What do you when you hit a long "drought" in your collecting??

Maywood

I find myself in the midst of a collecting drought. It isn't that I've lost interest, it is more that I just don't seem to be finding anything that I feel like trying to buy. I have a pretty substantial list of what I'm looking for and on occasion find something, but it's either not suited for what I expect or the price is just too, too exorbitant for what it is. Admittedly, I collect in a couple of niche exonumia areas: medals catalogued by Eglit numbers and SC$'s. Many are quite scarce/rare with some that I have never seen an un-impaired example.

On the bright side, the longer I go without finding something the larger my piggy-bank gets for the hoped for right medal. Ever had this problem and what do you do to stay focused?? Thanks in advance.

Maywood

asheland

I just wait for the right coin to come along and yes, it can get irritating...

lkenefic

I had a bit of a run in finding coins suitable to include in my collections, but I'm running into some of the same issues you relate.

It's tough, but just be patient... we're in this for the long haul...

Jimnight

Like @asheland said, I'd just wait and keep watching ... sooner or later the rain will come.

WaterSport

For every drought - there is some rain. Keep searching.

WS

Walkerfan

I either:

A. Save my money
B. Work on other hobbies
C. Buy a nice, yet relatively inexpensive, coin from a series that I don't normally collect.

Catbert

I see so many coins I’d like to own, but must constantly remind myself to stay focused on certain coin priorities.

jmlanzaf

1. Buy books.
2. Try a new area.
3. Don't worry, be happy.

BryceM

For me, coin collecting is hobby #2.

Right now, hobbies #1 and #3 are front and center, so no big deal. It'll come around. Hobby #1 shuts down in the winter, so I expect I'll be right back in a few months.

Of course, if you only have one hobby, that's harder.

Walkerfan

@Catbert said:
I see so many coins I’d like to own, but must constantly remind myself to stay focused on certain coin priorities.

I was like that with Walkers for well over a decade.

Once I finished, it felt so liberating and refreshing to be able to buy, whatever I wanted, unencumbered.

lkenefic

When I first started back on my 7070, finding coins was easy... there were 76 holes to fill in the album and seemingly an abundant supply of suitable coins with which to fill them. Now that I'm down to my last 10 holes, the availability of "suitable" pieces are fewer and further between. Not because my standards have changed, but the availability of those particular coins in the grades I want AND at the price I can afford... has.

So... I wait.... I keep the money I had ear-marked for coins and just keep looking. In the meantime, there are other hobbies I can indulge until a suitable coin comes along. I've recently started going down this rabbit-hole... I figure I can start taking [better] pictures of the coins I do have. I still need the macro lens, but this basic digital system was had for about $150.

BillJones

I have lots of irons in the fire. They include U.S. type coins, coins of the British kings and queens, Roman emperors and presidential campaign tokens. Therefore, I don't have have very many "droughts."

FlyingAl

I understand your feeling. I've been looking for a nice 1939 proof quarter for years now. I'm beginning to doubt if the coin that I'm looking for exists.

I do find that whenever my main collecting interests are dormant while I'm waiting for a coin to pop up for sale that cherrypicking allows for a wide range of viable purchase opportunities. It also expands the areas of numismatics where I have some knowledge. I'm not sure if this is something you'd want to try, but I'd give it a shot.

OAKSTAR

@Maywood said:
What do you do when you hit a long "drought" in your collecting??
Maywood

Save my money and organize and streamline what I have.

oih82w8

Thin the herd by selling some...at least that is what I did this past Saturday. (I'm working on my trip report)

vplite99

@Walkerfan said:

@Catbert said:
I see so many coins I’d like to own, but must constantly remind myself to stay focused on certain coin priorities.

I was like that with Walkers for well over a decade.

Once I finished, it felt so liberating and refreshing to be able to buy, whatever I wanted, unencumbered.

I find it liberating to feel that I own and control my collection, not the other way around.

Walkerfan

@vplite99 said:

@Walkerfan said:

@Catbert said:
I see so many coins I’d like to own, but must constantly remind myself to stay focused on certain coin priorities.

I was like that with Walkers for well over a decade.

Once I finished, it felt so liberating and refreshing to be able to buy, whatever I wanted, unencumbered.

I find it liberating to feel that I own and control my collection, not the other way around.

It depends on what your goals are.

If you're a type collector, then OK....

But, you'll never complete a series, if you buy whatever strikes your fancy, unless money is no object.

Catbert

I’m doing both. Like some type, not all. Am also focusing on a segment of a series. The push/pull between the two is challenging budget wise since I will pursue both simultaneously!

CoffeeTime

I have a few hobbies that go in cycles. I just put more interest there and get reconnected with my interest. Coin collecting is a marathon, long term hobby

coinbuf

Play some golf.

blitzdude

Go outside and take a breath of fresh air (assuming you don't live in the city). Then go for a nice long walk or run. It will come back to you. RGDS!

BustDMs

Research and writing!

hfjacinto

I think we all get to the point your describing. It’s all part of collecting.

I have a few coins that I’m missing and I just can’t find myself to buy them as the cost just seems high to me. So in some ways I’m in the same glut as you.

I have other (cheaper) coins I can get and sometimes I’ll buy 1 of the coins or get a maple leaf to just get something.

Cougar1978

I don’t spend unless inventory is selling. Lately I have been just sending currency in for grading.

golden

Look harder.

MrEureka

Really? It's really just me? Fine. I do something stupid. Happy now?

pocketpiececommems

@lkenefic said:
I had a bit of a run in finding coins suitable to include in my collections, but I'm running into some of the same issues you relate.

It's tough, but just be patient... we're in this for the long haul...

It does seem like you hit runs and then a long spell of nothing sets in. Save your money for the next one. It’s temping to buy something that you really don’t need and then when the big one comes along you don’t have the money

Elcontador

@Walkerfan said:
I either:

A. Save my money
B. Work on other hobbies
C. Buy a nice, yet relatively inexpensive, coin from a series that I don't normally collect.

I haven't bought anything in 6 years; there are a few specific hard to get coins on my radar and it takes years to find one of them. I'm taking a nice vacation later this year with the money not spent on our hobby. You can also upgrade your home; houses always need work.

The_Dinosaur_Man

I like coming here and seeing what everyone has to post. My biggest drought right now is with disposable income.

silverpop

never had that issue to start with as my collecting is wide ranged and not focused on sets or whatever,

LeeBone

Been there.
I actually did lose interest for a while.
Went about 3-5 years with no desire.
Sold a nice part of my lesser, more replaceable stuff, and never regretted it.
Then the market started to turn for the better.
Now my collection is narrowed to the better items that I should have kept all along.
Maybe I just needed that nudge.

MasonG

I don't do sets, I buy coins that interest me with no view of how they all fit together. There's always something out there.

FredF

I have one coin I need for a set I started about 15 years ago, but I'm super picky and I think I can count on my two hands the number of coins in existence that would qualify for my last spot. It's a waiting game, as I don't want to buy a hole filler and then upgrade later.

So what I do if I get an itch is I go to the local B&M and I buy something inexpensive but neat looking. I have a merc dime set and a silver Wash 25c set that I started by pulling coins out of junk silver bags ages ago, and I still need several for both. I had started a Lincoln collection with one of my kids when he was 3 or 4 years old. Used to take him to the B&M every so often and pick out a couple. As he grew up, he stopped caring, so I finished the set eventually, but it took a few years because I wasn't in a hurry. I still buy the mint sets and proof sets every year just because why not. So I collect inexpensive widgets because I like them.

remumc

I have only one set I'm seriously collecting, & I have been collecting this set now for maybe 20 years. I'm to the point that a coin that can upgrade my set seldom comes available, usually at auction, & when it does, it goes for the higher bidder, not me, & I big strong! Yes, there are coins currently available that will upgrade my set, points wise, they fall into two categories, either so fugly & I can't live with them, or priced way out of my comfort range & ability to pay for them.

vulcanize

Mine has been in a "start...stop" endless loop mode many times in the past four decades because as always, life happened.
So taking a hiatus and dusting it off from the backburner occassionally gave me a different perspective. It also used keep me occupied in searching for upgrades mostly and also randomly find a new Danco album and start a set.

Now the dilemma is about my Morgan collection that is going to take quite a while to have it all as PCGS graded aside of the current 45 PCGS ones since there are 34 NGC, 15 ANACS and 1 IGC slabs which requires either crossovers or upgrades.

Abehunter

Is a drought when good stuff is hard to find or when I've dried up from looking?

CommemDude

When you reach a certain age a drought can become permanent when you realize that you have to stop buying and start planning your coins' return to the market.

Maywood

Just for clarification, I'm not a set-builder and the two areas I described or more general than specific, they each encompass more than 1,000 medals. Understanding that, you might look at it more as type collecting from those two large groups.

privatecoin

A drought for me is not having enough money to buy something. Like cladkings mint sets. So I either work OT, under the table projects, or Sadly sell coins.

ricko

I often have periods of no acquisitions. Does not bother me - I enjoy the hobby and it is not an obsession. I enjoy looking at coins online and also the one's I have already. Then, when that special one shows up, I grab it if I can. Cheers, RickO

asheland

@ricko said:
I often have periods of no acquisitions. Does not bother me - I enjoy the hobby and it is not an obsession. I enjoy looking at coins online and also the one's I have already. Then, when that special one shows up, I grab it if I can. Cheers, RickO

Exactly!

neildrobertson

I have many sets working at any given time. I have 2 or 3 primary sets that I will prioritize over the others, but I have some lower value ones I can work on in the in-between times. And I've been collecting things for long enough that I know coins tend to come in waves and I need to save up in the dry times so that I'll be ready to handle the waves when they come. Sometimes I'll even try to sell extra stuff and downsize when things are light (not tight), using that same thought process.

Flatwoods

Many of my niche areas have practically dried up.
I just keep looking and occasionally start a thread about how I cant find anything.

jedm

If I'm in a drought as far as actual acquiring new coins then I fill the time by organizing and record keeping, just my typical OCD stuff. I may also take the time to plan future buys, and decide which coins I may consider upgrading. I will also begin the planning of which ones I will sell and either take pics of them or just organize my thought process as to when and where to sell them. Of course there's always something here on the forum to keep my interest in the hobby.

ZoidMeister

And sometimes, you just run across something you didn't know existed when you haven't been in a drought and resources are low to nonexistent.

That's worse methinks.

Z
.

.

WCC

I don't buy for "side collections" anymore. I still have these coins and not planning to sell but also not adding to it.

I wait until there is something I want in my primary set and bought duplicates of multiple coins when available. Bought second and third coin this year of one which I first bought in 2008 and hadn't seen anything comparable since.

TheGoonies1985

Watch sports (NHL/NFL) and old movies (1980's/1990's). Watch Star Trek full series that keeps me busy for months (still have a bunch I have yet to buy will be doing that soon enough). Last winter watched Star Trek Enterprise was a great series. Take daily walks and spend time with my family and pet. I find daily cooking helps as well.

One of my big time spenders is reading history books on the countries I collect. There are just so many of them I have about 40-50 books just waiting for me to open them. I always add about 1-2 new books per month as well.

I am happy if I add 2-3 new coins per year and if I add 4 total in that time it makes for a great year.

Cougar1978

When not buying I work on a project. It could be enhancing an inventory spreadsheet or developing a pricing matrix for my graded currency.

DCW

Unless you have unlimited resources, you've got to "keep the powder dry." I really try to keep the impulse buys at bay now. It's a terrible feeling when something extraordinary appears and you don't have the means to go after it. It is especially painfully if you've been searching for it for years and this is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to acquire it. And it is really, really devastating when you can only blame yourself for buying things that don't matter at the expense of adding to one's core collection.

JRGeyer

I guess it really depends on what drives you in coin collecting. I consider it purely a hobby, so if I ever get bored, I just shuffle it behind some of my other hobbies until I get the drive back.

If it is just a matter of being unable to find pieces for my primary collection, I find myself researching other sets or coins, and if I am graced with a divine touch, I may dabble with some side purchases. I try to stay focused on my primary set nowadays though.

This last collecting run I've been on the past two years or so has been the most gratifying. I've truly enjoyed the process of developing a refined eye for my collection.

Paradisefound

💚 life got in the way of everything else …… secondary 🧡

I am passionate enough for this hobby as well as others I deemed FUN 💙
however all the other aspects of my life take precedence ❤️

Floating in the ocean ….. looking for ever changing images in the clouds is better than any hammered piece.

I look at mine as the experience I would be better on but Life is Good enough without anything tangible 🥰

Be in your Present because it is THE present ❤️