By Marc Rosner
Looking for a reasonably priced and attainable challenge? Try assembling a representative, historical set.
Just the other day, I bought a newspaper with a $50 bill and got one of those 1933 double eagles in change. On top of that, it was in nearly mint-state condition.
If you don’t believe me, then believe this: coin collecting has become expensive. Building a complete set of U.S. coins by denomination, date, and mint is, in all practicality, impossible. Louis Eliasberg Sr. achieved this feat over a lifetime (1896–1976), but even his collection has not stood the test of time, having been sold at auction over the past two decades. Assembling a traditional type set is also a challenge, as early coins are increasingly hard to find.
So what’s a collector to do?
Why not create a “U.S. Style Collection”? The goal is not to obtain every variety of each denomination, but rather to exhibit the broad patterns of U.S. coinage. For example, one Seated Liberty piece can represent all silver coins bearing that design (half dime, dime, quarter, 20 cents, half dollar, and dollar). The set would include an example of each major U.S. denomination, stylistic design, alloy, and condition.
By assembling such a collection, you’ll have a beautiful representation of U.S. numismatic history. Best of all, it can be built for less than $1,000. The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. House the collection in a custom album, and you have a desirable investment.
To learn more, consider reading R.S. Yeoman’s Guide Book of United States Coins (the “Red Book”) and works by Q. David Bowers.
Three of the coins below, marked with an asterisk (*), are harder to find for under $20 each, but the trio can still typically be acquired for under $100. Find the common coins in pocket change and save your money for better-condition, older coins. Younger collectors on a budget may want to begin with the 20th century and work backward.
If you follow this list, you’ll likely cover all major circulating grades (Good through About Uncirculated). A modern proof set can fill in Uncirculated and Proof examples and add strong visual appeal.
Completing this collection for under $1,000 is an achievable goal. Once finished, you can expand the concept into U.S. paper currency and start a new collecting journey.
U.S. Style Collection Checklist
- “Bust Right,” copper or silver, early 1800s
- Early “Head Left” (Classic, Coronet, Matron, or Young), copper
- Flying Eagle cent (1856–58)
- Indian Head cent, copper-nickel (1860–64)
- Lincoln cent, steel (1943)
- Lincoln cent, clad (post-1982)
- Two-cent piece (1864–73)
- Three-cent nickel (1851–73)
- Three-cent silver (1865–89)
- Shield nickel (1866–83)
- Liberty nickel (1883–1912)
- Buffalo nickel (1913–38)
- Jefferson nickel, wartime silver (1942–45)
- Seated half dime (1837–73)
- Barber coinage, silver (early 1900s)
- Mercury dime (1916–45)
- Roosevelt dime (modern)
- Twenty-cent piece* (1875–78)
- Standing Liberty quarter (1916–30)
- Washington quarter (modern)
- State quarter (modern)
- Walking Liberty half dollar (1916–47)
- Franklin half dollar (1948–63)
- Kennedy half dollar, clad (modern)
- Trade dollar* (1873–85)
- Morgan dollar (1878–1921)
- Peace dollar (1921–35)
- Eisenhower dollar (1971–78)
- Susan B. Anthony dollar (1979–99)
- Sacagawea dollar (modern)
- Commemorative half dollar (early 20th century)
- Bicentennial quarter, half dollar, or dollar (1976)
- American Eagle bullion coin*, gold (1/10 oz)
- American Eagle bullion coin, silver (1 oz)
- American Eagle bullion coin*, platinum (1/10 oz)