Are we World Coin Collectors or Fetishists?

Darkhorse · October 22, 2004 7:56PM

All of us enjoying "World Coins". But we're still very discriminating and many of our tastes are very, very specific. That may be why so many of us have strayed from the home country herd, to seek out an exotic kick. In this regard some of us may be considered coin fetishists, particularly MadMarty but that's a different story.

So what I want to know is what countries give us the biggest kick. US coins are the biggest persuasion on CU but what follows? Are British coins the next popular? Canadian? German? How many true World Coin collectors are there (one from every country)? Do we find a niche and when we've had our way with it do we move on? Or are some of us ever searching for something that gives us a thrill, unsatisfied, insatiable?

The main focus of my collection has been consistently German but I do branch out for a while. But German coins are a good home base. Huge variety of art, ages and history. Usually I don't stray very far though, Canadians followed by British coins and the odd French or Italian. Not much beyond that strikes my fancy.

What about you? What's your kick?

rhound1977 · October 22, 2004 7:58PM

jonesy · October 22, 2004 8:12PM

Fetishists.

trozau · October 22, 2004 8:31PM

<< What about you? What's your kick? >>

Intrinsic value. When all is said and done, I like the idea that my collection will still have some value because of its precious metals content. That is why I am drawn to gold and platinum coins (silver, a very distant third).

cosmicdebris · October 22, 2004 8:42PM

My biggest kick is the art itself. Gorgeous designs rendered on little round pieces of metals. The USA's last 60 years of coinage is nothing but Dead Presidents and low relief. All artistic value has been lost.

Philip · October 22, 2004 9:15PM

<< Fetishists.

>>

Both

I try to collect almost everything - All Europe except Spain, Portuguese and British Colonies, as well as some others

ajaan · October 22, 2004 9:16PM

<< Are British coins the next popular? Canadian? German? >>

Yes.

Sylvestius · October 22, 2004 9:19PM

I'm almost a 100% British collector, but i'm British so should that come as a surprise?

I will dabble occasionally in American and i'm looking into pre-Revolutionary French gold.

Other than that though i have no wishes to go beyond to any other foreign coins.

You mention Canadian coins, this area is apparently very popular on the liteside (being that it is greyside), but i have no strong feelings for it and i have no interest in Canadian coins.

German coins, i'm interested in the Third Reich period only.

I'm trying to become more specialist in my collecting tastes rather than less specialised!

With regards to British coins i have no interest in Copper, definately no interest in any non regal coinage like tokens, and very little interest in base metal coins or threepences, crowns (except gold), halfcrowns (except gold), shillings or St. George Sovereigns and their respective halves.

I'm much more into the pre 19th century stuff, especially the hammered, and even more so hammered gold. I like silver pennies upto Edward II, Silver Groats from Edward III-Elizabeth I, and sixpences thereafter upto 1787. Also fond of any guinea coinage gold and extremely fond of the tin farthings and halfpennies. So i have even turned my back on practically 2/3rds of the English coins let alone the rest of the world, but they do say you can't collect everything.

Specialisation all the way, perhaps i'm as narrow minded as some on the liteside but i can't afford to be too open minded. Sure i like the German Sate City view thalers, and i like medieval European coins and ancient Greek Athenian Owls but i'm abstaining from buying any because i'm trying to thin my collection out.

boz · October 22, 2004 10:36PM

<< Do we find a niche >>

After years of collecting U.S. coins, predominantly Carson City Mint gold and silver, the same design over and over, my enthusiasm for collecting waned considerably.
Then, if anyone remembers "The Feeding Frenzy" Thread from a couple years back, I was drawn into the Dark and it's world of beautiful coins. I roamed around a little in England and Poland. My waning interest began to be restored, and the fun of collecting started to return.

<< Do we find a niche >>

Then one day a flicker of light appeared off in the distance. A Conder Token was posted. After a little research into these beauties, with their unseemingly never ending variety, I found a niche that really excites me. Now whether this niche will ever wear out, still remains to be seen. But I doubt it will. Too many, non clone examples to ever get bored with

Collectors

cacheman · October 22, 2004 11:42PM

maple syrup and feet come to mind.....

AuldFartte · October 22, 2004 11:45PM

I collected strictly U.S. for many years, mainly a US Type Set (still working on that one, but slowly) and have now become interested in British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand. I have just begun working on type sets of the aforementioned.

I have purchased, on impulse, other world coins strictly because the design or the history intrigued me for some reason. I started collecting "architectural" Conder Tokens a couple of years ago because I was attracted to several of the designs and the history of those, too.

I hope to have a nice complete pre-George VI type set from Canada, Australia and New Zealand sometime before I die, along with a good start on the same kind of set for British coins.

Given the incredible variety of Darkside material however, I may get distracted along the way. That's what makes this so much fun

satootoko · October 23, 2004 12:23AM

Anyone who doesn't know my true love and specialty just hasn't been paying attention.

I have to admit, it does get lonely sometimes.

MSD61 · October 23, 2004 12:42AM

<< maple syrup and feet come to mind.....

>>

Seeing My family is from Ireland I stick close to those coins. I also like Canadian, Nazi and anything that stikes my fancy. I have a nice collection of U.S. coins, which I still collect and go for the classics, but I am not on fire for those. There are so many beautiful coins, tokens and medals that it makes my head spin

Bruce · October 23, 2004 12:46AM

Ok, While I do have a fetish, maybe even two, that is not topic for discussion here!

As far as coins go, well, I collected exclusively *gasp* U.S. while I lived there. Once I moved to Canada I saw the light of the darkside. My main thrust is "one per country" but I also have a Canadian and a British collection seperate. So...... Where do I fit? maybe I don't?

syraq · October 23, 2004 12:57AM

Ever since I came back to active collecting, my goal was to build a memorable Greek collection. I was well on my way, until about a year ago,by which time, two significant events had taken place:1) the introduction of the euro , that brought many new people to the hobby, some of them for the long ride, and the subsequent rise of the prices of Greek coins, and 2)my introduction to the Darkside through this forum. I sold a valuable coin that wasn't absolutely necessary to my collection, and to my surprise, it was enough to fund my non Greek projects for about 8 months.I was hooked.

I realized that to build a complete high grade Greek collection, I would need to continue to invest significant amounts each year, something I was no longer willing to do,and still, the result would be far from guaranteed. I became more and more unconfortable with the idea of spending big sums for a coin, any coin, and I finally decided that I would keep the best of my Greek coins, aiming for a perfect type set, (again inspired by other Darksiders ), adding only a couple per year if found ,and I would keep myself occupied with British and other inexpensive Darkside coins.

What I would have never thought, is how much this forum has changed my attitude and added to my coin collecting pleasure.I believe it is actually possible to enjoy the hobby , just by posting here, without buying a single coin.

laurentyvan · October 23, 2004 1:15AM

Definitely one from every country- wanted to establish a nice world coin base and then specialize where my interests lead me.
Now at about 1200 coins, 300 countries. Since most of the common ones are in place, now I have the luxury of cherry-picking from the nicer, more expensive pieces I see.
France is a particular area of interest but as I see nice coins, I buy them, regardless of country of origin.

Sylvestius · October 23, 2004 1:35AM

I could almost fancy just collecting English pennies from 1135-1154 and forgetting everything else. Would that count asa extremely specialised?

coinrookie · October 23, 2004 3:15AM

My problem is that I have too many themes.

1. British (mainly Eddie VII)
2. WWII (Also have a US collection for this set )
3. Now this set is one of my favorites. It is composed of designs that resemble US coinage that I cannot afford in UNC. I know some of them may be a stretch:
French sowers- Walking Libs.
French Ceres francs-Barber coinage
Swiss francs-Standing lib. quarters
Peruvian dinars and sol`s -US seated coinage
4. Big cat coins
5.Animals in general coinage
6. WWI
7. Odds and ends coinage. These are coins that I like the design but do not fit in a particular category.
What I really like is the fact that if I tried to duplicate most of these sets in US coins, it would be ten`s of thousands of dollars. Totally out of my reach. But with World coins, they re within my reach and alot more interesting.

Steve

Aethelred · October 23, 2004 3:25AM

99% British here. Every now and then I'll buy something ancient or US.

Askari · October 23, 2004 5:21AM

For me, it's the art and the history. Although I've had a number of collecting emphases, I've always been "omnivorous" in my collecting tastes. That's what drew me into "not-just-coins" numismatic interests like currency and medals. Sure, my wanderings have introduced me to what many would call the "esoteric" aspects of numismatics, but, hey, that's what the Dark Side is all about.

... and besides, what good is a Sorceror without an arcanum???

Sylvestius · October 23, 2004 5:59AM

<< My problem is that I have too many themes.

1. British (mainly Eddie VII)
2. WWII (Also have a US collection for this set )
3. Now this set is one of my favorites. It is composed of designs that resemble US coinage that I cannot afford in UNC. I know some of them may be a stretch:
French sowers- Walking Libs.
French Ceres francs-Barber coinage
Swiss francs-Standing lib. quarters
Peruvian dinars and sol`s -US seated coinage
4. Big cat coins
5.Animals in general coinage
6. WWI
7. Odds and ends coinage. These are coins that I like the design but do not fit in a particular category.
What I really like is the fact that if I tried to duplicate most of these sets in US coins, it would be ten`s of thousands of dollars. Totally out of my reach. But with World coins, they re within my reach and alot more interesting.

Steve >>

Sounds like home that does!

I have just as many areas, not the same as yours but just as extensive.

0john0 · October 23, 2004 8:36AM

I speak only for myself but: fetishists.

No doubt, and no apologies.

-John

coinkat · October 23, 2004 9:32AM

speaking for myself, I buy what I like and that seems to cover alot of territory.

shirohniichan · October 23, 2004 9:40AM

I'm primarily interested in coins for their historical connection. Here's what I collect:

1) Silver coins used in Asian trade (with and without chopmarks)

2) Silver British commonwealth coins of George V's reign

3) First British commonwealth proof and mint sets of George V, George VI and Elizabeth II's reigns

4) Silver coins of the Reformation

5) 19th century Japanese coins

6) Type coins of the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand

7) Type sets of Mexican pesos

8) RCM products and their various forms of packaging

9) Coins and medals related to expositions held in California

10) Etc.

Sylvestius · October 23, 2004 5:07PM

I like number 10!

I'm currently collecting... *deep breath*

1) English hammered gold crowns by type from Edward VI's second portrait issue to Charles I's last. Expected to be one of each type (minus the thistle crown which was worth 1/- less than the other crowns).

2) English hammered gold monarch set, Edward III-Henry VIII (minus Henry IV and Edward V).

3) English hammered silver monarch set; One silver penny for every monarch from Æthelred II to Edward II (I've got Stephen, John, Henry III, Edward I covered).

4) Early milled sixpences 1674-1787 (either as a date set or a type set; original was a date set, but i might cut it short to a type set which means it's about 3 coins from complete).

5) King Stephen pennies by type (main types only ignoring the irregular and regional anarchy issues)

6) Queen Mary I coins... all things Mary, silver and gold.

7) I'm looking into French coins from the Bourbon Period... fancy getting one decent coin of each monarch probably ignoring Henry IV and start at Louis XIII and going to Louis XVI. The 15 sols and the half Ecus look good to me, but a think a Louis D'Or is a must at some point along the line.

8) Washington Quarters 1932-64, Philly mint in MS60 only.

I have no further ambitions other than that.

Of course you will realise that options 1-4 all fulfil my monarch set which is one big set broken down!

And 5-6 are also part of the monarch set. So really i only have three collections on the go!

Philip · October 23, 2004 6:09PM

<< I'm primarily interested in coins for their historical connection. Here's what I collect:

1) Silver coins used in Asian trade (with and without chopmarks)

2) Silver British commonwealth coins of George V's reign

3) First British commonwealth proof and mint sets of George V, George VI and Elizabeth II's reigns

4) Silver coins of the Reformation

5) 19th century Japanese coins

6) Type coins of the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand

7) Type sets of Mexican pesos

8) RCM products and their various forms of packaging

9) Coins and medals related to expositions held in California

10) Etc. >>

I must be lucky, I primarily collect #10, so I must be focused

Stork · October 23, 2004 10:18PM

What a tough question... I don't know if it can be called a 'collection' when there's not a whole lot of unifying theme going on. I prefer the term eclectic (as opposed to hodgepodge for example).

1. World gold coins (and now a few platinum)

2. Japanese type set (I was living in Japan, and Satootoko was kind enough to answer a few questions for me, which got me quite interested in Japanese coins).

3. Coins that have been other people's icons (Cosmicdebris, Clankeye and Trozau especially).

4. One per country where anything goes for content, but feels like a minature art collection--lovingly stored in a cheap three ring binder. Many additions are those that I've gotten after seeing pictures here.

5. Medals with lions/eagles/horses/mommies and babies/ or whatever else looked extremely cool with absolutely no regard for value, artist, country, style or anything else that could tie them together. Askari has been a terrible influence.

6. Things with storks on them (which fall under #1,4 and 5).

7. Queen Victoria (I have no idea why, maybe I have some secret hope to own a Gothic Crown someday, and will need to justify that as part of an organized theme).

I cannot empasize enough that there is nothing fetish-like at all about my purchases. The fact that I have so many BNM (bare naked men) on my coins is a pure coincidence, nothing at all like those BBLs so many of the rest of you post

Somehow I have missed the Going Goetz (except for one little ole naked guy one...) though I love looking at the fabulous pictures you guys post. I also wasn't logging on much during the conder craze, so missed a chance to start something new.

Obviously, this place has been a huge influence, to the detriment of my checkbook

!

MrEureka · October 24, 2004 12:27AM

When I take my dog for a walk, he puts his nose to the ground and follows every interesting scent, wherever it leads. When the scent trails off, or when another scent catches his attention, off he goes in another direction, his tail wagging in joy, curiosity and excitement.

So you ask how I collect? I collect exactly the way I imagine my dog would collect.

GDJMSP · October 24, 2004 1:01AM

I suppose I'm largely like Andy's dog

If I like it - I buy it. But my primary interests are in Spanish Colonial, France, the Netherlands and last but not least - gold ducats

Sylvestius · October 24, 2004 1:17AM

Gold ducats are always good!

Askari · October 24, 2004 4:44AM

<< Askari has been a terrible influence. >>

It's my purpose in life, you know.

BTW, Cathy, you've still not told me which side of your icon is the self portrait.

Luvdawgs · October 24, 2004 7:00AM

I have an eclectic collection. I love the design on Canadian coins, including ones from the RCM. I have various forms of packaging from RCM, but not as many
as Shiroh has! I also have some British, South African, French and Mexican, among tohers.

I do some "themed" sets, such as ship coins, and nature and animal coins. I began collecting lightside, but grew into greyside, and then darkside.

Btw, the first person who helped me with this forum when I started here, collecting Canadian coins, was Askari

Donovan · October 24, 2004 7:11AM

I'm currently specializing the the Tudor period. English hammered rules!

I have:

Henry VII: facing groat, facing halfgroat.

Henry VIII: 2nd period groat

Edward VI: base shilling

Mary: groat

Elizabeth: 3 shillings, one sixpence.

rhound1977 · October 25, 2004 3:12AM

<< I collected strictly U.S. for many years, mainly a US Type Set (still working on that one, but slowly) and have now become interested in British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand. I have just begun working on type sets of the aforementioned.

I have purchased, on impulse, other world coins strictly because the design or the history intrigued me for some reason. I started collecting "architectural" Conder Tokens a couple of years ago because I was attracted to several of the designs and the history of those, too.

I hope to have a nice complete pre-George VI type set from Canada, Australia and New Zealand sometime before I die, along with a good start on the same kind of set for British coins.

Given the incredible variety of Darkside material however, I may get distracted along the way. That's what makes this so much fun

>>

WOW, I couldn't have said it better, exactly the same for me, main focus is British, (no conders though) Thanks AuldFartte

JamminJ · October 25, 2004 6:49AM

<< I'm primarily interested in coins for their historical connection. Here's what I collect:

1) Silver coins used in Asian trade (with and without chopmarks)

2) Silver British commonwealth coins of George V's reign

3) First British commonwealth proof and mint sets of George V, George VI and Elizabeth II's reigns

4) Silver coins of the Reformation

5) 19th century Japanese coins

6) Type coins of the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand

7) Type sets of Mexican pesos

8) RCM products and their various forms of packaging

9) Coins and medals related to expositions held in California

10) Etc. >>

Translation: Any darn thing that strikes my fancy.

-JamminJ

Are we World Coin Collectors or Fetishists?

Comments