Is it inevitable that we accumulate stuff that is outside of our core collection?

BryceM

As I was boxing up a few things to ship today, I looked around and saw just a tremendous quantity of numismatic stuff...... a half-roll of 43 cents, a couple rolls of dateless buff nickels, an odd assortment of circulated silver dollars, a big plastic bag of Ike dollars, a handful of Pres Bucks and Susie Bs, a couple bags of foreign pocket change, an album full of circulated Kennedys, a stack of $2 bills, zombucks, a handful of random banknotes, and a few foreign bits of modern bullion. There's even more I'm sure I don't remember. Goodness, now I know why B&M stores look like they do! This doesn't even count the relatively small collection of US Mint stuff in OGP that takes up tons of room.

It's just like the pile of junk mail that accumulates. We bring in maybe 2 or 3 pieces of mail per day but somehow at the end of the month there's a stack of junk three feet high. How does this happen?

My brain says I collect three things, and precisely three things - US Type coins (including gold), Peace Dollars, and a box of 20 commems. I have hitherto considered myself a decently focused collector, but when I look in the mirror more carefully, reality does not match my perception.

I suppose I remember buying this stuff, or at least some of it, but I virtually never think about it and derive no joy at all from owning the majority of it. In value, all together it might be worth as much as one of my nicer slabbed coins, but when it comes to getting rid of it, it will be a bit of a chore. Just as well start.

The collecting gene manifests itself in strange ways sometimes.

mirabela

I don't know about inevitable, but it does seem to come with the territory. I've done some pretty aggressive weeding in recent years and there's still a sort of sprawling file drawer full of not-very-valuable this and that.

Walkerfan

Nothing wrong with straying from your primary focus, especially if it's quality material.

Variety is the spice of life and keeps things from being too monotonous.

DRUNNER

I have a great solution for (some) of the accumulated detritus I seem to pick up. I golf a bit . . . and always hand out a ballmark to every other guy in the foursome . . . as well as anyone we 'play through'. It has gotten a bit out of hand . . . . . it is a bit challenging to drop a putt with a modern Mint Set in your line . . . . .

Drunner

Goldminers

Yes.

savitale

It probably is a bit inevitable as this sort of stuff serves as our introduction to the field of numismatics before our budgets and knowledge get deeper. I'm an anti-horder and I have been ridding myself of similar numismatic "stuff" over the past few years. It's not always easy because I remember being quite proud to acquire the stuff as a young kid but it's practically worthless from my current perspective now.

Lakesammman

Bought a candlestick from CRO once....

sparky64

It's nice to know I'm not the only one.
I swear you're describing a snapshot of my coin room.
I hardly remember accumulating all that stuff.
I do catch myself looking at that kind of material now and again but am now disciplined enough to not buy it anymore. Makes me smile.

ChangeInHistory

Totally normal. I recently started another wave of consolidating, sorting, and selling and ran across all sorts of common half rolls, rolls of bu memorial lincoln cents, etc.

Time to lot some of it up and away she goes.

BillDugan1959

Yes.

Zoins

I'm the same way. You probably derived some joy when you picked them up which I do.

For me, I figure when I'm retired and have a lot of free time, I may end up trying to take good photos of a lot of the cheap stuff that often doesn't have any.

I have to better segregate the stuff that's worth quite a bit from the stuff that's not worth very much.

koynekwest

Certainly! Trouble is I keep expanding my core collection. Not by much, tho-just an item here and an item there.

Baley

Seems a collector is as a collector does.
My focus ended up being a US type set, and draped bust halves and large size quarters by die variety.
However, along the way, completed sets of peace dollars, Franklin halves, and Jefferson nickels, and Ike dollas. Nearly done with Mercuries, Washingtons, Indian cents, and buffalo nickels.
Got some ancients, some colonial, some gold rush, and a good bit of foreign, including a giant bag from my travels to dozens of countries (I'd put together a type set from circulation while there)
Then there is the bullion, the medals, the bars..

Anyway, most of us do it and can't help it. Even the hard core "box of 20" guys, I'd challenge: Seriously? No proof set from childhood? No silver dollar from grandpa? No bag of junk silver, or change from Canada or Mexico?

53BKid

I'm in the midst of moving after living in the same home for the past 28 years. What's very clear to me is that I am a lot more undisciplined than I thought as well. Not just coins of course, but wow, it's an exhaustive effort to comb through all the stuff and determining what should be kept and what should be shed. I am definitely accelerating the shedding of much of the coins in which I no longer have an interest--which is most of the widgets put out by the U.S. Mint back 10-15 years or so. I am apt to keep just what I still consider to be precious.

PerryHall

There's an old saying that's quite true: "Variety is the spice of life."

WaterSport

Be careful is what I say. Its where the line gets drawn between having a "collection" vs. an "accumulation". I agree the stuff just shows up and every 2-3 months I do everything in my power to get rid of it. I realized long ago the cash value in some of this stuff is better used to buy coins I need for a set. Being disciplined is the hardest thing for a collector to do. Make a list of where this stuff can go from a local coin club or back in circulation and use it to get rid of the stuff. You will be glad you did.

WS

erwindoc

Watch out for too many widgets!

oih82w8

Collecting is kind of like driving on the road...we focus on staying in our own lane, but tend to drift outside our lane at times...then regain our focus and get back on track. It's ok to drift lanes every once in a while.

CommemKing

I have a ton of stuff I have just picked up over the years that just doesn't fit in my core collection. I have parted with a bunch of it over the past few years, but I still have plenty left. The problem is how to get rid of the junk. I need to concentrate of thinking about purchases long and hard before making them. I'm an impulse buyer a lot of times. That makes it hard.

ricko

The curse of accumulation..... most collectors/hobbyists have it....I have always considered those who do not have this problem, to be somewhat abnormal... Cheers, RickO

yspsales

I am sitting on a million modern and junk era baseball cards, 500+ albums, 10 gallons of marbles, camera junk, holsters, etc...

It all goes to ebay.

Problem is, I buy a loupe, a few books, a microscope, new camera. Find a coin show, pawn shop, or flea market, or estate sale.

DCW

@Lakesammman said:
Bought a candlestick from CRO once....

Details!

Paradisefound

Make room for one before you add another "stuff" but IMO it looks normal for any numismatist to accumulate related material as the hobby progresses.