What don't people collect?

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Eric Babula, Jun 16, 2019.

  1. Eric Babula

    Eric Babula Active Member

    I was thinking about my collection, coin types I like to collect and why. For those of you who don't know me that well, my collection has been all over the place - no focus. I like Morgan Dollars, Mercury Dimes and WLHs. But, I easily got distracted, and found interest in many other types over the years. So, I ended up with a mishmash of all kinds of things, with no focus and no track to completing any kind of "set". As I think about the mess I have, I'm realizing that I don't need much of my collection - that it was more of hoarding than acquisition of coins that truly make me happy. Time to reevaluate.

    Then, my thoughts turned to the most and least popular US coin types to collect. I'm guessing that Morgan Dollars might be one of the most popular US coin types to collect. What do you all think? What are the most popular US coin types to collect? Maybe Lincoln Cents (Wheaties and Moderns), because they are still so readily available, even in pocket change?

    Conversely, what are the least popular US coin types to collect? I'm thinking the SBA Dollars, maybe? But, what about older types? Barber coinage, because I've read about so many people hating the design (although, I don't understand it)? Or, 2-cent and 3-cent pieces, because people just don't know much about them?

    What do you all think? What are the most popular and least popular US coin types that are collected? And, why do you think so?
     
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  3. Autoturf

    Autoturf Well-Known Member

    I pretty much hoarder, but focus on small cents more, and modern coinage, mainly the affordability I guess. the Lincoln cent I read is by far the most collected probably for reasons you mentioned, I like them all, so I too get distracted, but I often try to buy the whole set to get one coin, because I want the rest of them too. but when I spend over 100$ On a coin, its usually a Lincoln.
     
  4. carra's coins

    carra's coins Jack The Ripper Sharpens His Knifes With Coins

    I am like Autoturf reason the most popular is lincoln is because it has the most years,varieties and don't you just have fun opening those rolls of pennies from the bank.
     
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  5. Mernskeeter

    Mernskeeter Active Member

    I feel I am among my people:)..this is all the ways I am with collecting as well..
     
  6. MeowtheKitty

    MeowtheKitty Well-Known Member

    If Meow has enough scratch, Meow will hoard almost anything. The more unpopular the better, then Meow can hoard for cheap.
     
  7. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    I think price is a really big factor. Lincoln cents will always be popular because most folks can afford to collect them. You can have a lot of fun with just a few dollars.
    Most folks will never collect Bust dollars because of the price. It would take really deep pockets to build a collection.

    There are some coin types that are not popular because many think the design is ugly. Some coin types are not popular because they are tough to find. It's not much fun to have the money and not find something to spend it on.
     
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  8. QuintupleSovereign

    QuintupleSovereign Well-Known Member

    I think that there are a number of contenders for the title of "least collected," though for vastly different reasons. For example, I think that the shield nickel series and the nickel 3 cent series do not feature superb designs like the coinage of the early 20th century and are most commonly represented by a single example in a Dansco 7070 type album. By contrast, series like the Liberty head gold coins (quarter, half, eagle, double eagle) are just too massive and expensive for all but the most well-heeled collectors; hence, the limited collector base.
     
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  9. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    I have the same issue you do with regards to having lots of coins that don't bring me happiness. I've told myself I'm going to start liquidating the parts I don't need to free up space and money for stuff I'd like.

    As far as most collected? I have no statistics to support this, but I think Morgans and Lincoln Cents are probably some of the most collected (and available) coinage. The Barber series and 3 Cent nickels seem to have the least amount of shown interest compared to some of the other series.
     
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  10. Eric Babula

    Eric Babula Active Member

    I agree that some types aren't collected solely based on rarity/price. It's no fun collecting if you can find/afford to get the coins you're collecting.
     
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  11. TypeCoin971793

    TypeCoin971793 Just a random guy on the internet

    Show me a law that says a coin collection has to be a “set.”

    This is what it should be about.
     
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  12. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    Show me a unicorn. You can’t. Ha! See, my opinion is right and you’re wrong! :rolleyes:
     
  13. TypeCoin971793

    TypeCoin971793 Just a random guy on the internet

    What I was getting at was that the OP seemed upset that buying what he liked did not result in any clearly-defined goal or set. I was merely saying that his collection does not have to be rigidly constrained for it to be a good collection.
     
  14. Eric Babula

    Eric Babula Active Member

    I agree with you wholeheartedly. There is no law about how or what anyone "should" collect. Collect what you want, how you want, as long as it makes you happy!

    My point, maybe not so clearly articulated, was that I *thought* I was a "set" collector. For instance, I wanted to collect Morgan Dollars - one of every Date/MM. But, I would get easily distracted from my goal. I thought I liked blast white examples. Then, I thought I liked toned examples. Then, I thought I wanted to add different VAMs, also. Then, I got duplicates of coins I had, because they were a "good deal", or because I thought I could possibly resubmit for an upgrade. Then, I got a couple cool Jules Reiver Braided Hair Cents, "because I wanted a piece of his collection", even though I had little idea of who he was at the time. Then, I got a couple nice examples of FECs from a well-known collector/dealer who was on RCC at the time, Ira Stein. Wait, lookie at that 1826 Half Cent! Gotta have that! Oooh, pretty Wheaties in MS-66RD - good deal! Oh, these are neat, "Jefferson Nickel Award Winning Design" in MS and PR! Oh, oh, and that Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Dollar - that might be worth having for some reason. And, and, wait, what was I doing? Oh yeah, Morgan Dollar set.....oh, look, a roll of shiny, UNC Roosies! Hey, I like that guy's Dansco 7070 set - I want to have one like that!

    So.........I've a bit all over the place, and have never completed anything, as far as a goal. Looking back at my collection, when I can get to it, I see that I've amassed a bunch of miscellaneous stuff that I don't really care about much.

    Wait, now I'm really off-track from the OP!!! Yikes! I'm like the dog from the movie, "Up"! "Squirrel!"

    So, I'm seeing most popular as Lincoln Cents and Morgan Dollars. And, least popular as Barber series, Shield Nickels and 3-Cent pieces, and obviously coins that are so expensive as to be unattainable by most of us mortals with budgets!
     
  15. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    My collection spans from ancients to moderns and has no boundaries in-between. The thing to collect what makes you happy and forget others opinions as to what is cool or not.
    I like Barbers but at the same time can't afford them. My standards are to high.
    I like MS coins high Au at worst.
    More of my time lately is study I haven't bought but a hand full of coins in the past year. Just collect what makes you happy.
     
  16. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

  17. Ima Dragon

    Ima Dragon Year of the Dragon

    I'm one of those collector/hoarders without an ambition or desire to complete any sets . I was introduced to collecting by a Silver Round hoarder and enjoyed the designs so I visited a Coin Shop .
    I still have the coins I began collecting way back then . A few years ago I began to hoard 1852 dated U.S. $1.00 , $2.50 & $5.00 Gold Pieces for the denomination . Naturally the U.S. $3.00 Gold , 3 cent Silver & Half Dime followed them . The odd denominations coupled with the Capped Bust and Seated Liberty designs captivated me .
    Morgan's & Peace ? I have a couple 1878 only because of the blunder with the Eagles Tail Feathers and 1921 High Relief .
    I'm actually glad that I don't have to have each and every year , mint mark or variation of a series .
    I like the Eagle reverse on Barber and SLQ . The SBA Dollar I have 1 of because of another time the U.S. Mint Blew It (size was DUMB) .
    The thing is to me that Coin & Currency collecting has something to offer a wide variety of interests .
    A Superb Collection doesn't have to meet anyone else's expectations .
     
  18. Tracy62

    Tracy62 Well-Known Member

    I'm collecting Morgans, Graded or not, Silver Bullion Rounds, because I like them, World Coins from my Birth Year, and an occasional Gold Coin that strikes my fancy.

    That seems to be enough to keep me busy and my wallet fairly empty.
     
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  19. ewomack

    ewomack 魚の下着

    Like many people here, I also succumbed to the hoarder mentality. After a number of years of buying things that stimulated my brain's pleasure centers, I knew I had a problem when I purchased something that I already owned (and I didn't intend to purchase a duplicate). This made me realize that I have no idea what's in that box at home and thought that perhaps I suffered from impulse or addiction over any sort of collecting sensibility. That's when the act of purchasing has more appeal than the act of enjoying a collection. If you spend more time buying than appreciating, you may qualify as having hoarder's pathology. In the end, mere acquisition didn't make me happy and I've recently sold a number of coins that I bought on impulse over the past 5 - 10 years. As I'm doing this, I realize what parts of my pile I would never want to sell and this has helped me purchase more carefully. For example, I don't really know why, but I really like my 1914-D MS 62 Barber Quarter. Though it wasn't a bargain bin coin, it's not particularly rare or really all that desirable, but I have some strange connection to it. I'll likely keep that one for life. I bought it to fill a type set, but now I'm not concerned about finishing a type set. I don't really care to "complete" anything at all. I just want to have a few things that I enjoy having around. An unidentifiable pile that just kept growing without purpose ended up just making me miserable. I felt like some sort of coin virus, gobbling up anything that looked halfway decent. I wasted a lot of time and money this way. Thankfully, I appear to be one the road to recovery.
     
  20. Sholom

    Sholom retired...

    Cents, starting with Flying Eagle
    Nickels, starting with Liberty
    Dimes, starting with Mercury
    Quarters, starting with Washington
    Halves, starting with my favorite design: Walking Liberty
    Dollars, Starting with Morgans

    No proofs, commemoratives, or foreign.

    In short, mostly things that were available to me in change as a kid.

    With Lincoln cents as a first love, because that’s how I started: with my dad’s penny collection in an old Whitman folder.
     
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  21. Eric Babula

    Eric Babula Active Member

    I feel your pain! And, for the two of us, admitting we have a problem is the first step to the road to recovery! Looks like you're closer to recover than I am, though, since you already started shed some stuff. I think I'll get there, but it's gonna take a while.
     
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