US coin woes...

Having hung round many US based groups for some time now, as an outsider i can't help noticing that these forums seem pre-dominantly biased towards Lincoln cents, Jefferson nickels, State Quarters and Bullion coins.

Why does the Washington Quarter always get left out?

And why the lack of interest in the US gold coins, Double Eagles and what not? But i'm biased and since my favourite all time US gold coin(and possibly US coin full stop) is a Type III Liberty double Eagle, i would say that, and i will try and deviate the posts to those splendid coins!


I won't comment on what i think of SQ's and Jeffs.

 

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Syl,

Go ahead and comment on the SQ's and Jeff's. Not everyone loves the same things -- that's one of the things that makes the coin collecting community such a fun place.

I think many people find the Washingtons to be boring. I also think that the coins that have had long runs and have disappeared from circulation because of silver content, lack the appeal that Jeff's, Lincoln's, and SQ have for many people. It's fun to search pocket change and bank rolls and find old stuff that you need for your collection. That doesn't happen very often with Washingtons and Roosevelts.

 

You hit the nail on the head, by that i mean the exact comment i wanted to make. Washers have been around a long time, but similarly Jeffs have been around almost as long, and yet they go mad over Jeffs despite the fact that it still a long running design...

Same thing with the cents, although i can see where the cent collectors are coming from, i find myself a tad drawn to them, although i dislike the design somewhat, i can see how the varities and whatnot, and the fact that it's either a Wheat/Steel/Memorial/Zincoln makes it far more interesting.

But Jeffs? I just don't get what makes them more popular than Roosies or Washers?

 

Hi Sylvester,
I collect Jefferson nickels because I admire the design, and I can afford them.
JMO

 

Well I know that the Washington series took a major boost from the state quarters, and now the Jeffersons are seeing an increase because of the new designs, the Lincolns seem to be headed in the same direction (2009).
All of these series are readily available and for the most part very affordable.
When moving into gold, the masses get left behind.
One of my all time favorites are the fractional gold pieces. These are such incredible coins, that most collectors have never seen in person.
I would welcome any post on US coins. So let the games begin!

 

Well i hope one day the Washers get the same kinda attention they deserve. And i'm was quite surprised at how popular the Roosies are! On Coinpeople a poll was taken to find out which dime design people prefered and low and behold the Roosie came out on top! Which surprised me a tad, although i'll admit i do like them myself.

The only US gold coin i ever had the pleasure, and it was a pleasure, of owning was an average conditioned 1894 $20 coin. It was one of the best coins i have ever had, might not have been much in the grading department with the bagmarks and whatnot, but it was the largest gold coin i'd ever had upon my person. Sadly i had to sell it so that i could afford to fund my main specialist collection, but i live in hope that one day i shall own another, hopefully in a higher grade!

 

I don't know why the Roosies get so much attention. I like the capped bust design myself. I keep telling myself that one day I am going to learn more about some of the ancient coins. So many of these coins tell a great little story.

 

Basically then i guess i'm one of these elitist collectors?

and that's at the risk of getting shot. But i think you'll find that unlike the US where a good number of the collectors are seemingly collecting from change. On this side of the pond you can't really do that as everything in circulation is very boring, and not very old, there is very very little variety, infact you could just spend a few months here and you'll get practically everything that's going, even 1988 £1 coins if you look hard enough.

I guess that's also another reason why collecting is a much smaller force here than it is in the US. Most people get into collecting by shifting up from change searching, but that's not really what happens here, unless you like commemoratives which are usually sold rather than circulated.

I think people get into collecting here, not because of what they find in circulation but because they happen to find a boxful of old predecimal coins, come to think of it, that's how i got into it as well.

If it hadn't been for that i'd have never been in the hobby at all. It's only the old ones that created that spark, that then lead to a brief period of hauling shiny coins out of circ. But i pretty much went straight onto buying them from shops.

 

We in the US are starting to see a lot of new collectors searching through their modern change. This style of collecting is not new, but is making a serious comeback. With the State Quarter program, people are getting excited about coins again. With the new five cent designs being found in circulation, this fever pitch is only increasing.
Talk of new designs for the Lincoln cent, and possibly a new dime design, we are seeing many average people looking into the hobby.
I hope that the mint will look into these options as well. The public is facinated by change. It has been too many years since the mint has opted to use its power to do so.
Lets hope this tradition is going to continue.

 

to me, the wash quarter IS boring, but when i get a pre-1964 wash in change i get excited (OOOOH COOL!). but then i get just as excited when i get a merc, pre-1964 roosie, wheatie, pre-1959 jeff, and that one buff with the unreadable date. 99% of my collection is out of change and to me it's FUN seeing what's there, esp since ebay is a rare splurge and i only get the annual mint and proof sets.

i also get excited when i find old canadian coins in change! we only see the quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies here, but i've been able to find some geo vi, edward vii, and old elizabeth ii coins in change. it's REALLY neat!

 

Best thing i've found in change this year was an old large size 1977 5p piece being passed off as a new small 10p. That's it. (and my mother found it, not me)

Syl.

 

i really have to agree with jody on this one.

the jefferson series is affordable and can be found in ciculation, unlike those obsolete designs and silver roosys and washingtons. I can afford to look for silver in nickels, but the roosevelts and washingons have to be bought (which i don't like as much)

 

Sylvester, I was wondering why you have such fondness for the Washington quarter. I had the understanding that during the Revolution he was a popular figure in England, could it still be the case? Or could your full name be Sylvester Washington? Or could you inform this man with sleeping kids and chores that are being ignored the true reason why.

 

Well as many of you know, the Washington design was originally meant to be a one year design to honor Washington's birth. Once the 1932 quarter reached circulation, the public had a field day. The quarters were snatched up by the handful.
In 1933 the decision was finally made to continue with the Washington design. Although the next date in the series is 1934.
Record numbers of collectors bought and filled albums with this new design.
As with all of our modern coinage, this design out lived its run. The series took a deep decline until the US took the silver content out of our circulating coinage.
Now the series as a whole has seen a tremendous increase as the new collectors brought in by the state quarter program have graduated into more traditional series.
I for one hope that collectors will stand against Virginia in their bid to keep Washington on the quarter. We need to continue changing designs. This is good for the hobby as a whole.

 

Well, here's hoping that the Father of our country will stay right where he belongs.
It's obvious that our hobby is growing faster than ever, despite the fact that great American heros have remained as coinage design elements.
The Statehood quarter program is, and continues to be, so popular because it gives people something they can identify with. Many folks will tell you; "I'm proud to be a native New Yorker", or "Yeah, that's right, I'm from Texas, wanna fight about it?". (lol)
Other coin design changes have failed to generate much enthusiasm because not enough people could find anything about them to identify with.
Every design series has it's fans and it's detractors. And there are plenty of different designs to choose from, despite what many might tell you. Certainly no shortage of mythical figures, or predatory/scavanger birds to go around.
So, I don't want there to be any hard feelings over me expressing my opinion on the issue of coin designs. I can assure you that I don't harbor any ill will towards those that disagree.
~Jody~

 

I collect Jeff's and I'm not happy with the Lewis and Clark thing going on. They could have come up with something better. They should have asked me. And Sylvester, they are affordable - slabbed, which I like, I think you mentioned somewhere slabbed was not important?

 

Hi, Pilgrim.
I can't imagin why our government officials, in their infinant wisdom, failed to consult with you gentlemen, before deciding to make a coinage design change.
As far as slabs go, It would be silly of me to say that they aren't important. The slab companys turn multimillions of dollars per year in profits. That alone is enough to make them important.
What I think I did say, was that it was not important for me to have a third party grade my coins for me. And that in cases where authentication is an issue, that a third party certification would be a good idea for someone who might get fooled by a fake. (myself included)

 

Jody,

I can respect your views and opinion. Even though we disagree on change sometimes, it is good for everyone involved to see why people have different points of view. You make a very good point in honoring the founding fathers. While I will always hope for new designs on our currency, I for one hope they never get lost to history.

 

Very much agree, my friend.