Do you find your coins or do your coins find you?

laurentyvan

What is the difference, you say? For example, my methodology seems to be to let the coins find me. I have gone out and searched for very few specific coins, and those that I have, I am still looking for after many months. The vast majority of my purchases are what look good to me at the time, and if I don't have them, I buy them. Sounds a little hit and miss doesn't it?

As a 'one from every country collector' (and never just one, either), this may not be the worst way to collect; it has lead me in some very interesting directions I might not have taken otherwise. I find that after about a year and a half of hard collecting, I'm beginning to accumulate small type sets from a variety of countries with identical toning that are starting to give my somewhat diverse collection more of a polished look.

I'm starting to realize that if I wait long enough, the coin I want will find me, one way or another. This has sublimated the urge to buy an F or VF when what I want is an XF, etc. I have a fair number of important (to me) coins that I am now going to have to upgrade. With about 250 countries under my belt, it's getting harder to find types that I don't already have, so upgrading is a way of improving the collection, and slakes my daily thirst for new coins.

I realize many of my fellow forum members do both Light and Darkside, and many Darkside are specialty collectors, and I imagine you're the ones who actively seek out your coins, or are you?

This doesn't mean I'm not on the lookout for certain coins I know are theoretically in existence at an affordable price, but I can't bring myself to spend hours searching websites and catalogs and looking at dubious pictures for a coin I want to see in hand or from a very trusted source before I buy it.

Well, at any rate, here I am coins, come find me!

lordmarcovan

I find that holey coins have a way of finding me- I am constantly being given them, for some inexplicable reason.

ajaan

When I'm just walking through a bourse floor or scanning eBay and see a coin, it is the coin finds me. When it is a specific coin I need for my collection, I find the coin.

earlwbollinger

Well both it seems works for me.
But the coins always seem to find me when I don't have the money to spend.

LovelyDarkAngel

Hello laurentyvan!
I'm more like you what looks good at the time and peek my interest is what I buy. But I must admit. THere have been three coins that I've seen other members post that I just had to have, but was lucky enough that I didn't have to search hard to find. My friends say I have an eclectic collection of coins and other items I collect same problem. I can't stick to one thing to long get bored. But theres so many world and ancient coins to keep me busy. I guess thats why I left the lightside. It just wasn't for me.

laurentyvan

But theres so many world and ancient coins to keep me busy. I guess thats why I left the lightside. It just wasn't for me.

I know what you mean LDA-an embarrassment of riches-4000 years worth! Where to stop-where to start! Gotta love it!

coachleonard

that's one of the great things about looking thru a big box filled with old world coins or just "junk"-- i'm never
looking for anything specific, so every coin i grab out has found me! and it's rare that i never come away from
such a search without at least one very pleasant surprise find.

syraq

That's a great topic Laurent.

Although not an OFEC collector like you, and therefore with much less room to accomodate whatever comes my way and looks attractive, I have learned that each time I went after a specific denomination and date, I was rushing things, buying coins I didn't really want. Their resale later to upgrade them was always a hefty financial loss. Instead, the most prized coins that I own have been offered to me without asking and I just bought them following my instincts. Not only they were very beautiful, and non upgradeable, they were also extremely rare, but I didn't know that at the time.


So yes, I've learned that the best coins ,as with most other nice things in life, will come to me, when the time is right.

phut

They find me, but I have to put in the effort.
When metal detecting I am not looking for anything specific and the coin(or other) finds its way to the center of my coil.
When purchasing I have to have a general idea of what I want but not be limited by it. Being a fellow OFEC I go to local dealers with nothing specific in mind and just search until the right coin, or batch, bites me on the nose and says,"Buy me."
I went to one dealer and was looking through his foriegns and asked him how much for the whole box. He thought for a minute and said $30 so I said OK. Got home and started sorting and a week later found that I had bought over 900 coins from 67 different countries with only a hundred or so being doubles. They ranged from 1868 through 1996 and from half cent through $2. My nose got bit a lot that week, and I made a few people happy by giving away the doubles.
I've also had some very generous board members surprise me with some bonus beauties.

Askari

Even with specialized collectors, the coins often find you. Over time, those dealers who know your passion help make them come along. Many of my best specialty collection coins have come to me. Of course, when I go to shows, I'm not usually looking for my specialty coins ... but inevitably there are a few that know my name and that I'm destined to take them to a good home.

MacCrimmon

They find me......sometimes, after they have already been sold!

But, they show themselves in their glory and force sleepless nights upon my numisoul.......I'll have to dig up a few which touched me this past week. But alas, nothing for the poor mousie but grand memories to fill my nights.