How do you people stay focused on what you're collecting?

MajorDuty

I'm getting no where with my type set. *pounds fist* I keep buying purty Morgans and other type coins I already have examples of. I'll allocate some funds for a nice Coronet, or something I don't yet have, and then see this beautiful blue end roll toned Morgan and say Ohhhhhhhhh, I have to have that one.

So how do you do it? I can't seem to stay focused.

deansmint

Sounds like your having fun collecting what catches your eye at the moment, stick to it.

Longacre

I have my "real collection" and then my fun collection of whatever I like at that moment. It works for me.

BAJJERFAN

Send me those tarnished ol Morgans, then you will have time for your other pursuits!!

TOMCATTOM

You are focused!! focused on buying coins you like. Somewhere down the road you'll finish the type set. Its a lot of fun buying those toners.

Shamika

In the past, I just didn't look at coins that I knew I shouldn't buy. That way, I was never tempted. When an auction catalog arrived, I would go straight to the section or sections that I collected and that was it. No Morgans, no Franklins, no Mercuries, just Buffalo nickels and Lincoln cents.

I'm now at a point that I can look at other coins and can resist the temptation to spend.

Barndog

I stick to my Dansco 7070 (as finished as it will ever be, except of course for upgrades) and capped bust half dimes. Am considering divesting myself of the other bust coins I have collected (dimes, quarters, and halves). Too much to keep up with and I love the half dimes the best.

DUIGUY

Focus ? Whats that ?

100proof1957

Specialize !

complete that and look for upgrades whilst working on the next specialty !

ms70

I know the feeling- See my first post and posts by Crackout & Shamika toward the bottom of this thread.

Outhaul

Who stays focused?!?!

There's too much stuff out there that I want and I'm having a ball buying as much of it as I can!

Cheers,

Bob

DorkGirl

I stay focused because I collect everything and anything I like

wam98

Staying focused is something I just can not do. Have fun.

Mesquite

Not a problem. Right now I'm focused on Duiguy's icon - what a great coin! Excuse me, what did you ask?

Millertime

I'm very focused. I collect coins.

Millertime

MikeKing

<< <i>I'm very focused. I collect coins.

Millertime >>





This time around (after having sold off my collection and restarting), I'm trying to remain more focused so I'm putting my money into bust halves but then I came accross this great Morgan, so I bought it after dreaming about it for weeks, then I bought this NOrse medal after dreaming about that one for weeks...then there are these really nice copper pieces and I thought...maybe I should forget building a bust half collection and creat a really nice collection of choice copper coins...but then where does the Morgan fit in?????

carl

This is just a matter of concentration, persiverance, intellegent reasoning, Thoughfulness, knowing well what focus means and doing just that. For instance I go to a coin show with several lists of coins of all denominations and years and mintages. These are coins I either need, want or desire. My lists are done in order of importance to my collections. I roam around and look at everything. I buy coins that I like and seldom look at my lists. I get home and promise I'll never do that again. I've been saying that for about 50 years. See, that is really focus.

1977topps

I have a hard time staying focused with my 7070, Franklin FBL set, Morgans, and Wheaties, not to mention baseball cards, stamps, and comics!

TorinoCobra71

The Depth Of My Wallet Dictates My Attention Span. (right now it IS quite short.... )

TorinoCobra71

MrEureka

I have found that my focus improves with age, experience and an increasing recognition that I will never have enough time or money to collect everything I like. Yet, at 46, after collecting for 40 years, I still have no chance to complete all of the sets I'm attempting.

coinkat

There have been some excellent responses... I tend to define "focus" or "focused" differently than most. It is not about completing a set as much as it is about recognizing rarity and opportunities to buy quality at the right time.

MrEureka

It is not about completing a set as much as it is about recognizing rarity and opportunities to buy quality at the right time.

CoinKat - What if there are far too many opportunities to buy the right coins at the right time?

Cladiator

I have the same approach as Longacre...

<< <i>I have my "real collection" and then my fun collection of whatever I like at that moment. >>


There is my "core" collection and then I am forever buying other coins that just happen to strike my fancy at that time. I'll hold them for a while until I'm bored with them and sell 'em off. Sometimes even at a profit which makes more money for the "core" collection.

fcloud

When you collect coins like this, it is tough not to focus!

CharlieB

<< <i>Specialize ! complete that and look for upgrades whilst working on the next specialty ! >>



Wow, you and I sure think alike.

coinkat

MrEureka:

A fair question and I regret that my answer will mostlikely be disappointing, but that is where the education and knowledge comes in... I use a decision tree analysis that considers the chances of coming across the coin in the same grade(or higher...and consider my originality obsession) at what I consider to be a fair and reasonable price as well as my estimation of the total surviving population.

With US coins, this strategy can work well with classics... especially Seated Dollars and even early gold (through no motto Libs) and I anticipate this would work well with circ Barbers but I really am not pursuing those series so it is just an educated guess on my part.

This really works best with darkside coins.

TheRaven

If I am looking to had a gold coin to my collection that is what I look at.....

If I am looking to work on my Barber half & quarter sets that is all I look at.....

With the cost of the gold coins after I would purchase that coin not to much left for my Barber collection.....

Looking around for what catches my eye, I will get neither of those and who knows what I might becoming home with.....

fc

it seems i have always collected something in my life..
so as i get older, i have a lot more patience to stick
to a single goal. i like to look at other coins, but i do not
buy. I have to squirrel away my nickels and dimes to
afford gold coins.

bonkrood

The only thing I stayed focused on was a date set of morgans, other than that I buy any type of coins, darkside and currency that catches my eye.

cladking

<< <i>When you collect coins like this, it is tough not to focus!
>>



Wow!!! I could look at that all day.

fcloud

Thanks, cladking! (that one came from Fairlaneman).