Unusual Collection Concepts

Collectors love thinking up different ways to assemble a numismatic collection. While collecting the different dates and mintmarks of a particular coin series or a type set of coins issued by a country are common themes for a collection, what are the most unusual collection concepts you have pursued or heard about?

When I found out that heller was a monetary denomination for centuries in Germany, some surrounding lands, and some of its colonies, I started assembling a collection that depicted my last name. It was easier for me to do this as the issues tended to be the lowest denomination coins, almost all issued in copper, and therefore less expensive. I have also collected Wisconsin scrip issued by the company where my great-great-grandfather, Heller, went to work when he emigrated from Prussia to America in 1867.

My two youngest children were adopted from a foreign country, meaning that I looked for coins from that nation issued in their birth years.

One of my coworkers assembled an almost complete type collection of Mexican coinage, with the added challenge that for each type, he also collected one specimen from each mint that issued that type.

Or you could collect a type set of a specific denomination of coins issued by a particular mint. If you were to assemble the U.S. $5 coin type set, can you name all eight Mints that struck these coins?

How about putting together a collection of coins issued by nations that no longer exist? Or a type set of coins released by all the different cities/kingdoms/confederations in either Germany or India?

I know a number of people who have collected coins of foreign nations where the pieces were struck at the U.S. Mint.

For paper money, how many pieces would it take to assemble a denomination type set of scrip or government issues, either in the U.S. or worldwide?

How many different shapes of world coins could you put together, even if you limited the scope to a single century?

As an exhibit judge, I once saw an exhibit that was a type set of different metals used to strike coins.

How many coins would you have to accumulate to own one from each city that minted coins within the Roman Empire?

Another interesting exhibit I once saw was of U.S. National Currency issues from smaller cities that bore the same name as major cities in another state (one example being Dallas, Pennsylvania).

One customer told me he was assembling all U.S. coins issued with any date ending in 97, which reflected the birth of his child in 1997.

You could assemble a collection of at least one coin from each jurisdiction that featured British Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. Or maybe the variety of coins depicting U.S. President John Kennedy.

It would be possible to put together a set of coins depicting a common topic, such as ships, elephants, crosses, roses, cars, or any subject you could imagine.

Part of numismatics is to enjoy searching for pieces to complete a collection on any concept you could dream up. They don’t necessarily have to be expensive.

Last time I asked—Which two U.S. presidents were depicted on paper money issued by the Confederate States of America?  George Washington, the first U.S. president under the U.S. Constitution, and Andrew Jackson, the seventh U.S. president under the U.S. Constitution, were both shown on Confederate currency.  Washington appeared on multiple issues, while Jackson was depicted only on the March 9, 1861, $1,000 note. Washington was from Virginia, and Jackson from Tennessee, both states that were part of the Confederacy.

Here is this week’s question. Which Michigan governor had his signature appear simultaneously on U.S. currency as he also served as president of a bank that issued National Currency? Come back next week for the answer.

Patrick A. Heller was honored as a 2019 FUN Numismatic Ambassador. He is also the recipient of the American Numismatic Association 2018 Glenn Smedley Memorial Service Award, the 2017 Exemplary Service Award, the 2012 Harry Forman National Dealer of the Year Award, and the 2008 Presidential Award. Over the years, he has also been honored by the Numismatic Literary Guild, Professional Numismatists Guild, National Coin & Bullion Association, and the Michigan State Numismatic Society. He is the communications officer of Liberty Coin Service in Lansing, Michigan, and writes “Liberty’s Outlook,” a quarterly newsletter on rare coins and precious metals subjects. He now volunteers with the National Coin & Bullion Association as its Industry Issues Advisor.  Past newsletter issues can be viewed at www.libertycoinservice.com. Some of his radio commentaries, "Things You ‘Know’ That Just Aren’t So,” and “Important News You Need To Know,” can be heard at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday and Friday mornings on 1320-AM WILS in Lansing (which streams live and becomes part of the audio archives posted at www.1320wils.com).

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