Are Your Coins a Commodity or a True Collectible?

braddick

Do you collect for gain of knowledge and for fun or for future profit? Do you study and enjoy your coins or are you checking current price guides to check the current value of your holdings?
I suppose you could do both, but if you had to select one reason for your participation in this hobby which way would you lean and why?

RYK

80% collector: 20% investor

I spend money on coins because I enjoy, not for future profit. IMO, there are a lot better ways to invest money than coins.

While I trade around coins a fair amount, I always put money received from coins sold back into coins to improve my collection. I hope that I never have to sell the collection...or at least not for a very long time.

Cladiator

<< <i>Do you collect for gain of knowledge and for fun or for future profit? >>

For fun, anything else is just a bonus.



<< <i>Do you study and enjoy your coins or are you checking current price guides to check the current value of your holdings? >>

Yes on the study and enjoy. No on the guides and current value. Even if I wanted to the guides are wildly inaccurate for my area.


One reason for my participation? I enjoy it.

topstuf

<< <i>IMO, there are a lot better ways to invest money than coins. >>



That might bear some analysis. I just did an overlook ...yesterday... due to an unavoidable upcoming shift in assets. (a really FINE mortgage about to pay off and dump unwanted cash on me)

Of all my investments, the bullion and coins have WAY outperformed the others.

Probably not in "sustainability" but .... 5 years to date.

NOTHING ever beats interest. The trick is to maintain it.

Barndog

I'm with Cladiator on this one!

BECOKA

Does not seem to matter either way I am addicted. If I make money fine if I lose money fine. I just can't seem to stop collecting.

mgoodm3

I just like looking at them and photo'ing them.

kiyote

Fun, I think... the satisfaction of filling each and every little last hole in a collection. I have every PDSS and SMS Kennedy half dollar according to the Danscos, but now I want an AH and some of the DDOs!

ziggy29

If coin values tended to go down over time, I'd be less likely to sink as much money into it. So yeah, the price appreciation aspect of it is nice, but gains I make in the "market" are secondary to my enjoyment of the coins.

Besides, shouldn't that subject line say, "Are Your Coins a Widget or a True Collectible?"

slumlord98

I collect for fun and knowledge, but with an eye for value. Someone, sometime (sorry, John) is going to sell my coins, and so financial considerations cannot be ignored. Focusing on choice, interesting coins and medals gives me some assurance that at some point in the future, someone else will also value these items.

NumisOxide

I collect to gain knowledge. I always examine and study each one carefully. This is how I enjoy my coins.

Steve27

Whether the value of my collection goes up or down doesn't affect my net worth much, so it must be for the knowledge/fun/history/beauty of the coins.

thezookrew

I think most of us here are a little of both. There are some coins that I really love. I think (ok don't gang up on me for this) that the 50 state quarter program is great and it helped me get my kids involved. Some of the reverses are beautiful (I especially love the new Nevada quarters). And I love the Morgans. But the Wisconsin quarters that I found and sent for grading are purely investment because they are nothing special for me, but, being rare I know they may put my kids through college some day!!!!

CharlieB

I am a 100% collector of classic coins.
I never even think in terms of making a profit.
When you stick to nice quality coins
the investment part takes care of itself.

JJM

75% collector: 25% investor

cohodk

I dont think anyone can ever spend any money on anything without thinking it is some kind of investment.

LincolnCentMan

Coins are my savings account. Although I hated to see a lot of really nice (and tough) coins go. My last withdrawal bought a new truck for the family.

David

coinlieutenant

While my collection goes through constant pruning, and I usually make a small profit when I go to sell, I am first and foremost a collector. I love numismatics and coins for both study and aesthetics. I think that they are works of art, many that are irreplaceable no matter how common the coin is.

J

777

I started off as a collector, enjoying every one, but now my coins are a commodity The thrill of the hunt has taken over and will never cease