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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Gavin Richardson, post: 3222770, member: 83956&quot;]Suggesting a collecting interest to you might be like me suggesting for you a date. What might appeal to me might not appeal to you. If the only stipulation is that the recommendation be “cheap,” such a recommendation typically doesn’t turn out well with either coins or dates.</p><p><br /></p><p>Regarding coins, the best advice I’ve heard about weighing cost versus quality came from Doug Smith. I’ve paraphrased the line many times, but essentially Doug said, “Imagine that 10 years from now you are still collecting. Will you be be happy to have low-quality coins in your collection? What if your tastes change in 10 years and you no longer collect? Will you be able to sell the coins you have and get some/all of your money back?” Such advice recommends striving, as much as possible, to collect the best coins you can afford.</p><p><br /></p><p>All that sounds like I am a deep-pockets collector. I am not. I have purchased three coins this month and spent $30, $49, and $31, respectively. All on eBay. But I’ve been collecting for 14 years and 1) know what I like; and 2) I generally make safe purchases.</p><p><br /></p><p>I like collecting Late Roman Bronzes (4th c. coins), and especially Constantine. I think it’s a fascinating time in history, and interesting coins can still be had in decent condition for $15-50.</p><p><br /></p><p>I also think Severan-era denarii are good purchases if you can afford coins more in the $40-70 range. I’d like to collect more here too.</p><p><br /></p><p>But until you know what you want, you might just want to research a bit and look around and see what strikes your fancy. There’s no hurry. Until you’re more knowledgeable, I would avoid spending too much money on eBay. Often group lots and individual coins can be had just as cheaply and with more confidence on VCoins and the sources referenced in the Beginner’s FAQ thread.</p><p><br /></p><p>Indeed, though my last 3 coins have come from eBay, I’ve made 13 purchases this year from VCoins, 1 from MA Shops, probably 2 or 3 from augustuscoins.com, and a couple of individual grabs from Bargain Bin ancients, individuals here at CoinTalk, and an auction here or there.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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