"I have RED books and BLUE books ( just not current ones ), and unless things have changed radically, of late, used/worn/in circulation currency isn't worth all that much, if not extremely rare."
As I said, it all depends on what you consider to be a lot of money. If I've got a dime that I can sell for 12cents, that would be a "profit" in and of itself. I can live with "silver" coins that range from G-4 to AU-50, although I prefer F-12 and above. Even G-4's appreciate with every passing year. :)
It's only "clad" coins that are practically worthless below MU and for good reason. :)
Dilettante coin collecting used to be worthwhile. That era passed long before '89...unless you just in it for "fun".
During the end of the BOOM years,many more crooks got into the business and with the sealed coins and exaggerated valuations, what was once not only a "fun" hobby, but also an investment, became a feeding frenzy of the gullible and the crooked.
An appreciation, as I've said, depends upon what you consider to be worthwhile. An uptick of a penny or three, isn't much to speak of.