Have you ever sold a collection only to seek to rebuild it again later?

Boosibri

I sold my Irish moderns to focus on Spanish and Latin American pieces. It was a necessary choice. I would like to rebuild that set, though some of the pieces I had may be irreplaceable. Has this ever happened to you?

TheGoonies1985

A couple of times but now I am truly happy with Mexican 1/2 reales and 8 reales and some Mexican gold coins per year. I don't see ever going back. I truly found my passion took 30 years of collecting sports cards, comic books, stamps and coins. Do I miss some stuff I guess mostly because I had sports cards that now sell for crazy money but I would sell them anyways and buy more Mexican coins I need

The only other collectible I could have been truly happy with is Detective comics #1 to #100 all the early issues then Batman appears in issue 27. But that ship has sailed long ago price wise.

TheGoonies1985

I had things that now could pay off my home it is what it is sold them to early. My most expensive item now is my 1824 8 Reales Upright (paid $800). I am OK with that. Some like to dwell and dwell it's not worth it to me just move on and continue with what you have.

TheGoonies1985

One thing life has thought me is if we are not truly happy we tend to be all over the place with no focus trying to find happiness. Nothing wrong with that but if you have found it stop searching.

Now if someone could only put that into a fortune cookie.

TheGoonies1985

In your case why not try say the 4 Reales or 8 Escudo gold of Mexico or some other series. You seem to have a huge passion for Mexico. Why change.

If you sold things it is because deep down you did not truly care for them.

asheland

Nothing specific, but I have sold everything in the past, only to start buying again... It happens.

Euclid

I have sold and rebought plenty of trading cards, and also tried pursuing collections I'd previously abandoned. However outside of an oddity or two nothing I've ever sold was truly irreplaceable, and it would all be easy to find and purchase again with enough money. Had I sold a piece that was likely irreplaceable, I would not consider collecting a set that required it. I'd try to cherish the experience of having owned it and move on to collecting something new.

In coins, I've made some purchases I suspect would be difficult to repeat but I'm not keen on finding out any time soon.

WCC

Only a low proportion of sets are actually difficult to complete, except in some narrow quality, and not that hard in "high quality".

Where it is often difficult is due to the low market value. My primary series is probably more difficult than in the vicinity of at least 95% post-1500 but if I were willing to spend the money, I might be able to buy the better coins such as from Patterson or Sellshopp I do not have now to complete it.

I have never completed any of my primary sets. If I were to liquidate my current primary interest, I wouldn't try to start over. I'd consider giving up collecting altogether.

neildrobertson

I have a couple things that I miss, but I haven't felt the urge to recreate them yet. Untread ground still seems more appealing to me.

MrEureka

@Boosibri said:
I sold my Irish moderns to focus on Spanish and Latin American pieces. It was a necessary choice. I would like to rebuild that set, though some of the pieces I had may be irreplaceable. Has this ever happened to you?

I haven’t, but I’d consider it if I thought I could do a significantly better job the second time around. Otherwise, no sense doing the same thing twice. And FWIW, I think you should do the Irish. You were only getting started last time. Greatness awaits!

Boosibri

@MrEureka said:

@Boosibri said:
I sold my Irish moderns to focus on Spanish and Latin American pieces. It was a necessary choice. I would like to rebuild that set, though some of the pieces I had may be irreplaceable. Has this ever happened to you?

I haven’t, but I’d consider it if I thought I could do a significantly better job the second time around. Otherwise, no sense doing the same thing twice. And FWIW, I think you should do the Irish. You were only getting started last time. Greatness awaits!

Let’s do it. Set of Morbiducci’s to start

TwoKopeiki

I think the lesson here is "don't let go of irreplaceable coins".

MrEureka

@TwoKopeiki said:
I think the lesson here is "don't let go of irreplaceable coins".

Nice thought, but there are way too many irreplaceable coins.

MrEureka

@Boosibri said:

@MrEureka said:

@Boosibri said:
I sold my Irish moderns to focus on Spanish and Latin American pieces. It was a necessary choice. I would like to rebuild that set, though some of the pieces I had may be irreplaceable. Has this ever happened to you?

I haven’t, but I’d consider it if I thought I could do a significantly better job the second time around. Otherwise, no sense doing the same thing twice. And FWIW, I think you should do the Irish. You were only getting started last time. Greatness awaits!

Let’s do it. Set of Morbiducci’s to start

One of the things about a worthy collecting project is that you can’t choose the order of acquisition. You simply buy whatever you can, whenever it becomes available.

bidask

Gee whiz and I was thinking about selling my entire gold Mexican peso collection

Over 40 coins !

TwoKopeiki

@MrEureka said:

@TwoKopeiki said:
I think the lesson here is "don't let go of irreplaceable coins".

Nice thought, but there are way too many irreplaceable coins.

I'm not advocating for buying irreplaceable coins outside your collecting interests. But once you add them to your collection, just don't sell them even if you switch focus. And if you think there is an overabundance of irreplaceable coins, feel free to offer me some in the 1772-1821 mexico 8 reales series.

TheGoonies1985

@bidask said:
Gee whiz and I was thinking about selling my entire gold Mexican peso collection

Over 40 coins !

When us curious buyers need to know?

TheGoonies1985

@TwoKopeiki said:

@MrEureka said:

@TwoKopeiki said:
I think the lesson here is "don't let go of irreplaceable coins".

Nice thought, but there are way too many irreplaceable coins.

I'm not advocating for buying irreplaceable coins outside your collecting interests. But once you add them to your collection, just don't sell them even if you switch focus. And if you think there is an overabundance of irreplaceable coins, feel free to offer me some in the 1772-1821 mexico 8 reales series.

@TwoKopeiki said:

@MrEureka said:

@TwoKopeiki said:
I think the lesson here is "don't let go of irreplaceable coins".

Nice thought, but there are way too many irreplaceable coins.

I'm not advocating for buying irreplaceable coins outside your collecting interests. But once you add them to your collection, just don't sell them even if you switch focus. And if you think there is an overabundance of irreplaceable coins, feel free to offer me some in the 1772-1821 mexico 8 reales series.

There are a lot of Mexican coins that are truly hard to locate. Best to keep them or sell them to me.

MrEureka

@TwoKopeiki said:

@MrEureka said:

@TwoKopeiki said:
I think the lesson here is "don't let go of irreplaceable coins".

Nice thought, but there are way too many irreplaceable coins.

I'm not advocating for buying irreplaceable coins outside your collecting interests. But once you add them to your collection, just don't sell them even if you switch focus.

I’ll keep your advice in mind in case I’m ever wealthy enough to follow it!

Abuelo

Nope... Not yet, anyway.

ScoobyDoo2

I think its a sign of a serial killer.

TheGoonies1985

@ScoobyDoo2 said:
I think its a sign of a serial killer.

I laugh buts it's not funny at the same time. Never being satisfied and always needing a new trophy fix.

JohnnyCache

I could sell off my entire collection and the net proceeds still wouldn't be sufficient to purchase a truly irreplaceable coin. It's one problem I won't have to worry about.

I imagine that nearly every great collector finds themselves going through these very same feelings at some point while they are active in the hobby.

As Mr.Eureka suggests, it would really take vast amounts of wealth to keep them all. Even a billionaire like Tradedollarnut sold off portions of his collection, though I'm sure it wasn't because he needed the cash, and if ever there were irreplaceable coins he had them.

Coins/collections are meant to be bought, compiled, held, admired and eventually sold. Though perhaps your having some feelings of nostalgia or regret with regard to the coins you let go I'd look at the situation differently. Maybe some of what you sold off appears irreplaceable right now but two things to keep in mind are 1) It will fuel your chase to find some that are even better or at least just as nice and 2) those coins likely brought great joy to another persons life. I personally would derive great pleasure knowing that somebody out there got just as excited and derived just as much pleasure as I did from the same coin. We often say we are but temporary custodians of our coins. The whole process we go through of buying holding and selling coins is just our own little circle of life within the collecting world.

Can't wait to see what Irish coins come to you in your pursuit, enjoy, I know we all will.

coinkat

Perhaps one really needs to look at this from a slightly different perspective...

Some coins at the highest end of the grading spectrum for certain sets may be irreplaceable.

But consider re-framing the question and the quest to seek the finest example at the highest grade level possible. This effort truly challenges and measures the real talent of a numismatist to recognize rarity, condition rarity and the settle nuances within a series and assemble something that speaks volumes as to that series and the coins within that series. And the satisfaction of that accomplishment should hopefully outweigh any regrets from the past.

SmEagle1795

Looking at it as objectively as possible, I'd classify 11 of my coins which, if I sold any of them, I'd probably need to sell all of them and shift direction entirely. Rebuilding the same set would be very challenging if I couldn't get them back so I'd end up resigning to following a slightly different collecting focus.

TheGoonies1985

I have sold to many times now I know I will keep all that I own till I pass away then leave it to my niece or brother. I for one will no longer be a seller nothing from my Mexico collection is going up for sale I don't care about the price offered not like I own super expensive coins anyway my top coin in my collection may be one day $10 000 max and maybe a few in the $5000 range. Doubles if any when I upgrade I will hand them to my young niece for her set.

I am not playing that buying/selling game anymore I am done. Took 30 years to figure this out as a collector. I feel like a fool that got married multiple times thinking it will be different each time. Never again I am done paying the ''lawyers fees'' as a collector.

WCC

@JohnnyCache said:

Coins/collections are meant to be bought, compiled, held, admired and eventually sold. Though perhaps your having some feelings of nostalgia or regret with regard to the coins you let go I'd look at the situation differently.

I collect some of the same coins you do though different mints. My intent is to pass these coins along to someone in my family, if I can find someone who actually will likely keep it. I don't plan to sell these coins unless I need the money.

I am also buying other personal effects for the similar reasons, though these have practical usage. Instead of buying new furniture which is overpriced and to me mostly low quality junk, I buy comparably priced or somewhat more expensive used and antique made of solid wood. My sister-in-law has similar artistic tastes and I'll give it to my brother for his daughters later.

neildrobertson

There's not much glory in dying with my coins. I'll pass them on if someone in my family is interested. I would be happier to sell them to a similarly minded collector.

I personally think all healthy collections have a certain amount of turnover. That's how you improve and hone your craft. I told myself I'd sell at least 5% of my collection each year and reinvest the money from that. Sometimes that 5% will include an entire set. I'm still mostly selling stuff I bought early on before my taste developed to what it is now.

TheGoonies1985

@neildrobertson said:
There's not much glory in dying with my coins. I'll pass them on if someone in my family is interested. I would be happier to sell them to a similarly minded collector.

I personally think all healthy collections have a certain amount of turnover. That's how you improve and hone your craft. I told myself I'd sell at least 5% of my collection each year and reinvest the money from that. Sometimes that 5% will include an entire set. I'm still mostly selling stuff I bought early on before my taste developed to what it is now.

I get that but if anyone of us is lucky we have a family member that has the same passion. I know it's long shot but one hopes.

WCC

@neildrobertson said:

I personally think all healthy collections have a certain amount of turnover. That's how you improve and hone your craft. I told myself I'd sell at least 5% of my collection each year and reinvest the money from that. Sometimes that 5% will include an entire set. I'm still mostly selling stuff I bought early on before my taste developed to what it is now.

I have done this in the past but don't plan to do it now. There are coins I consider better or more desirable, but there aren't hardly any in the same or similar price range.

If I were to collect something else which I do not plan to do, it would be some ancient segment such as Roman, Greek, Judean, or Byzantine silver or bronze. Or, maybe Crusader or European medieval coinage.

There isn't a single US series remotely in the same price range I consider remotely equivalent to what I collect now. Viewed impartially, I think pillars are comparable as a collectible to flowing hair, draped bust and capped bust coinage. Some are "better" and others are not, it depends upon the specific coins being compared. I like these US series but they cost noticeable premiums to huge multiples in proximate (or even much lower) quality and are almost always a lot more common on top of it. If I want these coins, I can buy it any time in isolation, as I have the funds if I choose to spend it that way.

With world (post 1500) coinage, similar story. I can't speak to most oriental coinage since I have no interest in it. There are a low number of other Latin America series I consider comparable also. I just to happen to like what I collect now better.

To me, any other change would be collecting (noticeably) "downward" as far as I am concerned. I see no point in that.

jgenn

I suggest that if you can't find a family member that would get the same amount of joy from inheriting your collection that you did in building it then find the joy in selling it to like-minded collectors that will get that same feeling, This is my plan when I'm good and ready -- I know my heirs will prefer the cash.

TheGoonies1985

@jgenn said:
I suggest that if you can't find a family member that would get the same amount of joy from inheriting your collection that you did in building it then find the joy in selling it to like-minded collectors that will get that same feeling, This is my plan when I'm good and ready -- I know my heirs will prefer the cash.

Always a possibility. I am only 40 so I hope I still have another 30 years or so to enjoy my hobby.

Clio

@Boosibri said:
I sold my Irish moderns to focus on Spanish and Latin American pieces. It was a necessary choice. I would like to rebuild that set, though some of the pieces I had may be irreplaceable. Has this ever happened to you?

What a terrifying post to wake up to. Haha. Irish modern shillings are my first and only set I've worked on and completed so I haven't had those regrets just yet. I do think to sell the set off after all this hard work would leave me a bit empty. I don't think I could do it. I would love to see some more action on the Irish moderns on the forums, as you mentioned those Morbiducci’s would be an awesome area to delve into. Seeing the results of the DNW auction shilling was a major wake up call for myself and worry that had I started later I wouldn't have been able to get this far. Anyway I wish you luck in whatever you collect. You have great taste and a beautiful coins. Cheers,

OliverDePlaise

I've sold and regretted but once done, it's done.

Boosibri

@OliverDePlaise said:
I've sold and regretted but once done, it's done.

You are a new "face", welcome and thanks for contributing.

Elmhurst

My 1937-1960 Canada cents disappeared at some point from my Library of Coins album. Must have moved them some place else, and still trying to find. Not stolen as everything else is still there.

AuldFartte

I've done this a few times, but only with Liteside stuff. I'll never sell my British Victorian Type Set. Or the British Conder Tokens.