I'm starting my collecting journey with my daughter and have a quick question: if you can choose between a 1980 used coin and the same very coin but 2015 brand new straight from the mint, which would you choose?
It depends on what your collecting goals are. If you are strictly a "type" collector, then the high grade 2015 dated version would be better. However, if the 1980 version was very scare, and you were collecting for investment, that would be the better choice.
Personally I will choose uncirculated ones. In the next century the UNC ones will become scarce and scarce, while circulated ones will spread around the world. (My answer applies only if they are both common coins and not a key date. If choose between a circulated key date and UNC new, I will choose the key date coins first.)
Greetings,
Sak
Catalog editor for Thailand and Japan.
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I agree.
There's no hard and fast rule, so you can change your collecting habits depending on what you're collecting.
I'm in the UK, collecting circulating coins is easy, so I collect by year.
Pre-decimal UK coins are also easy, but can get expensive with pre-Elizabeth II coins, due to the amount of silver.
So I collect QEII circulated by year, but pre-QEII by type only.
Also my Euro and World collections are type only.
I suppose if you're collecting with your daughter, what does she prefer?
Depending on her age, she may prefer shiny over old/scarce.
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I'm not an expert in any kind of coins, but I reckon I'm good at research and will do my best to help. Feel free to tell me my identifications/valuations/gradings are wrong. It's the only way I'll learn.
Also, keep in mind that you and your daughter now have "extras" for Swapping on Numista. You never know whom may want a coin(s) that you can exchange for something in your wheelhouse.
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure, that just ain't so. Mark Twain
Thank you so much for your replies! The reason we don't want duplicates is because we want to collect currently circulating world coins with a limit 10 coins per country, so would rather have 2 shiny ones of the same nomination but different picture. My daughter is 6 year old, so collecting for us is not to amass a fortune but rather develop memory and learn history with geography in a fun and exciting way. For 10 coins we would like to create a holder size A4 with printed flag, coat of arms, piece of map with neighboring countries, capital and a few pictures of the most famous places in the country. We would also like to print some information about coins - nomination, year, what's pictured on the coin.
Quote: "LittleTommy"Thank you so much for your replies! The reason we don't want duplicates is because we want to collect currently circulating world coins with a limit 10 coins per country, so would rather have 2 shiny ones of the same nomination but different picture. My daughter is 6 year old, so collecting for us is not to amass a fortune but rather develop memory and learn history with geography in a fun and exciting way. For 10 coins we would like to create a holder size A4 with printed flag, coat of arms, piece of map with neighboring countries, capital and a few pictures of the most famous places in the country. We would also like to print some information about coins - nomination, year, what's pictured on the coin.
I think that's a great idea, but in addition to history and geography, I would also include art. You might also consider non-circulating coins; otherwise, you'll end up with a lot of similar looking ugly euro coins in your collection.
It all depends on personal taste. If you like shiny (which most 6 year olds do) then go for the new one, Personally I like a coin that has had a bit of history, you can imagine he hands it's passed through and what it's been used to pay for. SO if the 1980 coin was in decent condition then I would go for that.
Quote: "LittleTommy"Thank you so much for your replies! The reason we don't want duplicates is because we want to collect currently circulating world coins with a limit 10 coins per country, so would rather have 2 shiny ones of the same nomination but different picture. My daughter is 6 year old, so collecting for us is not to amass a fortune but rather develop memory and learn history with geography in a fun and exciting way. For 10 coins we would like to create a holder size A4 with printed flag, coat of arms, piece of map with neighboring countries, capital and a few pictures of the most famous places in the country. We would also like to print some information about coins - nomination, year, what's pictured on the coin.
I think that's a great idea, but in addition to history and geography, I would also include art. You might also consider non-circulating coins; otherwise, you'll end up with a lot of similar looking ugly euro coins in your collection.
Hi Steve, thanks for your ideas! I think you are right, we might need to set limit to 20 coins per country and include non-circulating ones. What do you mean about including art? To insert pictures of art from the country?
Thank you very much for your replies. As a 6yo she of course likes new shiny coins
We decided to collect up to 20 coins per country and include non-circulating (which are usually new and shiny) ones as well to make it more interesting
Quote: "LittleTommy"Thank you so much for your replies! The reason we don't want duplicates is because we want to collect currently circulating world coins with a limit 10 coins per country, so would rather have 2 shiny ones of the same nomination but different picture. My daughter is 6 year old, so collecting for us is not to amass a fortune but rather develop memory and learn history with geography in a fun and exciting way. For 10 coins we would like to create a holder size A4 with printed flag, coat of arms, piece of map with neighboring countries, capital and a few pictures of the most famous places in the country. We would also like to print some information about coins - nomination, year, what's pictured on the coin.
I think that's a great idea, but in addition to history and geography, I would also include art. You might also consider non-circulating coins; otherwise, you'll end up with a lot of similar looking ugly euro coins in your collection.
Hi Steve, thanks for your ideas! I think you are right, we might need to set limit to 20 coins per country and include non-circulating ones. What do you mean about including art? To insert pictures of art from the country?
No, to me each coin is a work of art (OK in a lot of cases, not very inspired art), but still worthy of consideration when including a coin in your collection.
Quote: "Steve27"No, to me each coin is a work of art (OK in a lot of cases, not very inspired art), but still worthy of consideration when including a coin in your collection.
Yes, you are right, I didn't think about it! I think it's especially true for non-circulating commemorative ones.
