Youngster new to collecting for cheap hobby. Pennies only for me! (for now)

Hi all.

This is my first post on this forum and from what I've read everybody seems to be very nice and willing to help. I'm just a 19 year old in need of a hobby so I've turned to coins. I am not looking to spend too much money right up front. What I am looking for right now are just pennies. I'm thinking about collecting mostly Indian Heads and possibly trying to find some Flying Eagles. Is there any good advice that should be given to somebody as new as me, keep in mind that I dont know the very first thing about collecting. Thanks in advance for the tips and tricks!!!

 

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May I be the first to say welcome, glad you found us.
My first suggestion would be to visit the FAQ thread created by National Dealer. This will give you loads of information to start with. Second, wait for some of the more knowledgable members to come along as I am unable to be of much help with your specific questions. There are some really great members on here who will be more than willing you answer your questions & help guide you along the path you've chosen.

Robin

 

That you are centered on a particular denomination is a great first start. There are several places to start in your new hobby....

1. Visit a couple of coin dealers in your area. Look around and be very honest to the dealer as your level of experience with the hobby. Those that take you in and help you get up to speed will be great resources for you (aside of course from this site)
2. Set a budget, and buy the best coins that you can. Do some research on grading coins, and learn about the preservation of condition of the originally minted coin.
3. Read everything you can get your hands on. Check out the FAQ from some great starting books.
4. Ask a ton of questions here.

You can spend a ton of money on just about anything, including cents. Just enjoy being new in the hobby; it is really fun ride..

Cris

 

Welcome to the forum. First the advice you have received so far is very good. I would suggest that before you rush out and buy some nice "cents", pick up a book on the series you like most. Indians, Lincolns, Flying Eagles, Large cents, or a variety book specific to the series. Too often, new collectors rush into buying coins. Learn about the coins, grading, prices, and you will have a much better start on the hobby.

 

Sell a few coins as you go along. It is only when you sell that you find out what the coins are really worth. You don't want to waiy until you've spent lots of money and then find you've been overpaying.

The hobby is about having fun more than anything, but it can become very expensive if you make a lot of errors. buy the books and read them, it will make the coins more interesting and help make you a more discerning buyer.

 

as for good reference material, here is what I would suggest:

- The red book by Yeoman or the Black Book (the red book usually has more realistic pricing, but the blackbook has more information, much more). Remember, you can always buy both

- Any books by Scott A. Travers. They are all excellent and will help you out a lot

- magazines such as CoinWorld

as for the coins,

collect what YOU personally like

perhaps try to buy a couple of all types of cents and see what you like the most. I personally like the indian head cents better nowadays.

also, check around online a lot

that helps me out

 

Welcome and I hope that you enjoy your collecting. Indian Head and Flying Eagle Cents are a wonderful series to start with. You can fit them into almost any budget by carefully choosing the condition for your first set. I'd suggest that you keep all of the coins uniform in condition and color/tone if possible. It makes a pleasing presentation.

My favorite books is by Q.David Bowers and it's called "A Buyer's and Enthusiast's Guide to Flying Eagle and Indian Cents". It's a treasure. You can find it on ebay and at some dealers.

Next let me suggest a local coin club. First they all need enthusiastic young collectors and will gladly share knowledge and resources with you. Often there are auctions and bourse nights where you can look at examples of different grades of coins. You can also get some decent bargains.

If you want to get into varieties, check out Rick Snow's books. His website is www.indiancent.com.

Have fun and you'll not only keep your interest in coins alive, but you'll spread it to others.

Enjoy!

 

Thank you everybody for the great advice. It will certainly keep me busy for a long time.


I've decided to start out looking for 1900 Indian Heads. I just picked a year and am going from there.

Thanks again!!

 

Ah the joy of collecting. So many options, so many great coins.

 

And I have NO idea where to start lol. I am actually finding my coins at our local antique malls for now.

 

Where are you located at?

You brain is going to pop when you attend your first show!

 

As long as you are buying what appeals to you, that is all that is important.

There is no wrong way to collect coins.

Be sure not to overlook the world coins. Some are absolutely breath taking.

 

I have flipped through some of the world coins. You are absolutely correct. I want to find a good coin from Italy. My girlfriend went there for Spring Break of her senior year and I think it would be something special to her if I could find a good coin. Hopefully it'd be a reminder of her last year of school and her trip and such.

 

Drop a PM or email to tradernick or cdcda. Both of these guys deal in foriegn material.

 

Another fun way to dabble in world coins is to focus on coins from the countries that your ancestors came from. I've been looking into some of these for my son, sort of like a little history lesson for him.
God luck and have fun.
Robin