A good read (even if it is liteside)

ccrdragon

This should be a must-read for all coin collectors:

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CIVITAS

Mostly good advice. He completely ignores the fact that there are plenty of raw coins to be bought and enjoyed too.

MSD61

Good words of wisdom. I also agree there are some very sweet coins to be had outside of the coffin.

MrEureka

It's interesting that the following advice doesn't apply on the Darkside:

Buy the nicest coin you can for the grade.

On the Darkside, it's better to buy the best coin you can find, period. That's because, very much unlike the Lightside, quality remains wildly undervalued on the Darkside.

ajaan

<< <i>Resist the coin that seems like a bargain – there is no Santa Claus in numismatics. >>


If you really know what you collect you can get bargains. Much more so on the darkside than the liteside.

21Walker

Hi ajaan, read this earlier..............great from an experienced person..............Rick

ROBERTB

<< <i>It's interesting that the following advice doesn't apply on the Darkside:

Buy the nicest coin you can for the grade.

On the Darkside, it's better to buy the best coin you can find, period. That's because, very much unlike the Lightside, quality remains wildly undervalued on the Darkside. >>



.............on top of the fact that a missed buy may results in decades worth of waiting for the one's you failed to jump on.

WhiteTornado

I liked his advice overall, but I also agree that it leans a bit too much towards the slabbed stuff. I have to admit I've softened my stance somewhat on slabs, and I realize they play an important role in numismatics. But, even on the Liteside, you can still find decent raw coins. Probably more so in XF or below grades. Just my 2 cents.

SYRACUSIAN

Excellent read.

I particularly liked these two:

Buy and sell a few coins to get a feel for the market. Note how long it takes to sell the coin at a certain price and how much you have to discount it to be immediately liquid. Factor in this time and amount when purchasing in the future.


and

Sometimes, the passion wanes. Take a break. Look around at what’s available. Buy cheap coins [for you] to keep your mind in the game. Dabble with a type set. Eventually, the right coin will come along which will rekindle your passion for a new set.

Coindexter

To put his advice in context you must consider that he primarily collects US trade dollars. With a series this price prohibitive and widely counterfeited, slabbing becomes very important.