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Getting rid of those date varieties, or The hard decision

Several years ago when I became really active with my coin 'collection' (which used to be just a bunch of coins before that) my ambition was to have a lot of coins. Being just a kid, I though it was cool to have many different coins to contemplate and to show to my friends. Therefore I decided to collect coins by type, mint mark and variety. I did not want to collect coins by date because, well, two coins of the same type minted in different years did not (and don't) seem to me all that different.

So I went on studying the Krause books and the coins I had and was receiving from different sources, looking for the varieties and discovering many that are unlisted in the books (some of them you may see on my website; however, I have not updated it for a long time already).

The problem is that now I've found myself with a large number of practically identical coins which have very subtle variety... And every time I get a large bunch of coins I keep finding more and more new varieties, and mostly in dates - the part of the design that is subject to changes most of all. For example, I have listed up to 5 different date styles for common circulation coins of F.R. of Germany, 3 different date styles for Chinese fen coins, some modern Romanian circulation coinage, countless date varieties on Polish pre-reform circulation coinage and so on, and so forth...

So at one point I started to feel really tired. I hardly see any fun in researching those date varieties now that I realize that they were not intended to be, most probably. I get somewhat bored of sorting through dozens of identical, common coins looking for odd placement of the first "1" in date, or different shape of "9" (most frequently found varieties). Moreover, when I turn pages of my albums and looks at rows and rows of virtually the same coin types, sometimes I cannot even tell one variety from another without consulting with my records. And yes, now I have 'a lot' of coins but I've grown up and I understand that quantity means nothing, it's the quality, the assortment, the history, the art that matter.

So I'm approaching a hard (I call it 'hard' because I find it difficult to part with coins that belonged to my 'collection') decision of getting rid of those subtle, unintended varieties, excluding them from my 'collection' and adding them to my tradelist. I estimate the number of excluded coins to be around 100-200. That will also mean I will no longer publish those omitted varieties on my webpage since I will no longer research them.

I am definitely going to keep all coins with different mint and privy marks since they were intended to be different. I will also keep major varieties, such as different alloys, lettering sizes and so on.

I haven't decided yet what to do with some varieties, such as mint/privy mark placement (found on French pre-Euro and Euro coinage), rim width (Egypt, Bulgaria), mint mark size (US), open or closed '4's, '8's, '9's in date (Mexico, Slovenia) and several others.

What it boils down to is that I will still be interested in different coins that were intended to be different and no longer interested in coins that are different due to defects, die wear, overall low quality of minting, inaccuracy in reproducing dies, die re-engraving, etc. The 'varieties exist' note in the Krause book will no longer be a reason to look closely for those varieties and collect as many of them as I can.

To put it short, it's one of those cases when you change your collecting principles when they become an obstacle to having fun from collecting.

I know I've written too much on it, but I'd be glad to hear what you think about it.
Severo, a Numismatically Disturbed Individual

Comments

  • Only 100-200 coins and you call that a lot? image

    I have about 4500 coins and most of them are worthless. I like them, but I often question the wisdom of hoarding circulated post-WWII coins, when for most of them there are inexpensive mint or proof sets.

    Interest story, btw image
    4 765 of 50 971 (9.35%) complete image

    First DAMMIT BOY! 25/9/05 (Finally!)

    " XpipedreamR is cool because you can get a bottle of 500 for like a dollar. " - Aspirin

    image
  • I agree with your decision, because to collect the coins with such small and sometimes even not visible without magnifying glass varieties could be bore and seems to me some sort of disappoinment. I think that only collecting by types is worth (if we are speaking about Darkside) but sure a lot of guys and gals here will tell that they like also varieties , dies mistakes etc., etc.

    It is ipmossible to collect all these "mistakes" and so on if you are speaking about
    ALL the coins and not about some specifical period and country series mistakes and varieties. The world coins diversity is fantastic and it looks more excisting to concentrate on type (or ship coins type image) coinage! But as for me my appetite is grown up: inspired by some guys and gals from that Forum besides ship coins I started to collect also British and Commonwealth coins, Channel Islands coins, and even American and some Euro coins image Not speaking about "eye appeal" coins, that could be just beatiful or something special, the definition that may suit to coin from any country!

    So why do you need to concentrate on these bore date styles!?!
    N. N.
  • SYRACUSIANSYRACUSIAN Posts: 6,445 ✭✭✭✭
    Get rid of them. It's going to be less hard than you think.

    I often think that coin collecting lacks dynamism as a hobby, unless there's some change or trading involved every now and then.
    At least, that's what I do, except for the main core of my Greek collection.
    Dimitri



    myEbay



    DPOTD 3


  • << <i>Only 100-200 coins and you call that a lot? image

    I have about 4500 coins and most of them are worthless. I like them, but I often question the wisdom of hoarding circulated post-WWII coins, when for most of them there are inexpensive mint or proof sets. >>



    100-200 coins to exclude image That is a lot for me.

    My 'collection' is comparable to yours in terms of quantity, and yes, most of the coins are modern, circulated, common and 'worthless' in terms of market value.

    Nick - BTW I have a couple of new ship coins, square 5 paisa from Pakistan, two different types. Already reserved for you image

    Dimitri - Thanks for the support image
    Severo, a Numismatically Disturbed Individual
  • <<Nick - BTW I have a couple of new ship coins, square 5 paisa from Pakistan, two different types. Already reserved for you >> -- thanks for thinking about me Alexander!!! I really, really appreciate it very much! I need both of these coins. That weekend I'll send you my updated swap list!

    Once more thanks image
    N. N.
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    I have to agree with you severo. I have made a similar decision to part with some of my variations like the ones you describe, since they take up a lot of space (and in some cases, some money).

    In the UK, there is an obsession with the Freeman varieties - the different die pairings especially found in pennies and halfpennies 1860-1862. While it makes for interesting reading as to why they came to be, I find it tedious and largely uninteresting to collect the whole set, preferring a nice example of the date. If I was a dealer instead, I would have more time to devote to the study of such things, but the family and current career come first.
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,305 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Concentrate on what interests you. I've gotten rid of several collections over the last ten years
    and for the main part they were easy to get rid of and have gone unmissed. They didn't really
    fit in with anything else I was collecting and they required a lot of time. It would be very difficult
    to reassemble any of these sets so it's important to be sure they aren't wanted anymore.
    Tempus fugit.
  • I really do admire your varieties collection online and the time and effort you've put into it but I can understand how it could get to be a tedious, never ending search for what may seem like trivial differences in workmanship. I haven't gotten to that point yet so if you decide to unload some of them I'd probably be interested in them and continue to ruin my eyesight by wasting my time futilely documenting them. image It'd be a waste not to pass the collected information on rather than starting over.
    My Varieties Page
    and My Krause 'Varieties Exist' Page
    Brad Swain

    World Coin & PM Collector
    My Coin Info Pages <> My All Experts Profile
    image
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    I did something similar by parting with countries I don't actively collect and am now sticking to just a few countries, per my sig line. Syracusian makes a good point about collections needing a change now and then. My changes have helped rekindle my interest. It's especially nice if your coin budget is small like mine, because it frees up funds for purchases. image


  • << <i>I really do admire your varieties collection online and the time and effort you've put into it but I can understand how it could get to be a tedious, never ending search for what may seem like trivial differences in workmanship. I haven't gotten to that point yet so if you decide to unload some of them I'd probably be interested in them and continue to ruin my eyesight by wasting my time futilely documenting them. image It'd be a waste not to pass the collected information on rather than starting over. >>



    Thank you for your comment, Brad. Actually, the section of my website devoted to coin varieties will be there even if I discontinue researching them. I just won't publish more date varieties and some others that I will consider unintended.

    As to sharing the information, you may use the info and the images on my website in any way you want. Perhaps I should also document the unpublished varieties that I've discovered (without images, though, otherwise it would take too much time) but will discontinue collecting, so that no info is lost, and publish the document for public use.
    Severo, a Numismatically Disturbed Individual
  • Well my collection of about 100 coins, of which only 70 are considered as in the main full time good collection, must be really small.

    I did have about 250-300 coins at one point but i've totally cleared them all out.

    Practically everything with a date after 1799 has been sold off, except for the sixpences, and a few other nice type example coins that i just like. But i suppose one day these will go too.

    It's easier to sell than you think, i was debating about it, but once i'd started getting shut of them via trades, or part exchanging them with dealers for a coin i did actually want, i found i couldn't stop myself.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've never been one to collect die variety minutiae, either. I usually lean towards collecting by type.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.


  • << <i>I've never been one to collect die variety minutiae, either. I usually lean towards collecting by type. >>



    Maybe that's what I need to do with those nasty German States. image. Only one coin so far, the second coming in a week ro so (a record purchase, oh my! image )
    4 765 of 50 971 (9.35%) complete image

    First DAMMIT BOY! 25/9/05 (Finally!)

    " XpipedreamR is cool because you can get a bottle of 500 for like a dollar. " - Aspirin

    image
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Geez, collecting the German States by type would take several lifetimes! I'd just do those by state (one coin for each state, and even then, it'd be challenging!) image

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.


  • << <i>Geez, collecting the German States by type would take several lifetimes! I'd just do those by state (one coin for each state, and even then, it'd be challenging!) image >>



    Imagine doing dates and mintmarks image
    4 765 of 50 971 (9.35%) complete image

    First DAMMIT BOY! 25/9/05 (Finally!)

    " XpipedreamR is cool because you can get a bottle of 500 for like a dollar. " - Aspirin

    image


  • << <i>Imagine doing dates and mintmarks image >>



    I do mintmarks. Not hoping to complete it, though image
    Severo, a Numismatically Disturbed Individual
  • Update:

    My work is done image All in all, over 130 coins have moved from my collection to my tradelist. I feel somehow better now image
    Severo, a Numismatically Disturbed Individual
  • Congrats, Alexander! image Any new ship coins among those? image
    N. N.
  • theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    I thinned my collection of U.S silver sets last year, about the only stuff I kept are the DMPL and Pl, CC Morgans, and the gold. I must have gotten rid of a couple hundred. It's good to redefine your collecting occationally.


  • << <i>Congrats, Alexander! image Any new ship coins among those? image >>



    Another Pakistan 5 paisa coin, different from those that I have sent to you - already reserved for our next trade image
    Severo, a Numismatically Disturbed Individual
  • WOW! Great and big thanks to you!
    N. N.
  • And also, Indian 1 anna 1944 (Calcutta mint) in VF for that new branch of your collection image
    Severo, a Numismatically Disturbed Individual
  • WOW! image

    Great thanks, Alexander!
    N. N.
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