Bowers book giveaway contest: WINNER ANNOUNCED

RYK

One good turn deserves another. Since I am the appreciative winner of Andy Lustig's recent giveaway contest, I thought I would spread the joy by offering my own giveaway contest.

The rules: Each contestant will write in a few sentences or less, one thing that he/she has learned about coins this year. If a lot of people post a response, we will all learn lessons from each other, which is what this forum is all about.

Trashing the lessons of others on this thread is grounds for disqualification from the contest.
(mgoodm3: This time, edits are okay )

The prize: A copy of Q David Bowers classic book, "Adventures with Rare Coins", published in 1979, charmingly dated with lots of timeless lessons and stories about coins.

The judging: There will be no judging. The winner will be picked randomly. If the winner so chooses, he/she may gift the book to a YN of his/her choosing.

The deadline: 10:00 PM eastern time Sunday, Nov. 28.

What I learned this year: Coin shows can be a difficult environment for a collector to purchase coins. The atmosphere, the abundant inventory, and the buzz make you want to BUY, and impulse purchases are difficult to avoid. For some people, like myself, it is more enjoyable and less stressful to buy coins from home after the show. I go to shows now primarily to view coins and talk with dealers and fellow collectors.

Scavenger

What I learned about coins in the last year-

1. Patience is a virtue.

2. Some coins are very expensive, make sure it's the one you want.

3. Get in your mind what you want and go after it, dont stray.

Just a few things among many that I've learned - I try to learn something new every day no matter how trivial

Numismanic

Buy the coin, not the holder.

Myqqy

Much like scavenger pointed out, I've been trying to learn patience when it comes to coin purchases- I'm getting better at knowing when to say "pass" and to keep looking for something that's a little more special. And I've learned a little more about the wonderful complex world of AT/NT.....

Neptune

When buying coins - a happy medium for me is quality as well as quantity. When buying coins over the internet, be sure you use caution and know who you are buying from. Don't be led by the crowd - buy what you like.

thanks for the opportunity to enter.

100proof1957

Dont buy 2nd or third tier slabs !

Make more time to go to shows and buy coins sight seen in 1st tier slabs or even raw if you are comfortable trying to "MAKE" your own coins

Learn about what you like or want to collect,there are many vaguries to every coin series

When you find a coin you need and like,pull the trigger if you can afford it,dont settle for something less,you never know when the "ONE" is gonna show up again.

Shamika

To hell with what others think; collect what you like!

nwcs

Here are a few nuggets learned: buy for quality not for quantity, buy to increase value and appreciation and not just to accumulate, having duplicates is just fine if the coins are outstanding, sometimes you just need to believe in the coin, and to slow down -- that is to recognize that coins at my level of affordability are always around and that I can afford to take my time to find the right one.

JrGMan2004

The 1802 Half-Dimes of the Smithsonian and ANA Coin Collections, are both Altered Date coins...

ddbird

I learned how to distinguish the difference between AT and NT...With all the discussion here recently how could I not?

Thanks for the great giveaway!

LeeG

RYK,
Thanks for this opportunity! I've been posting here for four month's now and I've learned so much I don't know where to begin. I'll give it a shot though:

1. Do your homework. I try to do my homework before I spend alot of money on coins. I like Kennedy Halves so I purchased the Wiles and Tomaska book's as well as the PCGS Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection. Knowledge Is Key!

2. Ask questions. Everyone here has been very, very, helpful during my learning process. I try to be helpful as well even though I don't know squat.

3. Be wary of "Stock" photo's and Scammers on eBay. If it looks too good to be true it probably is!

4. Purchase the highest Quality Coin you can with only disposable income! Bottom line is I still need to put milk and bread on the table!

5. Go to shows and get to know people in the business. I haven't had an opportunity to do this yet. I live in Maryland so I do plan on being in Baltimore.

There's many, many, more things I've learned but I don't want to get too long winded or bore everybody. Thanks Again, Lee

MORGANHUNTER2

What this year has brought...a new hobby, but I think I would rather have my dad alive so he could keep his collection and enjoy it with some help from me- when he would have wanted it of course. It is a vast amount of learning at my age, much more time consuming and costly than bass fishing will ever be. thanks - all the learning I can get will be helpful.

Oh- I think I scored a good one today-a RAW 81cc in a gsa - UNSCATHED BY THE HANDS OF SATAN. (MS66).

Casey

I've learned to be much more cautious with buying raw coins, especially in a series that I don't know as well as my primary collecting focus. Second opinions from more experienced collectors (i.e. sharing potential purchases with other forum members ) you trust are important until you know what you're doing.

morgannut2

I got one answer to my question on references to tell AT (from Hoot). I bought the video on how to tell AT and altered coins by Bob Campbell from the ANA and it has saved me thousands of dollars. Plus I get to laugh at all the AT/NT arguements now on the forum and it's very enjoyable.

ccex

What I learned this last year with the help of this forum is:

Learn to grade your favorite series through buying and selling, whether the coin is slabbed or raw.

The white hot nuclear market ignores 90% of the holdings of 90+% of of all coin collectors, unless bullion prices go crazy.

Bidding on eBay from pictures and feedback ratings on eBay reminds me of Darryl Huff's 1954 classic book "How to Lie with Statistics"

The Collectors Universe online price guide is useful mostly as marketing hyperbole for those trying to sell coins in third tier slabs.

Don't post what you really feel about Accugrade unless you would rather enrich lawyers than add to your collection.

You don't need to be a doctor to guess how PCGS might grade your coins -- you need only the patience.

jonesy

When starting a set, don't start with the easy 70%. You'd be better off getting the tough ones first.

RYK

Anyone else want in on the contest?

tsacch

I learned that if a dealer buys a coin from you and hands you cash...............and you happy with the transaction........walk away before he changes his mind.

I had this happen and lost $125 by accepting a lesser offer.....

The same goes for buying coins...........if your not happy with a price, politely thank the dealer and walk away.

razorface1027

what did you learn about coins this year?

Just how UNSTABLE my mentality is when it comes to "Keeping up with the Jonses" in the realm of numismatics. Oh well---Mama always said I'd learn the hard way.

magikbilly

What I have learned with help from the forum:

1) buy what you like - don't be swayed by others resale-motivated opinion of eye-appeal. It is subjective anyway, and you have to both pay for it and live with it.

2) don't buy plastic; slab inserts don't always make it so.

3) look at as many examples of what you seek before spending; don't buy in haste and know your series/desired coin etc..(READ)

4) never settle, regardless of price.

5) I only regret coins I did not buy (tempered with #3 above of course)

6) very important - ENJOY YOUSELF.

7) ANY coin can be beautiful - $ does not equal beauty - beauty/appreciation improves with knoweldge.

8) collect slowly and deliberately within a defined goal


Billy

mgoodm3

I've learned that edits are sometimes OK in contests.

I learned yesterday from Conder that the Kentucky token is a conder token.

I learned that raw coins take far better pictures than slabbed.


Oh I forgot.

I learned that the angle between your camera and light should be as small as possible for the best pictures.

RYK

One more ttt

xbob

A quote I read in a coin values book (which I forgot the name of - The U.S. & Mexico one) that I remember whenever buying and thinking I am getting a "too good to be true" bargain. It's extra appropriate for this time of year....

"There is no Santa Claus in Numismatics"

You can still get lucky sometimes though. I wish I knew who to quote it to but it was a library book and not in my collection.

Longacre

I realized that I don't know as much as I thought I knew about collecting and coins, and it inspired me to learn as much as I can by reading as many of the "classic" numismatic books as possible. I also learned that numismatics opens up a whole new world, and allows you to meet, interact with, and learn from people who you probably would have never met before.

RYK

The random number generator picked post #11. LeeG is the winner!

kranky

Congrats to LeeG, and to RYK for a very cool giveaway!

LeeG

Wow!!!! I'm deeply honered to have been picked the winner!!! Everyone else posted some great stuff!!! Thanks RYK and I can't wait to have it "In Hand" and start reading! Lee

Baley

LeeG, on a roll! congrats Thanks to RYK for a generous giveaway

(and it's a great book, have read it twice)