How does one become a professional variety Attribution specialist?

Aspie_Rocco

I want to become a variety attribution specialist.
I am looking for input, advice, or guidance on how to best transition into a career in variety attribution.
My interest is in the variety aspect more so than grading.
Any input on how I might go about accomplishing this goal would be greatly appreciated.

Rocco

yspsales

I would watch the Lisot video series in the Newman numismatic portal.

Features a couple decades of FUN speakers... Randy Campbell, John Roberts, Don Bonser are recurring speakers.

Campbell is former Morgan dealer, former grader at ANACS and currently at ICG and FUN president (?)
Roberts... leading VAM specialist and ANACS variety specialist
Bonser... current dealer, former ANAC's grader and a variety guru

Just a guess... seems to me a group of survivors derived from intense and driven people obsessed with their niche and all things coins.

I would think you need connections from years of service to ANA, clubs, and specialty groups.

The byproduct of peer respect, specialty knowledge, and overall trust.

koynekwest

That might be a tough, high stress job. I know a couple that are doing OK, tho.

keets

without knowing where you live or what your circumstances are, first and foremost I think you need to be willing to relocate to wherever it is you might end up working. I don't think you can find employment solely as a Variety Attribution Specialist, you could do that as you're working in the business for a dealer, gaining experience in grading, counterfeit detection, etc. prior to applying for a position to take the next step up. logically, that would be to a TPG, National dealer or large auction house.

I know a grader at NGC who took that very same path. we met when he was about 15-16 and he already had a good eye. he worked for my boss around the shop and for a few other local online dealers until he graduated from HS. at that point he had some solid experience, good references and enough confidence in his ability to apply at NGC where he was hired. he moved up steadily and helped with VAM attributions, even making a few new discoveries. NGC mentored him well, he has been to China and Germany to gain experience since he found a niche in World Coins. I think he's about 26 now and is at the point where he wants to move on and probably start his own business.

someone like him would be a good Mentor for you. there are other guys here that can advise you better than what I have posted because their advice will be based on personal experience. another good guy to reach out to would be someone like Mark Feld. he has followed a similar path.

oih82w8

Practice...lots of practice and thorough knowledge of where to look for pick-up-points...and a willingness to learn. One could start with a local coin club and advertise your passion.

Insider2

@Aspie_Rocco said: "I want to become a variety attribution specialist."

Actually, this is fairly easy to do and anyone with an eye-for-detail can accomplish it. AFAIK, we were all mostly self-taught. You'll learn faster if you have someone teach you specific parts of a coin to check first in each series as there are several different things to look for. As an example, until around 2000, I NEVER even looked at the star position on Capped Bust coins - something that others had been checking for decades before! You can specialize on one series or if you wish to join a TPGS you'll kneed to generalize.

What you'll need is a computer, a library, a stereo microscope, a florescent lamp (ditch the hand lens it takes too long), and some coins to attribute. Good luck!

yosclimber

To be a professional, you have to be paid for it, at least once.
That might be doable, even if it is not a career.

Probably the best path to getting more work would be to write a book showing what you have found.
Could be a free online book, to keep costs down.
It could help if it is a series that has a lot of unpublished varieties, like say 3 cent nickels.
A drawback of such a series is that is does not have a built in demand, but you could be a part of developing that.
In an already popular series, there could be some people who might pay for attributions (especially if connected to registry sets where they can compare their collections). But there are likely resident experts for these series,
so you might have to wait until they are no longer active before you become a leading expert.

Perhaps the most direct would be to learn more about current attribution experts and see if they consider it a career.
At a minimum, you already enjoy it, and you could maintain that by helping others with attributions,
even if there is no money involved.

The above relates to attribution as a service.
You could also cherrypick and resell with your attributions.
That could be considered professional, if you net a profit on it.

Hemispherical

All have brought up good pointers now put it to paper. Build a resume of your skills, knowledge, and attributes in your projected specialization.

RogerB

All that is necessary is to buy one of those little wooden signs with the imitation gold lettering. Hang it in front of your bourse table, or wear it around your neck.

"Numismatics" has no professional knowledge requirements at all. Now, if you want to cut finger nails, that's different.

Aspie_Rocco

Great ideas so far, thank you much folks.

ifthevamzarockin

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1008684/calling-on-professional-graders-and-attribution-specialists#latest

thefinn

Start selling on ebay by setting up a store selling varieties. You will get a following and a reputation.

BAM - you're a professional variety dealer/identifier.

Aspie_Rocco

???? Why this? Do you think I am trolling or intentionally double posting?

@ifthevamzarockin said:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1008684/calling-on-professional-graders-and-attribution-specialists#latest

My interest is with attribution specifically, so I made this thread to avoid the Grading aspect of the previous question. I made a mistake referencing grading before, as talk of grading detracted from my specific attribution goals.

ifthevamzarockin

Sorry, this is one of the double post. Not even sure I posted it.

Please forgive me.... I'm kinda new here & I ain't the sharpest pencil in the box.

And in no way do I think you are a troll.