Two different hobbies?

satootoko

I just spent a few minutes looking around on the liteside forum.

Are darkside collecting and liteside collecting two unrelated hobbies?

spoon

Not necessarily. It depends on what you're collecting, plastic or metal.

sumnom

I just can't get excited talking about grades. I prefer talking about coins.

bosox

Grades are fine, even for coins in plastic. For example, I understand whether a Vicky Canada cent is MS-63 or MS-65 because to me the difference is noticeable. Several Vicky cents have miniscule mintages (compared to the liteside coins) and are tough to find. The MS-65's are true condition rarities. I am always amazed when I find them, but not necessarily because they are valuable, but more because I am incredulous that they survived like that. I very much appreciate the history of these cents and in fact collected a set of them in EF prior to trying the higher grades.

I also collect other darkside coins. Most are related to extinct countries, governments in exile, and other cool issues associated with WWII. Although the Sheldon scale doesn't apply very well here, I submit that there is a very real and noticeable difference in the quality of an EF, an UNC, and a BU.

What I do not understand is the liteside "moderns". No disrespect to those who collect them, but I really have trouble discerning whether a 1964 Kennedy half is MS-68 or 69. I can kinda tell the cameo and deep cameo stuff, but then there is ultra deep cameo .

I think the litesiders are generally okay, but they sure split some hairs. They probably think I'm nuts too. Believe it or not, we are all in the same hobby.

bosox

Saw your pog reference and, although I think I showed you this before, I thought you might like to see it again. It's the only pog I own, even though I spent 20 years in the military. My grandfather (now deceased) got it when he was in the army in the 20's. It's copper/bronze and about the diameter of a half dollar.

Shipcoin

I just can't get excited talking about grades. I prefer talking about coins.

cladking

There's really very little difference between any two collectors whether they collect
sewing thimbles or hammered gold. Liteside collecting is really a subcategory of the
darkside but few realize it since on the surface it appears so foreign.

The biggest difference I see between the liteside and darkside here is that modern bash-
ing is so much more prevalent on this forum. Much of it is culture and some is caused by
darkside collectors tending to associate moderns with everything that led them to collect
world coins in the first place. Ironically few ever collected US or world moderns.

While not really relevant, perhaps, it is interesting to note there are more similarities be-
tween darkside and liteside moderns than between liteside classics and moderns and
this probably is true of the world coins also.

AuldFartte

I think both "sides" are the same basic hobby. The major difference I see is the huge price differential between most darkside and liteside coins right now. The liteside stuff of high quality (new or old) seems way out of line. Darkside coins of good quality are, for the most part, much more affordable, IMHO.

Besides, the Darksiders here are much more mellow and, seemingly, thoughtful people rather than being like the reactionary folks "over there". That's why I like it right here

shirohniichan

<< <i>I just can't get excited talking about grades. I prefer talking about coins. >>



I find truth in these words.

I went to some gatherings of fellow collectors some years back and felt like an alien. The topic of discussion centered on grades and the validity of technical grading vs. market grading. These were not "modern" coin collectors (as most understand the term), but collectors of Morgan dollars, silver Washington quarters, Walking Liberty half dollars, etc. By the way, I agree with Conder101 that anything struck with a steam or electric press is modern. Anyway, there seemed to be very little interest inabsolute rarity of coins in low grade and a focus on grade rarity instead.

I think a litesider would feel alienated in a group of darksiders were he to ask if the 1938 Inner Mongolian 5 chiao he was scrutinizing would "5" at PCGS. It would be akin to the darksider showing off his VF coin that is nigh impossible to find in any grade. Some might humor him by feigning interest, but many would probably wonder why anyone would collect "worn crap." The darksiders, on the other hand, would wonder why someone even worries whether a scarce coin is MS-64 or 65 (unless he wanted to put it on eBay).

phut

Hmmmm......In my books US falls between Uraguay and Vatican City.(I'm still missing Us)
CladKing is correct in saying,"Liteside collecting is really a subcategory of the
darkside but few realize it since on the surface it appears so foreign. "

coinrookie

I collect liteside and darkside. Moderns in both. To me all coins are modern unless hammered. I do think the liteside is more grade obssessed. Could the registry be responsible for this. Quite possible. The liteside registry is larger and much more popular. As stated there is another difference, except for true rarities most liteside coins are available in high grades so it often becomes a game of more dollars for a point or two higher grade. On the darkside, we are more thankful just to be able to find quite a few of the coins we want instead of is it a 65 or 67. Having said that, it is the same hobby. We are all seeking the coins that most interest us and bring the most enjoyment. I think really the only main difference maybe the approach.

Conder101

I think the difference is in the order of our priorities when we see a new coin.

Darksider

1. Coin
2. history
3. rarity
4. grade
5. value

Litesider

1. Value
2. Grade
3. rarity
4. coin
5. history

Bruce

In the broad sense of the word they are the same "collecting" coins of one form or another. In a detailed sense of the word I suppose they are different as there are different priorities and methods.

GDJMSP

Tell ya what Roy - you and I don't disagree that often. But on this subject apparently we do. For many, many years I was primarily a collector of modern US coinage. True - I also collected some of the older stuff - just not that much. But I have always been a collector of columnarios - for the last 30 yrs anyway. And both collections got along right nicely with each other

Now maybe I'm strange, I've certainly been called that before. But I loved both different types of collections just as much - always did. But then a couple years ago - my interest in US began to wain. Perhaps it was because I had managed to find all the hard to find stuff. But I think it was more that I just liked the designs of world coinage more. Every coin I've purchased or collected - it was because I liked the design. I didn't care how rare it was or how much it cost - all I cared about was if I liked it or not. And suddenly that one day - I just decided I liked the designs of older world coinage more.

You know the type of coins I collect now - just about anybody on any of the forums knows this. And not that many other collectors seem to like the same stuff I do. At least they certainly don't get as excited about them as I do. But I can say this - I was just as passionate about the US stuff as I am about what I collect now.

Like I said - maybe I'm strange

TheShaman10

<< <i>Are darkside collecting and liteside collecting two unrelated hobbies? >>



Technically, they are related. But that's about as far as I can see the relation. It seems to me that a great many litesiders collect primarily as just another investment. I could be wrong, but that's the feeling I get. I'm guilty of this myself. I've recently started buying U.S. Silver Proof Sets, not because they have a super-low mintage or that there is anything really unique about them, but because I've watched the prices they command continue to increase. As a result I'm buying some now in the hopes that they will continue escalate in price. IOW, an investment. No offense intended, but the investor-mindset is really obvious over there whereas the collector-mindset is really obvious here.

Just my 2 cents.

shirohniichan

<< <i>I think the difference is in the order of our priorities when we see a new coin.

Darksider

1. Coin
2. history
3. rarity
4. grade
5. value

Litesider

1. Value
2. Grade
3. rarity
4. coin
5. history >>



This makes sense, too. It's hard for me to get excited over a coin that looks just like the ones I get in change every day, and the difference between MS-68 and 69 doesn't interest me unless I'm selling the coin. Get me a coin that has been places and I will be interested.

cladking

<< <i>

This makes sense, too. It's hard for me to get excited over a coin that looks just like the ones I get in change every day, and the difference between MS-68 and 69 doesn't interest me unless I'm selling the coin. Get me a coin that has been places and I will be interested. >>



It's going to take more than that to get you interested. ...Not that there's anything
wrong with that. All of my favorite coins and tokens are ones that were actually used
for their intended purpose. The coins circulated widely and almost universally; they
almost all got used. The tokens were issued for value recieved or at least tendered
for value recieved. Sure, I collect all sorts of NCLT stuff too, but it doesn't excite me the
same way an 1860 British penny does. A rare token which is only found in unc isn't as
interesting as a rare token which is usually found in extremely worn condition. While
I like things that circulate, I want the finest possible example of it whether that's MS-66
or VF.

If you only like well traveled coins then there's no need to despair of ever collecting
clad coins. There are several clad coins which simply don't exist in unc. A set of these
in circulated condition would take an incredible amount of effort to locate and would
make a unique collection. Add in the coins which are very rare in unc and the collection
will be expanded a great deal and its difficulty will increase many fold.

Indeed such a set would make anything Eliasberg ever did look like mere child's play.
And it can't be done by merely throwing money at it.

shirohniichan

And it can't be done by merely throwing money at it.

The hunt for a rare coin is indeed interesting! It doesn't matter if it was made of aluminum in the 1970's or of gold in the 1400's. There are coins I can't find in any grade after years of looking. When I finally add one to my collection it will probably be in Fine to Very Fine and won't be much to look at, but I will savor the "victory" in finding it.

Now that I think about it, I find few litesiders who will rejoice with me at the finding of a "common" coin in XF, also. I looked for a 1916 Barber quarter for years to find one in XF, but all I found were AG to VG coins on the one end and MS-64 and above on the other. I finally settled for one in AU. A humble, circulated, raw coin like that finds little appreciation among most lite circles.

Askari

<< <i>Liteside collecting is really a subcategory of the darkside but few realize it since on the surface it appears so foreign. >>

True, but this is the Great Dark Secret that you cannot voice around them! Shhh-h-h-h!!

Conder101's theory has considerable merit, although I'm not sure I wouldn't assign Litesiders' #1 as "Grade" and #2 as "Value". They spend far more time discussing and cussing about the former and price or value is hardly ever mentioned. (In fact, don't even ask about prices on the Registry Forum -- unless it's mellowed out a lot more since the last time I visited it.)