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.