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Stigma of Russian coin collecting
tcollects
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I collect what I like, including Russian coins. I'm wondering if any other collectors feel a stigma about it based on the horrible Ukraine war? Oligarchs selling their collections, it just seems weird now to be buying. I feel like I'm collecting third Reich coins or something, so I'm quieter about it, don't want to share my newps out of embarrassment. I wonder if anyone else feels like this and what effect, if any, it has on the market?
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I have no problem collecting Russian coins, I've lived in Ukraine for a couple of years a decade ago. I am very pro-Ukraine. I don't dislike Russia or Russians - just the fool responsible for all the destruction to Russia and Ukraine.
If I collected Russian coins, the only reason I would care about what others think is the impact on the future price level when I was selling. This includes any restrictions on buying or selling.
Otherwise, I don't care what anyone else thinks about my collecting choices. Collecting doesn't have anything to do with politics.
Not at all, while I don't really actively collect Russian coins, I do love those big 5 Kopeks!
That one I pictured was minted in Crimea
Hello, guys! I'm from Russia, and I collect coins from all countries, all around the world. It's all about collecting, not about the War. Let's have a peace here, ok? 🙏
Collect what you like. Russian history is fascinating to me as well. There will always be wars nothing we small people can do about it.
Coin collecting interests: Latin America
Sports: NFL & NHL
Don't sell yourself short. I was born in 1960 and watched the protesters take on the powers behind the Vietnam War. No doubt they made a difference.
Anyway, I also enjoy Russian coins. And I'm happy to buy more, especially if the oligarchs start dumping theirs at bargain prices. Not that I'm expecting that.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Yeah, but still, when you have 24/7 news about evil Russia, I don't feel eager to share the otherwise cool stuff I bought, I feel better about sharing my happy South American coins, simplistic as that is
As far as oligarchs dumping coins, if that is true, I would personally feel quite happy to take advantage of their mainly deserved misfortune. I would not feel the least bit guilty of taking advantage of their problems.
For many oligarchs the amassed wealth is enough to last many lifetimes. I don't expect to see any major Russian collections to hit the auction block, especially with all the current negative publicity that would likely result in sub-optimal prices realized.
8 Reales Madness Collection
For material that isn't high end (two to three digits), I haven't seen much of a softening compared to pre 2020 prices (when almost everything in the coin market started going up). Several coins that I want are still selling for more than what I could get them for in 2019 so I'm waiting (unless something pops up with the look that I like).
As far as the original poster, go ahead and share your new finds. Many of us would be happy to see the coins.
When people come together in great numbers sure yes I agree. But there will most likely always be hate between Russia and the USA I doubt I will see that change in my life time.
Like I said collect what you like you are not responsible for that war so why feel bad. Always will be a few who will judge but they would find other reasons if not for this one just the way some people are.
Coin collecting interests: Latin America
Sports: NFL & NHL
Part of the "problem" with collecting Russian coins these days is, in order to be a halfway-decent expert in Russian coins, you need to understand Russian, or at least be able to read it. Most of the people who are that good at reading Russian are themselves Russian, or are people from countries currently or historically within the Russian sphere.
Those "people from the Russian sphere" are not, for the most part, going to be very interested in collecting coins from their former Colonial Power. I doubt that collecting Russian coins is going to be a very popular pastime in Ukraine any time soon, for example. Most of the high demand and recent high prices for Russian coins in the past two decades, especially for Russian Empire coins, has come from within Russia itself. Given that the Soviet Union regime would have destroyed and melted down any and every Russian Empire coin they could get their hands on, most of the surviving nice examples of Russian Empire coins are in the hands of Westerners, brought to the West by refugees fleeing from the Bolsheviks. So for the most part, it is Russian collectors that have boosted demand and prices in Western auctions in recent years, everyday Russians buying back their own history.
Many of those buyers are now no longer with us, locked out by travel restrictions and the banking freeze. It is this shrinkage in demand that is causing depressed prices for Russian coins right now, when prices for most everything else are going up.
The other part of the problem with collecting Russian Empire coins is, the current regime in Russia is pointing to the Old Empire and saying "we're bringing back those good old days". So enjoying Russian Empire artifacts can be seen as agreeing with the "bring back the Russian Empire" faction within Russia. But for myself, I have always disassociated my collecting even of overtly "evil" regimes like Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, the Islamic Caliphate or ancient Rome itself, from actual approval of or agreement with the ideologies and practices of those regimes. They are History, first and foremost, and any connection with current ideologies or politics is mostly contrived and coincidental.
It is entirely possible to enthusiastically collect History, and to say "the people who made these coins believed this and did that", without actually agreeing that the things they believed were true, or the things they did were good and just.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD.
The Russian coins never hurt anyone. German era coins which have the swastika design carry the same stigma, yet prior to Hitler many circa 1900-1930 USA merchant advertising token also had a swastika for good luck on the reverse.
I'll gladly buy Russian Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs at knock-down prices if someone wants to sell it to me.
I'll experience no guilt at all.
Right? I was just coming here to say that I'm now offering 60% of spot for all Imperial Russian gold. What can I say? I'm just generous like that.
Russians are going "to something" but we don't know what that "something" is yet.
What is the goal of Russia is a question mark (?).
Or what is the goal of North Korea and those record high missile launches this year ?
Let's stick to discussing coins.
8 Reales Madness Collection
It is up to you in the end. I mean if the people around you are so uptight maybe best to keep it to yourself.
Coin collecting interests: Latin America
Sports: NFL & NHL
I dated both a Ukrainian girl and a Russian girl. They'd both lived in the US for at least a decade, they were and still are quite wonderful!
I collected some Russian coins at the time, mostly the old giant 5 Kopek coins, even gave one to the Russian girl.
They're all up-in-arms about this whole war thing also. It's a big mess. Just wish it would get resolved sooner rather than later.
I wouldn't have even given it a second thought collecting Russian coinage. I have and still would.
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
This is one of them:
More red in real life, crappy pic.
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
There aren't many people in my real life who know I collect - my collecting buddies who don't care, my wife who doesn't care, and her parents who think it's a little weird. Am I actually taking their feelings into consideration? Ugh, shiver! I think I need to step back and process what this means.
It's hard to collect from a country that doesn't have a bad past or present as so few exist.
Seriously just enjoy it. It is your hobby to me that is the only true thing that matters here. Russia has a great history (not all positive but what nation that big and powerful does) and some truly beautiful coins.
Coin collecting interests: Latin America
Sports: NFL & NHL
I enjoy having a few Russian coins. I recently bought the 1967 10 kopek because I liked the design.
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
I put aside my reluctance and impulsively bought these...
Nice additions! Is that from the recent Sincona sale? A few lots I was chasing went for more than I wanted to pay, but it seemed to be a wonderfully broad collection.
8 Reales Madness Collection
yeah, those are from Sincona, awesome sale
Collect what you like. As others have said there is no country in existence that has a completely innocent past.
I bought this prior to the current war, but I have no regrets or shame in owning it now. It is a 1915 Russian 15 Kopecks, but I actually bought it for the unique slab. It was graded by the Russian TPG RNGA.
Philippians 4:4-7
You shouldn’t feel stigma. That’s absurd. Collect what you like.
BHNC #248 … 108 and counting.
Exactly you are not responsible for the drama going on in the world none of us here are and to think otherwise is simply punishing yourself for no crime done on your behalf.
Coin collecting interests: Latin America
Sports: NFL & NHL