Question: What do you call a person who studies and researches coins....

ER · March 16, 2004 12:28PM

...but NEVER actually buys, deals, or collects them? Does such a person even exist? Just wondering.

Placid · March 16, 2004 12:29PM

eureka · March 16, 2004 12:29PM

That's called being broke.

410a · March 16, 2004 12:31PM

One person used to exist. Name Walter Breen.

JadeRareCoin · March 16, 2004 6:35PM

Very good question. Hmmmm. I guess you would call such a person a numismatist, technically speaking. You would have to qualify that label however, by saying that he/she is a numismatist who does not collect or deal with coins. Walter Breen did buy/sell coins, so he would not qualify as such a person.

islemangu · March 16, 2004 6:57PM

Does not exist...a paradox.
like someone who loves pizza but has never tasted it.

JadeRareCoin · March 16, 2004 7:15PM

Is it possible that some museum curators study and research coins, but they do not collect????

kranky · March 16, 2004 7:24PM

I didn't buy a single coin for about 15 years, yet I continued my ANA membership and Coin World subscription, and bought coin books.

eminem · March 16, 2004 7:28PM

a geek....

joeyuk · March 16, 2004 7:30PM

It depends. Do they pick thru your mint and proof sets while your set up at a show? Looking for something valuabel you may have missed.

Jody526 · March 16, 2004 8:20PM

Married.

ClausUrch · March 16, 2004 8:23PM

<< <i>Married. >>

ER · March 16, 2004 8:24PM

<< <i>Married. >>

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with children.

Conder101 · March 17, 2004 9:05AM

No qualifiers are needed. A numismatist is one who studies the science of money and money substitutes. Period. There is no requirement that he collect them or prohibition that he refrain from collecting. Most numismatists are also collectors but most collectors are not numismatists. Contrary to popular belief the two are NOT the same. (I studied coins for six years before I began collecting them. I have also had periods where my active collecting dropped to near zero, but my studies have always continued. I think of myself as a numismatist first and a collector second. When I am lucky enough to be able to attend an ANA convention I attend for the whole show and usually only spend a couple hours on the bourse floor. The rest of the time is spent in the club meetings and lectures. I can see coins at any show.)

islemangu · March 17, 2004 9:10AM

Holding just one old coin under your socks in your dresser qualifies you as a collector doesn't it?

editted no ..maybe 2 coin minimum since collection plural

RCDB · March 17, 2004 9:13AM

Divorced, with children and alot of bills.

dizzlecc · March 17, 2004 9:46AM

And what if that person has a virtual collection of coins.

At least the person has a better hobby than someone that watches reality tv shows and gossips about them after words.

At least coins are mostly real with the exception of some of the stuff ebay scammers create. I'm not sure what to call that.