Comparing My Dimes to Vista Variety.. thoughts?

Hi! I recently learned about the Vista Variety Website (through a few very helpful people on this site) and thought it was interesting to compare some of my dimes to the website.

Here is the website link: http://www.varietyvista.com/07 Roosevelt Dimes/Obverse Design Varieties.htm

I know my dimes are worn and there may be no similarity that anyone else notices, but I thought this was a good way to learn more about the variety. Let me know what you think and if you have any advice on identifying coin variety.

The first one is a 1985 P Dime and the variety that is listed on the website is ODV-014 “Round O of GOD.”

 

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Here are the photos:

 

This one is a 1994 D - the website says that the variety is a ODV-015 “Straight G of GOD.” What do you think?

 

Same variety as the 1994 D Quoted, but it’s a 1994 P. Thoughts?

 

Honest opinion? You should probably spend more time reading and studying and not mess with circulated coins trying to match them to stuff unless they are major known varieties. At least until you really get the hang of it.

I applaud your tenacity but I think it could probably be directed towards a better goal.

 

Again same variety as the 1994 D and 1994 P, but this is a 1992 P.



If you have any variety coins that would help me learn how to truly compare variety coins, I’d love to see them!

 

Thank you for your honest opinion - I do appreciate it! I am very detail oriented so I love the little varieties.. I think they are fun! I think you’re right about starting with major varieties.. it would probably be easier to learn.

 

Question: do you own a 10x loupe? If not, you're very much wasting your time looking at varieties or errors.
When you take photos of coins you need assistance with, it's very helpful if you take full shots of both sides and then a close up of the part in question. This can be easily done by putting a 10x loupe in front of the lens on your camera on your phone and moving it in. Don't use zoom, it'll just pixelate the image.

Also, varieties are hard to tell the more worn the coins are. I think you should spend a little time learning about varieties and markers before just checking every coin. Every minute you spend reading up on errors and varieties means hours saved searching. After all, if you don't know what you're searching for, you'll never find it.

 

I just started learning about coins a few weeks ago - I’m a major newbie so I don’t own a 10x loupe. I need to do more research and maybe find a beginner coin collecting site/forum. Thank you for your reply

 

Well, you sure are doing your search. If you're not already doing it, it might be helpful if you just spend time searching this forum. No doubt you will find all your questions already answered in other threads. Keep up the good work!

 

This is a great site to learn. Use the search function on the top right part to search older threads.
I started out as a complete newbie back in 2012 and cut my teeth here on CT. This place is full of super smart people who are willing to help.
As for loupes, this is the one I bought back in 2012 and still use today:
https://www.whitman.com/store/Inventory/Detail/16X-Pocket-Magnifier+0794826261

 

Seems like I need to do more research/ search the existing forums and lay off of posting my own forums. Thank you!

 

Thank you for the link!

 

Nothing wrong with posting, at least you are trying to learn; unlike a lot of the get-rich-quick people who jump on with a POS coin and a quote from a youtube video that says they are now millionaires.

 

Hey keep looking. Though I think looking for older coins is a better pastime or searching for the nicest example You can find of each. Coins are addictive

 

+1 many of my older posts, and even some of my current posts are me demonstrating my ignorance on a subject that others here know better about. The important thing is to soak up what you learn and invest the time to build your knowledge base. I've been at this for a few years and I still don't feel comfortable with some of those varieties. Start smaller and learn the basics of errors/varieties before you start checking every coin you have.

If you want some simple things to search while you learn, I recommend starting with Lincoln cents. There's some easy pickings out there:
WAM varieties: http://www.lincolncentresource.com/wideams.html
DDOs: http://www.lincolncentresource.com/doubledies/doubledies.html
I've personally found a few WAMs and 2-3 1995 DDOs, but I've gone through thousands, if not tens of thousands of cents doing that. I've never found a doubled ear or DDRs, but they're out there, too.
Die cracks (they don't have to be rim to rim to be a crack): http://www.error-ref.com/die-crack-rim-to-rim/
Cuds: http://www.error-ref.com/cuds/
Rotated die: http://www.error-ref.com/die_rotation_error__dynamic_/
Delamination/lamination error: http://www.error-ref.com/lamination-cracks/
Die chips: http://www.error-ref.com/die-chips/
Curved clips: http://www.error-ref.com/_curved_clips_/

Suggestions: sort coins by year and pull out the important ones (DDO/DDR and WAM variety years). Give the rest of the coins a quick once over for die cracks, delamination, cuds, etc, and then take a 10x loupe to the ones you set aside, giving them special attention. Keep your resource open with the photos on what to look for and look at all the same year/mint mark one after another. Once you've looked at 50x 2000 CAMs, you'll easily identify a 2000 WAM, because it will look different.

Good luck!

 

You're doing exactly the right thing...looking at coins, noticing the differences between the designs, looking them up, and learning in the process. Don't let folks discourage you.

What are you using for your pics now?

 

Thank you for the encouragement! I’m just using my iPhone

 

Thank you so much for the information and all of the helpful links! Definitely going to start sorting my coins by year and sorting out the important ones - will definitely be a lot less overwhelming + easier to learn. Thank you again!

 

Hi Grace I am very happy and proud of you for begining to take a great interest in this great hobbie we love of collecting and never ending research of coins. I try to read everything and continue to try and learn and as long as you are active in the hobbie you will have to continue to learn about the history and appraising the grade, quality and variety. To do that you need to have the right tools ie: vision assistance, a great personal library, and tools to protect and preserve your collection, and by the way paying attention to this site like you are as well as good reliable coin research sites available to you!
I personaliy use "Baush & Lomb 10x Hastings Triplet Magnafiers".
And if I can recommend one good book to have in your library beside a collection of the Red Book guide of US coins by R.S Yeoman and Photograde photographic grading guide for US coins by James F. Ruddy I highly recommended The Art and Science of Grading Coins by Jason Poe.
I hope I have not given you to much of a rant (Smiles!). But I hope you get a little something out of it. PS: Been in the hobbie 30 years active an 30 years inactive and still studying and learning, I even learn from you questions.