Do you get excited looking at a 100 year old coin?  There are so many stories about coins, where they were “Minted”, why only a small number were struck, how many survived, mistakes made by the Mint.  If you like History then coin collecting will hold your interest for a lifetime.  The hobby is so big, it might be a good idea to concentrate on a “coin series”.  For instance “Barber Coins” which were designed by Charles E. Barber, 6^th Chief Engraver of the US Mint in the late 1800’s.  The series consist of dimes, quarters and half dollars and were struck from 1892 through 1916.  During this period silver coins contained 90% silver giving them both a “Face Value” and a “Precious Metals Value”. 

Today, circulating coins do not contain Precious Metals.  The Barber Series is very common and affordable to collect.  When you start, the very common dates will be easy to acquire.  Then the fun begins as you search and negotiate the purchase of the “Better Date” or hard to find dates.  Initially, you may be satisfied with heavily circulated examples of the dates you are seeking.  Then you will find the higher grade coins drawing your attention.  It’s a lot like refining your pallet as you try different wines. 

Finally, you will run across “Scarce” or “Rare” coin offerings at prices that may seem out of reach.  But when you begin to seriously consider these higher priced coins you understand that more skill is required to understand how grade affects value.  The next leg of your “Numismatic” journey starts to unfold when you are able to recognize a high grade coin with good “Eye Appeal”. 

With the understanding of value and high grade coins under your belt you may consider the quantity of coins in your collection versus quality.  The trading ensues as you transition from a large collection to handful of quality high grade coins that are expected to hold their value and hopefully appreciate over time.