Yes I agree, pick up some good coins, stay far away from the scam coins. Or you will possibly still lose your investment...
Below is the list of top 4 coins I mainly focus (not only Alts) and the reason why.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is the single largest and most recognized cryptocurrency in existence.
Stellar Lumens
Stellar Lumens is a similar technology to Ripple, however, instead of focusing solely on the banks they have built a system to integrate merchants, banks and the general population.
Historia
A novel idea. To keep current happenings on the blockchain. To ensure that in the future third parties politicians and etc wouldnt twist facts based on their needs.
Monero (XMR) privacy enabled by default. There will always be a demand for an anonymous channel for commerce.