Have coins and numismatics benefitted you?

Nic

Lazybones

Monetary value aside, the historical knowledge gained is immeasurable.

BryceM

Of course. Why be involved otherwise?

Assuming, of course, your question goes beyond purely financial considerations.

yspsales

Financially a wash, but rich in knowledge and skill building.

Mr_Spud

It keeps me off the streets

Smudge

For me it’s not about finances or even knowledge, I just enjoy it. I have always been drawn to coins especially those with intrinsic value.

CalifornianKing

Financially not. Lost a good 1.5k, but other than that I love the history. Shame I gotta sell my collection. Hopefully in a year I can buy some good coins. I just don't have time to look at them at school.

RB1026

I've been involved in numismatics for at least 45+ years, off and on (I'm 53 now). Financially, it's probably been a net loss. However, on every other front, it's been a great source of happiness and personal profit. I love history and coins/currency are wonderful vehicles for that passion. Going to shows, participating in auctions, the excitement of the hunt, the exhilaration of cherry-picking a great piece, meeting others with like interests, exploring history - the benefits to me are too many to count.

ctf_error_coins

I am a coin dealer so obviously, I have benefitted from coins financially, otherwise, I would not be a coin dealer, Right?

The thing is, I enjoy coins immensely. I get excited when I see a super cool error coin that I never knew existed.

Also, coins got me to this forum where I learned a tremendous amount from some very smart people on a variety of subjects.

koynekwest

It's kept me sane in my retirement. Plus it has been very entertaining over the years and quite profitable as well due to many years of cherrypicking, mainly for doubled dies and other varieties.

Dave99B

Financially, heck no.

Valuable historical knowledge, yes.

Good friends, yes.

Fun, absolutely!

Dave

Elcontador

The knowledge and history have been worthwhile. It's neat to pick up a 200 year old coin and wonder who handled / looked at it before I did. I have also met an interesting cast of characters along the way. This hobby attracts all sorts of people; a wider variety than in my other hobbies.

TurtleCat

Yes, it’s kept me sane the last couple of years. Honestly.

johnny9434

A few good coons and comerartory makes it good

relicsncoins

Yes, just not my wallet.

Boosibri

Good friends and a few mentors

ThreeCentSilverFL

Sure. A connection to the hobbies of my grandparents and great grandparents.

amwldcoin

They made me a millionaire! Not! But I've got more than that in coins!

markelman1125

Coin collecting a a great way to invest but in a vary fun and enjoyable way. What’s more fun: $1000 just sitting in your bank account losing its value over time due to inflation or $1000 worth or rare coins that give you the opportunity to hold and admire a peace of history, learn the history, and make connections with others in the hobby while at the same time appreciating in value over time. This my explication to my parents when they ask me “what’s the point in me wasting money on coins”.
Edited

ike126

Hell yes it has benefitted me hugely!! I've made connections with people with the biggest age spreads possible!! And there's always story time etc

jesbroken

Cannot imagine any other hobby that could have maintained my attention for 60 some years.
Jim

koynekwest

I agree with Jim 100%. It's been a fascinating, fun journey for me for 60 years.

PerryHall

I'd like to hear from the two forum members that voted no.

ZoidMeister

I feel like I'm building a legacy and gaining personal enrichment through knowledge.

Namvet69

Confucius say
Life is what you make of it....I can't imagine not being in coins. Peace Roy

HalfDimeDude

This is a great question....and I hope my post will make others realize how wonderful this hobby is...
I was born in South Baltimore in an area called" Pig Town" google that you'll have a laugh....and get a little education too!
Baltimore has always been a coin collectors town , many well known collectors have come from here....many a big coin sale,and deals have happen here.

How has Numismatics benfited me.. lets see...
I started at a young age of 6 or 7 to have an interest in coin collecting, my uncle collected, my father a banker. So I was lucky enough to have a good start in the hobby.
It first taught me the love of knowledge, well not at first, you see I was born deaf in one ear, this handicap wasn't detected until after my first 3 years in grade school.
Learning was hard for me as a young child, not being able to hear like others It held me back.
Collecting coins sparked my interest in learning more about things I had somewhat missed in my early grades in school.
It sparked an interest in Geography, History, politics and civics, that to this day I love...
It taught me respect of my elders as well earned respect from those elders ,being able to have a conversation with an adult where I could express my interest and questions.
It did the same with other kids ,at coin clubs, and meetings....I find it so sad in todays world where two kids cannot talk to each other face to face....but only on a smart phone or pad.
So it socialized me to be able to interact with others, and learn from those inter actions.
It taught me value of money, but must admit that at this time I was able to fill my albums from pocket change....except those damn "s" mint marks only found thousands of miles from my East coast home.
Collecting taught me to think...to yes sometimes question authority as did our founding fathers did... it gave me thirst for more knowlege that before a kid partially deaf lacked any interest.
It taught me passion.... passion in life is the one thing that keeps you going! The love of learning,sharing, understanding events in history that has shaped your country.
It gave me " common ground" the space with others to take all you have learned and find a place to somehow discuss and work out any issues that divide you.
Im relatively sure that within this membership theres many things that divides us...politics, religion to name just two....however all the noise that divides us Numismatics is the glue that binds us....Yes we still agree to disagree...But we talk things out. We respect each other views, and most of all we learn...... knowlege is power... sharing that knowlege is passion.
Passion is what drives you in life.... I want to share my passion in life....and know after I am gone that I left behinde something for my fellow collectors can use in their life. To perhasp pass on to their kids... or friends.
So yeah Nunmastics has given me quite a bit in my life...its my oasis at times ...like now durring a world wide pandemic. A place I can learn, share, and pass on.... coin collecting isnt just a hobby...its a blessings that one may not realize now... but as you turn the corner in your later years you will realize that it gave you the foundation in your youth that has helped make you the person you are today.

Lastly we the stewards of this hobby owe it to pay back, plant a seed, create a spark...in another YN no matter if the YN is 7 or 70... by doing so you'll leave your mark... behinde for another to find their passion in life ,and pass it on...
Thank you.

ricko

Yes, absolutely. Years of collecting have provided me with entertainment, friends, knowledge, possessions and a hobby that crosses all social, geographic and geo-political borders. In my many years of collecting, my focus has been from avid collector to casual interest - several cycles. But always there. From pocket change to slabbed, high value coins - I always have had an attraction to these metal disks of commerce. Cheers, RickO

giorgio11

Of course! Starting out as a small-time collector and dealer decades ago, back with a vengeance in the last 25 years or so. Even after "retiring" I was able to combine two of my talents, for writing and coins, into a third career after decades in the marketing / communications field. And I loved not so much churning out copy continuously for many years at a large auction house, but it was great learning about the influences that gold and silver have had on the economics, history, politics, and demographics of the United States and other countries. And the exposure to new areas of numismatics was priceless!

Kind regards,

George

USSID17

Looks like we're all pretty much on the same sheet of music regarding this hobby of ours. Never met a financial adviser that said: "Add coins to your portfolio!" If you do, run the other direction!

Like ZoidMeister said; I'm trying to build a legacy collection as well, to pass down to the kids. Unfortunately, "all" our collections will ultimately end up in someone else's collection sooner or later.

You can probably find those two that voted no, in the stamp collecting forum!

Connecticoin

Started collecting at age 8, which increased my interest in math and finance, which ultimately led to a successful career as an Actuary. I will admit it is not as much fun or as lucrative as Formula One racing, and my Walking Liberty set reflects that

BillJones

It has helped me through the last rotten year +. It’s kept me happy while I was home bound except to go to the grocery store and post office. Going to Walmart became a wonderful adventure. That gives an idea about how much this pandemic sucks.

Before that it has been a great source of pleasure during an interesting life. Until the last couple of years, I made some money or increased my net worth. Now buying coins what my undergraduate economics professor used to call “a consumption act.”

Walkerfan

Coins have given me years of pleasure. I enjoy the beauty, history, value and scarcity, as well as, all of the great friends who I’ve met that transcends generations. I disagree that coins are a bad investment. Scarce walkers continue to soar and set new records. I bid 20% over graysheet ask on a rare walker, last night, and was still the under-bidder. Worst case scenario, as our old friend MFH used to say: ‘They are a good storehouse of wealth, in which you can, at very least, get your initial investment money back’. Very few hobbies can make that claim, while providing the same amount of satisfaction.

jkrk

Coins and numismatics have been a learning experience about myself.

I am an addict. Thus... I would become addicted if

1)I ever drank.
2)I I ever took drugs.

My addictions..

1)Chocolate. I bet I can't eat just one. A jar of peanut M&M's (Costco size) doesn't last a week.
2)Message boards. I bet I can't stay away for long.

I know myself.

Atcarroll

Yes, it gives me a constructive focus for my borderline ocd and addictive tendencies.

RYK

Dude, I am a radiologist. I need a hedge for my answer, 😉

(Voted yes.)

1northcoin

This is similar to a posting on another thread but, at least to me, it is responsive to the OP's question:

When Q. David Bowers was preparing his Red Book Series book on Double Eagles I sent him my unique 1850 Double Eagle for examination. I was honored to find my name in the book's credits when it was published.

Years later I corresponded with him on another matter and added the comment, "I thought you might be interested to learn that (subsequent to the publication of your book on Double Eagles) numismatic researcher and author Karl Moulton wrote identifying the coin as a "First Strike" or "Trial Piece" that had been in the personal collection of James B. Longacre ... I believe the J.B. Longacre pedigree (as a first strike) is much more significant than the C.W. Green listing as a proof..."

In a responsive letter he wrote, "The Liberty Head Double Eagle is one of my favorite series. You certainly have a spectacular 1850!!! Also, it seems that you have a very nice library and I'm delighted that a number of my volumes are included in it."

[In my original letter I had corresponded, "As I was reading earlier this week from my copy of your recently published book, "Lost and Found Coin Hoards and Treasures," which you had signed, it occurred to me how much enjoyment I have had over the years reading your numerous books and columns in periodicals such as "Coin World" and the "Numismatist."
.....
Out of curiosity I took a brief inventory this morning of the numismatic books currently on my shelf and noted upwards of a dozen that you had authored ...
.....
As I glanced through those titles it brought back many fond memories of my interest in and acquisition of specific coins related to the books you authored which as I had read and reviewed them made acquiring those coins all the more interesting and educational. I fully concur with Ed Reiter who wrote on your 60th birthday in his piece titled, "Q. David Bowers: A One-Man Library," describing you as "the most prolific author the numismatic field has ever known" and describing your writing as "interesting, informative, and fun to read." ]

Jimnight

Yes ... I get great peace of mind.

Catbert

A source of entertainment and something to do.

AuldFartte

Financially? I doubt it. Minimal benefit if any. But the sheer joy of acquiring coins (and some medals) that appeal to me, building sets because I get a feeling of accomplishment from it, learning more history (mainly US and England), and the friendships and eagerly helpful people here, are all priceless to me. I'm a definite YES!

wayfarer

Yes, it expands my horizon in history and I like the designs and so much more on coins!

yspsales

More forward looking...

Some things I would change in the past, but I am here in the moment.

Grading, like chess or poker, is more to exercise my mind.

Maybe golf would be a more apt analogy.

Small and large numismatic victories come less in financial terms (though welcome) and more a personal journey.

Having lost my father about a year ago to dementia it occurred to me I am getting old.

Having breakfast with my frail but sharp minded mother this morning, it just solidified my future and recent reinvention.

Gonna be a whirlwind last third of my life.

The solitude of a loupe, some coins, traveling to shows, picking, cracking, skill and friend building.

Maybe a rolling wholesale RV buyer with an Ebay store on wheels? Hasn't that been done?

... or a B&M somewhere in near a beach in FL or CA.

Aplogies to the original Q... "See you out there."

WAYNEAS

Education is always a plus for me.
Wayne