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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;beef1020, post: 2808920, member: 24544&quot;]I would determine your collecting interest and have a general sense of what you want your complete collection to look like.&nbsp; Determining your end goal will help you set a realistic budget and keep you on track.</p><p><br /></p><p>For instance, suppose you want to collect a set (however you determine a set) and it consists of 40 different coins.&nbsp; You think a reasonable budget for the set is $10,000, you are looking around $250 per coin.&nbsp; This gives you a sense of what you can buy, and will help keep you focused.&nbsp; Once you do this, you can start to play the what ifs like; that common variety coin in xf for $1000 is out of your range and you can&#039;t buy it.&nbsp; That rare variety in f for $600 is the type of material you will end up with, are you ok with that?&nbsp; If the answer is still yes, then go ahead, if you really really want that xf, or you would not be happy with the fine, then you need to adjust your budget or goals.</p><p><br /></p><p>Second piece of advice.&nbsp; For almost every coin, in almost every grade, there are a lot of ugly examples that I pass on.&nbsp; Ugly because the style is bad, the strike is off, the surfaces are poor, etc.&nbsp; The number of coins I will not buy outnumber the ones I will buy at least 10:1.&nbsp; This applies for fine sestertius up to xf tets.&nbsp; Don&#039;t jump on the first coin in your budget range that fits your goals.&nbsp; Research the coin you are interested in, look at lots of examples online and in person if possible.&nbsp; Have a discerning eye and only buy coins that are really nice.&nbsp; Note, nice does not mean high grade, or expensive, it means that is has some redeeming quality that makes it special to you.</p><p><br /></p><p>For example, check out [USER=83845]@Curtisimo[/USER] Anonymous denarius write-up on the front page. It&#039;s a relatively inexpensive example of the coin in a lowish grade, but lots of people spend more on high grade coins of lower quality IMHO.&nbsp; The centering on the obverse is perfect, no cracks, the reverse off centering doesn&#039;t affect design elements, the toning is beautiful (probably better in hand), and best of all griffin head is fully present and identifiable.</p><p><br /></p><p>:<a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-story-of-the-coin-struck-to-fight-hannibal-the-first-denarius-and-its-influence.300387/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-story-of-the-coin-struck-to-fight-hannibal-the-first-denarius-and-its-influence.300387/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-story-of-the-coin-struck-to-fight-hannibal-the-first-denarius-and-its-influence.300387/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Now do a search for that variety, and I bet you will turn up more than 10:1 pieces that don&#039;t have as much going for them as his does.&nbsp; Lots are high grade, or nicely centered, or nice tone, but very few coins in general have all the factors at once like his does. That was the best lesson I learned, take my time and really be deliberate and selective with the coins I purchase.&nbsp; I pass on most of what is offered or comes up in auction.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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