The pain of weeding out coins

shirohniichan

I've determined to weed out coins I don't need from my collection in order to save funds necessary to buy the ones I do need to complete some sets.

How many of you have faced this problem? You have some coins that don't fit into your sets, but they are hard to find. Once you sell them you may never be able to find them nearly as nice for the price you will likely get for them. Sound familiar?

I have some coins from Cyprus and British Honduras that aren't worth a fortune, but are hard to find in EF and above. Once I sell the EF and AU coins I have, I probably won't be able to find replacements should my future collections include Victoria and Edward VII (right now I'm just collecting George V and have an eye to collect George VI once I finish.

Here's an example:

1jester

I'm familiar with this problem too.

laurentyvan

Shiro-I feel your pain.

I sell or trade coins reluctantly unless they're junk that I am just upgrading.

Once I sell the EF and AU coins I have, I probably won't be able to find replacements should my future collections include Victoria and Edward VII (right now I'm just collecting Geo

Hey, good reason to keep them unless there are one or two coins that you can sell to specifically buy a coin or two to complete a set. That's a pretty good reason... I just wouldn't start any wholesale dumping of coins you don't think you will need. On a case by case basis I guess I can see your rationale.

Heck, I wouldn't want to part with that nine Piastres either.

Ed for spelling

gxseries

Most definately I can see the problem That Cyprus coin is a beauty - it would be a darn thing to part with that coin.

I was suggested by others who have zero apperication in numisatic to sell out my whole collection and restart a brand new one. You know, that might be quite tempting. (but I never had the guts to )

shirohniichan

The biggest issue for me is selling my complete set of British Honduras 25 cent pieces. I bought the whole collection just to upgrade the George V coin I wanted. In the set are some other really nice onces as well as ordinary coins. If I sell off the set, even some of the "ordinary" Elizabeth II coins are hard to find in AU and unc. I guess I'll keep the really nice 1897 and the best Edward VII for a type set and sell the rest. Maybe, that is.

JamminJ

Take all the stuff you're thinking of selling and put it all on a table at the same time. Sort them by the amount of pain their departures will bring and start working up sales from the "couldn't care less end." For the tougher stuff resolve only to sell it once you've located something better to buy with the proceeds.

That way, you'll be thinking "I have this neat-o RCM packaging!" rather than "I sold my British Honduras 10c."

Clankeye

I have sold many, many coins in my day, Shiroh. And I can honestly say there are maybe five or six that I regret. And even at that... don't spend too much time thinking about it.

The coins that leave my hands always make room for new ones coming in. I will say that I think some of you collect types of material, or certain series of coins that are harder to replace--geniunely more scarce--then some of the coins I have traded in. So, I can see there being a concern about ever finding them again.

But, all in all, the minute I look at a coin and decide it's time to move on--that coin's gone. I am trying to build a collection now that I actually allow myself to get a little more sentimental about.

Thin out that collection, Shiroh and use the funds for your more active interests. I don't think you'll end up slouched over a barstool, blubbering inconsolably, while total strangers view you with a mixture of pity and revulsion.

Then again, I could be wrong.


Clankeye

Hyperion

wow. im kinda depressed after reading that....

expand, then contract, then expand ---> my collection

Aethelred

I get pleasure from focus, the more I weed things out and stick with my goals the smaller, but more pleasurable my collection becomes to me.

SYRACUSIAN

I have sold many, many coins in my day, Shiroh. And I can honestly say there are maybe five or six that I regret. And even at that... don't spend too much time thinking about it.




Ditto. And the ones I regret are not even five or six, they're less than that, one of which was this 1901 18 piastres.


But the feeling of freedom I got was definetely worth it. And I still have the photos in the unlikely case I miss any of them.

shirohniichan

<< <i>I have sold many, many coins in my day, Shiroh. And I can honestly say there are maybe five or six that I regret. And even at that... don't spend too much time thinking about it.




Ditto. And the ones I regret are not even five or six, they're less than that, one of which was this 1901 18 piastres.


But the feeling of freedom I got was definetely worth it. And I still have the photos in the unlikely case I miss any of them. >>



Oooo. That 18 piastres looks like it would go well with my 9 piastres.



<< <i>Take all the stuff you're thinking of selling and put it all on a table at the same time. Sort them by the amount of pain their departures will bring and start working up sales from the "couldn't care less end." For the tougher stuff resolve only to sell it once you've located something better to buy with the proceeds. >>



This is sage advice. I finally found something that I want more than the Canadian, Newfie, and British Honduras extras I have, though it's not modern RCM crud. I have my eye on a Straits Settlements coin that fits into one of my favorite collections, and selling a few of my extras will help me to obtain it.

mrfred

I have been collecting only about five years, but I am feeling this problem as well. So far, my only solution is to have a box that says 'surplus' and put the overload stuff in there. Beyond that, I have not thought.

lordmarcovan

HEY!!! I NEED A 1901 CYPRUS 9-PIASTRE!!!

For Victoria's 1901 Victorian type set.

Actually, I already have the 9-piastre, but yours would be a significant upgrade. If you are "weeding" it out, please make sure I'm the one who plucks it.

I have the 18, as well, but not like Dimitri's. Those things are so often well-worn and cleaned, as mine are.

I need the smaller 1901 denoms, in any grade- I don't have them yet.

bonkrood

I have trouble selling anything, I wish I could sell, to buy coins I need, instead of buying coins I like. (You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you may find, you get what you need) sorry Mick.