wise as well - PCGS says 150 are still around! One of my favorite coins in my collection.

 

You're not alone. Some folks do chase top quality, and that's fine, but a nice, vintage, circulated coin can be a joy to own because, as you say, the wear and marks hint of the many places it has been. Happy collecting!

 

I'm afraid that doesn't have an S mintmark...

Nice coin though.

 

Took me a bit to catch on that we posted the same date, same series, same denomination at about the same time. How about that, I was formulating my post while you were posting, I was just looking for something close to the 150 year mark the OP mentioned.

 

I seem to be drawn to the VF - XF coins

 

Love the circcam on the 1814.

 

Here is my only Buffalo Nickel. It's so worn down you can't make out the year.

 

If you put the buffalo nickel in vinegar for a few days, the date may show up.

 

White vinegar with a few drops of peroxide. And sometimes it takes less than an hour. Overnight (8 hours) is usually enough.
The coin will then be worthless, but you can usually read the date.

 

Let me obtain another one before I try that. Thanks for the tip though.

 

Completely understandable. Old VF/XF coins still show lots of detail.

 

The beauty of worn coinsis that you can't really hurt them by being casual with them. You can handle them, and not worry about knocking a grade number off.

My partner asked me for a 1916 British silver half crown to give as a christening present as a 100 year old anniversary (pranniverseary =Pre-anniversary?) for a kid born last year. I dug out an AU example but on thinking about it (did I want a really nice coin to have some horrible fate as a child's plaything or be stuck in the back of a drawer for a decade or two?) so I found I had a decent circulated 1917 I will give her instead. Score one for the well circulated coin.The nice example can go to someone who appreciates it , like ME.

Personally a VF to EF example is a good as I'd be willing to pay for, although any better ones that just happen along are welcome.

 

It will be worth at least as much as it was before the vinegar treatment.

 

You can also try nic-adate...(sp).As Conder said you cant
hurt it anymore than it is.

 

One thing I have done my entire life is build a grading set of whatever coin it was/is that I wanted to collect. It is both cool and useful to be able to see how a certain type of coin wears. I always do About Good to AU.

 

That's very interesting...do you have some photos you can share of any of your series?

 

I hear you, you bet. That's what they're supposed to do, circulate. You're off to a good start, appreciating them for that. Welcome, @sdnewguy.

 

Diggin your coin Omegaraptor. Have a 16d mercury barely distinguishable