Poll: If you had to start your collection over, what would you do differently?

Be much, much younger.

Name and Address withheld

There are lots of things I would do differently. First off, I would focus on fewer coins but better quality. I would learn how to grade from the beginning, hoping to avoid some of the previous mistakes I made. I’d focus more on early coinage from 1793-1820, as these have gotten quite expensive in decent grades. Back in the early 1980s, things that were popular, like commems, were ridiculously overpriced, where they can be bought for a fraction of what they cost today.

Fortunately, I avoided buying that series. But hindsight is 20/20.

Roy Herbst, Address withheld

I would buy coins of the very best grade I could afford instead of going for more, lesser-grade coins.

Jim Burnell, Colorado

This is really a tough question. My earliest memory of collecting coins was when I was five with my dad and uncle. I would not have changed a thing about my collecting then as a child, but I sure wish I had kept more coins from it! The only thing I would do differently with my collection now would be to buy all the key dates or the most expensive coin in the series first. These coins go up in cost quicker, and most of what I could semi-afford then remains kind of affordable now.

Todd Johnson, Address withheld

I am in awe over this question. I simply love collecting and have been, unfortunately, a little late in the game. So, for me, I would have begun way earlier, maybe 20 years before not, and that is at least.

Mizz Kandie Mack, Address withheld

With hindsight being 20/20, I wish I had stocked up on double eagles in the 1990s when gold was $400/ounce. I kept waiting for it to come down.

Fred S., Address withheld

Since I started as a pre-teen, I would have kept even the dirty, messy coins I found, in addition to the ones where I didn't recognize who the person was on the coin.

Name and Address withheld

I would specialize far more and not have a general collection.

Mr. Nigel Reid, United Kingdom

A twentieth-century proof type set including series that extend into the nineteen hundreds. No gold coins.

Horst S., Address withheld

I would have bought MS70 FDI instead of Early Release. I started out purchasing MS69 Eagles. I also would have bought my collection through another company that offers so much more and graded coins.

T. Kenyon, Mechanicsburg

If I could go back in time to my childhood, I would try to collect only the finest MS examples of the rarest dates and mints of U.S. coins in circulation, as I could not even then afford to buy the coins advertised and sold in coin stores. Woolworths had displays of circulated coins that sparked my interest but which had little long-term chances of as great an appreciation in value as the MS ones did, they simply were more affordable. But if money were of no consequence, I would have concentrated on MS U.S. early-date gold coins of low mintage.

James A. Porter, Address withheld

If I could start over in my coin collecting, I would do as I was told and buy the key dates first. I was told but didn't listen. Second, I would not buy coins lower than very fine. I understand that I would not get coins as often as I would like, but I would have been happy in the long run. But I believe that I am a run-of-the-mill collector and had to go through the amass part of being a new collector and had to make that mistake.

James Faulkerson, Hillsboro, Mo.

Utilize Third Party Grading earlier because I still have difficulty ascertaining altered/cleaned surfaces. So, in addition, I would have taken a course focused on those aspects of grading.

Lorne Lavertu, Herndon, Va.

NOTHING! It's easy to 'second-guess,' especially when reading about others' collections, but I have taken more time to look at and appreciate everything I've collected. It's easy to forget what one actually has, so look back, enjoy, and share with grandkids, nieces, and nephews!

Greg Y., Michigan

If I had to do it again, I would concentrate on flowing hair cents instead of Morgan silver dollars.

Name and Address withheld