These ideas are my own. Recommendations given by someone
else might be different. No guarantees or representations, express or implied,
are given concerning the future price performance of any coin.
For three classes of buyers I have listed recommendations
in three categories:
Budget Recommendations: For each series I give suggestions
for a buying strategy for the collector who is on a budget or who wants to get
as many coins as possible for the money spent. In general, coins under this
heading are in circulated grades and are much more common than those in the next
two categories, and in the past have not performed as well as investments as
have higher grade coins (such as Mint State and Proof pieces). I have not listed
the lowest possible grades available, for in some series, Morgan silver dollars
for example, it seems to me that even the budget-minded collector would rather
have an MS-60 1881-S $1 for $11 than a well-worn VG-8 example for $7.
It is important to remember that coins in the Budget
Recommendations category often have all of the historical, romantic, and
artistic (save for wear) appeal of higher-grade pieces and can be very
interesting and desirable to own.
Recommendations for the Connoisseur: After each series I
list issues in generally high grades which I consider to be especially good
values for the money at today's prices. If your bank account has limitless
resources, you may want to go beyond what I say and endeavor in the federal
series to acquire MS-65 to 67, Proof-65 to 67, etc. coins, which can be
extremely beautiful and desirable to own (see the Elite Recommendations
category), but for the most part I consider slightly lower grade coins, such as
MS-63 and MS-64 pieces, to represent better values now. This situation may
change in the future, depending upon how strong an influence investors have on
market demand and prices. Under the Recommendations for the Connoisseur category
are my suggestions for the discriminating, knowledgeable buyer who at once
appreciates high quality and outstanding value for the price paid.
Elite Recommendations: Listed under this category are
suggestions for the buyer who is not primarily concerned with value for the
price paid, but who wants to obtain, within reason, coins in high numerical
grade categories, coins which are often among the very finest of their kind in
existence.
