im a noob at coin collecting im mostly doing sae's right now so its more of bullion collection but im trying to get into coins but i cant decide wether i should do 1800's coins in mid grade or new coins in ms grade im 17 so i have very low income
do some research before buying a coin so you know what to look for (looking for the rare key dayes/counterfiets etc..) me personnally I would buy coins from the 1800s that are of a higher grade vice mid grade..you will pay more but in the end they may be worth worth more. I know that you are only 17 and to get money may be a little tough at times however I think that you will be happy with the choices you make. The saying I always give is quality not quantity! Best of luck you sure will learn a lot from this forum, use it to your advantage Shrek
If you like silver eagles, the proof ones are really nice and only cost about 2-2.5X the price of the plain bullion ASEs. When I finish my set, I'm gonna make them into a wall display in the plastic mint capsules and it should look real nice.
First, Welcome to CT. If I may, I'd like to suggest a few considerations to you. Whatever you decide is going to be your primary focus of collecting, learn first how to GRADE the Coin. This means, before you spend however much money you have on coins, which you know little or nothing about, please spend some of your money on Numismatic Literature such as the ANA Grading Standards. Then do as much research on the coin and ask questions here if you need help. Especially if your considering buying raw coins. Counterfeit coins abound! Even some in TPG encapsulated coins. This can be a very enjoyable hobby. However if you become a willing target for these counterfeits, you will loose your interest very very quickly. There are very many knowledgeable collectors and Dealers here. Pick their brains often so eventually you can get to a point of trusting yourself. But you have to be comfortable with saying " I don't know" before that happens. Remember, this is not going to happen in a month, six months or a year. It takes years of learning . I'm certain others here will offer some other suggestions for you as well. Again, Welcome to CT. Tom
If you like older coins but want ms grades, there are several options. First of all, to get a complete set of an older coin in ms grades can be very expensive because of several rare dates and mints. I suggest morgan dollars. Because of there history, you can collect a majority of them in MS grade for a reasonable price. You will most likely never get a complete set, and as collectors we need to accept that with certain things we collect. I also suggest mercury dimes. This is a set I have recently started and have found really enjoyable. Goodluck, LouieLot
I'm not sure if you were serious or not. The first U.S. coins were minted in the 1790's, but the Denver mint didn't open untill the early 1900's. Now, as to the OP's original question. Definitely do some research. Look at alot of coins and figure out what you like. Then go from there. As for the MS modern coins versus circulated 1800's coins,its really whatever floats your boat. But you might consider some coins from in between. There are alot of dates of Mercury Dimes, Walking Liberty Halves, Franklin halves, Peace dollars, Morgan dollars ect that you can find in MS grades at fairly low prices. Good luck. And welcome to cointalk!
Mister Adam' please refer to your red books the mint in the west opens in 1792 for striking Amerikan coinages. please refer to red book because i am sorry ypu are wrong.
more recommendations Tom's advice is very good. I'd add: 1) Join a local coin club. 2) go to a nearby show (for example, if you live in Southern California, the Long Beach show is a good one to go to). 2.1) When you go to your first show (and you are on a limited budget), don't buy anything. Just go to look and learn. Most (but unfortunately not all) dealers, if they're not busy will be glad to talk coins, especially if they can cultivate you as a potential customer 3) If you are in Boy Scouts, earn the Coin Collecting Merit badge. 4) If you want to become a serious collector, learn patience (something I still have problems with ). At 17, you can afford to wait for the much better coin rather than immediately getting a less expensive coin that has problems (and very little resale value). Best of luck, Bob
I'm sorry. I'm not wrong. You're thinking of the Philadelphia mint which is not in the western U.S. Its on the east coast. Denver started minting coins much later.
Yeah, I didn't need to check my Rebook, because this is info I already knew as I have been collecting U.S. coins for years. But, if it makes you feel any better I DID just check my Redbook, and I WAS correct.
"Mint in the West"...I wonder which one he means, AdamL...San Fran, Carson City or Denver...LOL. ASE's are great coins to collect, fisher2. Great coins for beginning numismatists. Pristine ones can be harder to find, mainly due to the milkspotting problems the Mint has had with them. I would recommend common date slabbed Morgan and Peace dollars as your next step, since you like silver.
Like Camaro said, ASE's are great coins to start collecting. I think (which I need to do more myself) is read about what you want to buy so you know what to look for when buying them. For Mint Facts (as to when they opened) see here: http://www.treasury.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/prod-facilities.shtml
