What do you feel is the best/most important piece of numismatic advice you’ve ever posted here…
MFeld
Posts: 13,942 ✭✭✭✭✭
…to which you wish more members paid attention?
And as a follow-up question - why do you think more people didn’t pay more attention?
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
6
Comments
Invest early on in a good quality magnifying glass. I wished I had done this years earlier.
A lot of advice is opinion, and everyone forms there own. And certainly some members opinions are more valued than others.
I know that hard to detect issues are a lot more apparent with a good quality glass than a cheap magnifier. Don’t skimp!
-Buy the keys first.
-Don't be afraid to overpay for quality.
-Focus on one series at a time.
-Be PATIENT and discriminating, when coin searching.
-Do your research.
-Make GOOD alliances.
-Have FUN, as this is a marathon and NOT a sprint!!!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
Do No Harm....to the marketplace.
Politics,
Don't take any wooden nickels.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
That was the exact advice I received when I first started collecting; were you in Dallas in 1984?
Im still green, but the best advice i got from most members here was to get books, internet, research as much as possible before making a purchase.
And go slow, which i had trouble with early on...but i have slowed down....
....
...
.
A little
Successful BST transactions with....Coinslave87, ChrisH821, Walkerguy21D, SanctionII.......................Received "You Suck" award 02/18/23
No, but I'm glad that it resonated with you.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
What is your favorite magnifying glass? A link maybe?
Thank you!
Jeff
From TDN,
Pretty smart guy....buying million dollar coins..
It went something like this------
When you think you know what you're doing, buy something and try to resell it.
It did for the most part! I walked into a coin dealer in downtown Dallas. The gentlemen showed me a
couple of coins (one was a Texas Commem, can't remember the other), said these should appreciate nicely and mentioned his firm would guarantee to buy them back based on a bid price that was updated weekly. My recollection was that it was the origins of Heritage, although I'm not 100% positive. Was it Steve Ivy or Jim Halperin, maybe?
Only take and post excellent images of your numismatic holdings.
Don't just buy the book first; READ the book first.
The best, most desirable coin is often not the highest graded.
Coin Rarities Online
Best piece of advice?
What I tell my daughter.
"When I'm truly certain about something, I'm usually wrong".
Interesting how the OP didn't start this thread by answering his own questions 🤣😂
Also good lighting is a must. I have recently bought a liberty cap large cent, it looked great in the shop where purchased. I looked at it for quite a while but I was too excited. After a few hours of looking at it once I got home something looked off. I took a few pictures of the coin and then I could see what was barely perceptible to my eye. Large greenish areas only visible to me in the pictures. It is slabbed, ANACS, older plastic. I don't like buying problem coins. Green on copper is a problem to me. YMMV. I thought most of the coins that I had purchased over the years were great, until I started taking pictures of them...any flaws become very apparent in the images.
Tonedeaf is a nickname given to me in reference to my guitar playing ability.
Everyone has there preference, here’s mine:
We can all learn from each other.
Everyone has something to contribute.
Noone knows it all.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
David Hall said it best.
"Enjoy your coins."
peacockcoins
The relationships that we forge with other members of the hobby can be as enjoyable as the coins themselves
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Damn it, I'm sitting on 50,000 of them...
I would think somewhere along the line I've said to buy only encapsulated coins at bid. Buying raw coins without the skills necessary to grade them properly is a very risky proposition.
The last time I tried that, a lady came up and said, this isn't a library!
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Take your time and be patient, I guess most disregard this thought because they are in a rush to buy or impress others with what they buy. There will almost always be another coin that will come along, usually quite quickly. There are some exceptions to this for a handful of coins, but those are usually not the coins the impatient types are chasing anyway. I've likely posted that more often on the NGC forum than here, but the result is the same.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Study and decide what you wish to collect, to include, buy and read the books, study auctions, read posts, ask questions. Don't buy because you can, but because you want it and it will satisfy your needs.
Not just my advice, but others also.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
I'm not a dealer... this is only a hobby. Be patient and spend appropriately.
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
Bits of wisdom I posted in this thread:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/10081855
The overwhelming majority of those bits of wisdom are not my own. They are the result of many years working with others who are much (much!) more knowledgeable than me and who were (and thankfully still are) willing to share that knowledge with me.
As for why do I think more people didn’t pay more attention....well, because colonials are hard...they are difficult to understand, mysterious, and ugly to the average collector.
Two that come to mind:
1.Examine as many coins as you can which have been graded. Lot viewing is a good way to do this.
2. Don't talk yourself into buying a coin. If something about the coin bothers you, there is an excellent chance it will bother you as much or more later.
If they sound familiar, they are two of CoinGuy1's 20 collecting tips. It's worth looking at all of them but these are my favorite two.
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
Wait for the right coin that "fits". Distraction coins push your further from achieving your goals.
Avoid problem coins. If it bothers you on the bourse floor, it will kill you at home. Don't talk yourself into it.
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
I know I've said this before and sure many others. "If you want to enjoy collecting, treat it as a hobby, not an investment ".
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
Just because a coin received a straight grade doesn't mean it doesn't have a problem.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
I remembered it as "Have fun with your coins."
.... and that's the best advice I've seen. Lots of people get uptight about grades, registry points, investment potential, arbitrage, auction fever, and such.
Um "Collect what you like"?
Since I didn't see it mentioned above, I assume that too many of us are busy trying to impress each other, but I'll bet nobody is having as much fun as @joeykoins
Yes, that was it. That is the source of some of my twisted threads.
Don't forget to turn on the speakers or whatever your preference to enjoy it more. And mix it up with a little something different when viewing the photos or similar (outdoor shot or perhaps a car or...).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wwmUMvhy-lY - Pink Me And Bobby McGee
.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=D0FPxuQv2ns - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Maybe I'm Amazed
RLJ 1958 - 2023
Sharing stories, knowledge, tips, strategies, experiences, successes and your secrets of CRH'ing others can benefit from.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Good ,Better , Best ,
Never let it rest ,
Until your good is Better,
and your Better is Best in photography.
Your collection, buy whatever makes you happy and it’s your money and do as you so desire.
As a corollary before buying it certainly helps if you’re better educated.
@MFeld ... Interesting premise.... When I think about it, most of my posted advice, was the result of learning from others... Except for the issue of tarnish, where I say, if you like color, don't pay for it, make your own.
And, of course, not a popular piece of wisdom. 
Cheers, RickO
Wear silk panties. They don't bunch up so easily.
My best advice?
Always, always smash the “Agree” button on @MFeld posts.
Tim
On a more serious note I'll share one my dad ( resting) advised. " If you need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. If anyone else needs a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your other arm".
If the variety you think you have doesn't exactly match known photos of the actual variety, it isn't the variety you think you have.
Also this thread: https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1074462/psa-thread-for-new-members-who-think-they-might-have-a-mint-error#latest
Some people simply can't admit they're wrong, even in the face of overwhelming expert advice and evidence proving they are. Others don't take the time to learn. I see examples of both of these at my table every show I work.
Set a budget and follow it. There will always be people spending more than you and people spending less than you.
Don't spend money on a coin unless you can articulate why it's worth it without the aide of price guide (i.e. Don't buy a 66 if they look the same as a 65 to you)
IG: DeCourcyCoinsEbay: neilrobertson
"Numismatic categorizations, if left unconstrained, will increase spontaneously over time." -me
“Sometimes the opportunity to buy a coin is rarer than the coin itself”
—Lester Merkin. Well known old- time New York coin dealer.
A) buy the coin, NOT its slab
buy the BEST YOU can afford
Buy the coin not the holder.
Also, educate yourself.
"Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?"- Calvin and Hobbes
Dealers are not the enemy.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
As coin buying advice goes, this is the best advice I've seen here yet.
The collector has the advantage of not having to end up with too much junk if he or she makes every coin purchase a careful and considered one.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
Re “buy the best you can afford”
That can be terrible advice if one doesn’t understand what they are buying in terms of condition and value considerations.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Have fun with your coins.
Ownership adds a point.
Toning adds a little, but forgives a lot.
Hold the coin closer to the phone so I can see it better. Might be easier to do now with a smart phone and conference call setup.
Once the coin is cracked out ALL bets are off.
No doubt that he said many other things too!