Uncirculated or Circulated?

What do you prefer for your collecting: uncirculated coins or uncirculated?

I seem to have a mix. It is nice to see that mint state coin but it is also nice seeing a coin that has gone through people's hands, in cash registers, teller drawers, etc.

I know there are a lot in here who are high grade collectors but are there those who solely prefer circulated coins for their collection?

 

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A lot of your recent threads seem to propose ultimatums: this or that!

It isn't quite so clear....

I have some sets where there will only be UNC coins.... one of these sets has a minimum of 64.

I have some sets where the grade range is strictly EF. It's 40, or 45, or it isn't in my set.

I have a set where it's a bit looser - 20 - 50 is cool.

The key point here is: decide what you want for the set you are building.

I personally prefer to build a set where everything is well matched. For some sets, that's UNC, for some sets, that's not. There is no hard-and-fast rule, and there shouldn't be. The Dale Friend collection of Bust Halves in 65-66 is incredibly impressive - but so is a thoughtfully assembled set of halves in 40.

Buy what you like! I keep repeating this in all of your threads! Maybe you are trying to figure out what you like?

Either way, only you can decide what you want to collect. High grade is cool, circulated is cool. Focus on original, eye appealing examples in whichever grade you select for the set, and you'll build something people will appreciate!

 

I am indeed still figuring out what I like. I really appreciate my MS62BN 1909-S VDB but also really like my XF45 1914-D. I guess my collecting is widely varied currently.

 

I'm gonna go easy on ya...........

 

Circulated. They have more character.

 

One way of looking at it you buy coins for they're eye appeal. A nice looking coin is just that a nice looking coin, no need to hang your hat on whether it is Unc or Circ.

 

The best I can afford.

 

Answering the question, circulated. While I have 100% of the modern series (Lincoln through Franklin and Kennedy half) ranging from AU and higher, the earlier series are all middle grade with exception to some key/semi-key dates. I know I'll get slammed on this, but I almost always buy in the raw. Yes it's a higher risk at getting burned on a fake. Yes some have been cleaned. Just not overly to distract from good eye appeal. In my forty plus years of collecting I am very satisfied with what I have.

So to be clear, I have nothing against a PCGS EF45. I simply believe my raw like graded is equal and cheaper to be had. As long as you do the research and know what you're looking at is there really a difference? In short, I've passed on many when they failed my standards.

Still, I have bought and will continue to buy an occasional graded coin. Key dates, known targeted counterfeits and anything earlier than 1800 to be certain.

 

Uncirculated, when I can afford them.

 

Some of my coin series are circulated while others are Mint State, MS-64 or better and slabbed. It just depends.

 

Is this a trick question? @green18 is going easy on ya, so I will too, but if you mean circulated or uncirculated, why does it have to be either/or...for most of us I think it's both!

 

Seems to be the wrong question to ask. I'm just trying to learn.

 

Nothing wrong with that. In fact it's admirable. I love finding circulated classic commems at shows.

 

No, we're just messing with you. The thread title is OK, "Uncirculated or Circulated". But in your first line of text, you state "uncirculated coins or uncirculated". See the difference?

Your question is valid, but I still think most of us do both (me, about 1/3 UNC, 2/3 circulated). There is no right or wrong answer...we all make do as we wish.

Happy collecting!

 

Hmmmmm, circulated classic commems.
Outside of AU, they could be difficult to find.
Interesting.

 

Simple. If I like a coin, uncirculated, circulated, proof or whatever, I buy it.

 

They are few and far between, but I have found a multitude of 'Colombians'.......

 

And a bit of 'Grandson thrown in......

 

Yeah, I like these and I'm currently trying to find just the right one : The right condition at the right price.

 

Some of the members are teasing you. Just read what you wrote in your opening post, the second line will do. That should help you understand everything.