BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 09:04 PM

Here in Canada, the dinosaur silver coins attracted a lot of attention. Four of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: beardedbruce
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 01:45 PM

last I checked silver dimes ( 1964 and before) were worth $1.37 each for silver melt value.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: artbrooks
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 08:53 AM

The state quarters program earned the US Mint over $2.5 billion in profit (ok, seigniorage, isn't exactly profit, but close).

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 01:45 AM

I went through a very brief period of coin collecting many years but never really got into it.

The fun actually for me was in the stupid state quarters program. I didn't really care about having a valuable collection of uncirculated stuff but the joy in trying to snag a really nice few examples just for the hell of it. So we did! As time past the quest became a real kick and there was something neat in finding the latest state and then hoarding a dozen or so to select the three best ones and put them in the books.

No real value and a waste of time I suppose, but we enjoyed it for some reason!


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Ron Davies
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 11:44 PM

Early US coins are truly amazing--large cents, 2-cent pieces, 3-cent pieces, etc. I have a few. It wouldn't take many large cents to put a hole in your pocket, that's for sure.   

Fascinating in their connection to history.

A few eons ago an older woman neighbor heard I was a coin collector. All she wanted was the Red Book value on each.

Jan and I have brought recent proof silver dollars to the UK as gifts for birthdays, etc.   Very well received.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 08:50 PM

The Stone Mountain half dollar is worth from $28-$293. More than 1.3 million were issued (over 2 million minted, but about half of stocks re-melted).
In brilliant uncirculated condition on Ebay at $60 -$99 'buy it now'.
I imagine the $293 is for a proof or the like.

Easy to get an idea of value of US coins from Google, or Ebay.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 03:21 PM

US Mint: Commemorative Coins lists an additional trove of collectable US coins, with a bit of interesting history.

My dad left us a "Stone Mountain Quarter" (at 1925 at the link) that he picked up on a visit to my sister in Atlanta some time back. He said he was told when he got it that they were "rare" and no more could be made; but this is the first explanation I've seen regarding why no new ones could be minted - and the first claim that I've seen that the "quarter" is really a half dollar(?). I guess I should dig it out and take another look at it. My recollection is that it's in only fair condition, and I'd probably have to take it back to Atlanta to find anyone interested in it; but I've been waiting for GA to "get over" the war before venturing there again.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: artbrooks
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 03:00 PM

I think the most recent addition (I haven't seen any of the National Park coins yet) is the new Indian dollar series, with Sacajawea on the obverse and various designs on the reverse. I think the first of these just came out. I get a roll of dollars every week, save one (if I don't have it already) and spend the rest...i figure that I'm doing my part to make them circulate.

Here is the US Mint site to get a subscription to the Park quarters. The plus-up is substantial - $13 on 2 rolls.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 12:24 PM

No Joe, I had to sell the expensive part of my collection many years ago. Besides the VDB, I had the best 1921-S penny anyone had ever seen...full wheatstraws. (I had paid $20 for it in 1959). I had the chance to buy a 1955-double-die-obverse for $75, but that was a weeks salary back then.
I suppose the most interesting thing I kept was a mis-strike penny I found in a roll, which had popped out of the die and shows only a tiny area on one edge with a couple letters on an otherwise totally blank piece of copper.
I have several Buffalo nickels, but nothing rare or in fine condition.
   I also found a 32-D quarter and one 39-D nickel. (I was born in Denver in 39... if my parents had gone down to the bank and bought rolls of nickles, they could have put me thru college and bought a house later)

Q- when I was collecting, we saw quite a few Mercury dimes, and one old man used to come into the store where I worked and buy/exchange many rolls of dime, looking for rare items.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 11:48 PM

Joe, it is the Mercury dimes with the fasces on the reverse side that we called barber pole dimes. The fasces look like a barber pole.
The Mercury is really a winged Liberty which, I guess, only collectors know.

Barber dimes were very scarce (1930s-1940s) so my parents only found a few. We called them Liberty dimes.
Showing my ignorance of Mr. Barber and his design, I capitalized the 'barber' of the barber pole.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 11:44 PM

Joe...make a friend of a teller.....or get all your buddies on Mudcat to help you out. I would.

My uncle had coffee tins of Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters, Buffalo Nickels, etc...his house burned. He had piles of nice melted metal.

My grandfather had a stash of buffalo nickels and Lincoln pennies...little did he know that his son (my uncle) was raiding the stash for petty cash....oh well.

Here in Wyoming, I do still find an occasional nickel or penny, but they are pretty badly worn.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 11:26 PM

Locked away we have a complete proof collection of 1976 bicentennial coins, a wad of silver certificates, and a Prince Albert can full of Indian Head pennies. My brother has US dollars overstamped as occupation money from the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. There's also an 1801 penny and some other stuff in his house.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 11:20 PM

I was visiting my aunt in Calgary a few years ago and went into a drug store to mail something to myself that I didn't want to carry through customs (bulky). After the postal clerk explained something about a Canadian coin that was kind of rare in my coin purse, it turned out the guy collects the U.S. quarters. So I pulled out that coin purse and I think we were able to exchange six or seven that he didn't have. Who knew? I'm missing a couple from the states still, and I've just been noticing the parks or territories quarters, but don't have a book for those yet. I have two books, for two children. And every so often one of them comes up with "Have you seen this new one yet, Mom?" as they hand me a clean coin. Now we just have to work on getting them to hand me bills in large denominations. . .

I had a bunch of silver certificates and old currency from a great aunt's house that I sold on eBay. I didn't have enough for a collection, I wasn't interested in starting a collection, so I sold them. All of them, even the older more worn bills, went for more than face value. Some went for considerably more than face value (usually the consecutive uncirculated bills). I have a bunch of old coins to do next.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 11:08 PM

Barber Pole Dime? Never heard of it, but I like the term. Usually, they are referred to as Barber dimes, a Liberty-head coin designed by Charles WE. Barber. The Barber design also appeared on the quarter and half-dollar coins.
Q, I may follow your example and just buy the National Parks coins. The bank people used to act like they enjoyed helping me find the States quarters, but not I feel like I'm imposing on them.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 11:00 PM

Some of those old B.C. coins are worth money, some just a few dollars- condition, date, rarity, demand- all enter into it. The tetradrachma is a nice keepsake, anyway.

I wanted the 50 state coins, from both mints (100), but being in Canada, I couldn't get them from a bank.
I ordered the whole smear, 'brilliant uncirculated' for $70 plus shipping, and two holders. Cost me $100 in all, or $1.00 per quarter. A little expensive, but they are fresh and bright and nice to have.
I see they have put them out for the territories as well.

I am just a sometime collector, and have all those my parents collected. They had a temporary job in Dallas, and were staying in a hotel; I was with the grands. To pass time in the evenings without going out (those were radio days) they would get sacks of pennies dimes, quarters, etc. from the bank near them and sort them, keeping the best. They got Lincoln pennies and barber pole dimes complete (two sets each) and a fair swatch of halves.

I tried the same when I came to Canada, but after 3-4 years the banks started checking the silver coins on their own. At my bank, a pensioner sat at a desk with a hand lens, sorting change, and took all of the joy out of that method of cheap collecting.

I probably will buy the Parks as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 10:52 PM

A 1909 S VDB? Gee, Bill, that's the Holy Grail of pennies! Do you stil have it? Best I got was a 1955 S.

(the VDB stands for Victor D. Brenner, the designer of the Lincoln penny. The "S" stands for the San Francisco Mint, which issued far fewer coins than the mints at Denver and Philadelphia.)

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 10:44 PM

I collected coins in the late 50s eary 60s, when you could still find Buffalo nickels and standing liberty quarters in change. I was working on an extremely fine set of Lincoln cents when I lost my job and hard times hit. All I have left is the pennies from 1940 to 1970 or so.(and a few odd items)

I once found a 1909s VDB penny in my cash register! (I think some kid spent his father's collection, as there were several old ones in the roll.)

I have some dollars...both large & small, and some state quarters, but don't exactly collect them seriously.

Subject: RE: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 10:23 PM

Order them direct from the Mint. You'll want coins from all the Mints, of course.

So I'm working in a small town in Ohio Amish country, 30-some miles from Cleveland, rural country. A man comes into the library (Yankee, not Amish) and asks about what appears to be a silver coin he found in the barn.

I look at it and realize it's old -- it's hand stamped out. You guessed it: a tetradrachma piece from the time of Alexander the Great.

The guy decided that he'd best put it in his safe deposit box....

Subject: BS: Coin Collecting: National Park Quarters
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 07:31 PM

I have to say I'm really enjoying all the different coins the U.S. Mint has put out over the last decade or so. I collected uncirculated copies of all 50 state quarters without having to pay extra for any of them. I had trouble last year, though - my bank was bought out by Wells Fargo and lost its hometown atmosphere, and they didn't have separate supplies of new quarters or president dollars for collectors (the Mint issued qarters for territories and the District of Columbia in 2009).

Beginning in 2010, the Mint will issue quarters honoring the national parks. Since my supply has dried up, I may not bother - but it was so much fun collecting the state coins. Anybody have hints on how to get these coins when they come out, or any stories to tell about coin collecting experiences?

-Joe, a coin collector since age 10-