Do you collect ONLY darside, or liteside too?

clarkbar04

As the title states, I'm just wondering about how many of you ONLY collect darkside, or if you collect US and darkside. I caught myself bidding on some cool morgans and my 1907 French Indo china 1 piastre started giving me the stink eye, so I flipped it over to the tails side.

Also, feel free to post what your specialty is, in either side of the realm.

Personally, I collect Franklin halves, washington quarters, mercury & roosevelt dimes, morgans, and have started dabbling in kennedys.

On the world coin side, I like stuff that depicts other countrys depiction of lady liberty, especially crown sized ones.

TwoKopeiki

Darkside only for me. I think the only U.S. coin I have is a lonely, common date and grade Morgan. The only Greyside set I have is a 2006 Double-Dollar proof set that I have picked-up as a reminder of the year I've spent working in Toronto.

I'm crazy about Mexican War of Independence silvers. I also watch for other Spanish Colonial pieces that display the characteristics I look for in my coins.

coinkat

I buy what I like and that extends into both arenas...

Stork

One of my darkest secrets is that I recently (within the last 6 months) started a 7070 . Shhh, don't tell anyone!


Cathy

spoon

Darkside.

There's just so much to do.. when I lose interest in one project, I'll get into early Islamic coinage, when that fades, on to Nabataea! then I'll skip over to Darkside banknotes for a while, then back to my 1914 set, a few more French colonials picked up, ooh! a British one too! --- Yeah, and all of that while staying with an average cost per item of roughly $20 or less. I rarely go beyond $40 and still manage to pick up top quality stuff.

garsmith

I am a lightsider and am only just starting to venture into the darkside of the force! Mainly cause I want to get my Philippina wife interested in coins, then she won't (hopefully) mind when I make some big purchases!

When we where in Manila together in January I took her into a coin store and she liked the silver coins, so I have bought 4 Philippines silver proof sets, it's a start!

johnsim03

Darkside:

Roman Imperial Ancients and whatever grabs me...
Iowa Tokens
Chess medals

Liteside:

US Type and whatever grabs me...

Neat thread!
John

Ricke

I haven't puchased any for a while now, but I likes the large cents and the bust half dollars, personally.

I've been thinking of switching out my half dollars for quarters, though, since they would compliment my world coin tastes of two reales and like sized coins, but nice bust quarters seem pricey.

coinpictures

Actually lately I've been playing with low-cost common-date Morgan toners more than anything else... just need a little break I guess...

RareBronzeCollector

Great Britain Bronze and Copper
Ireland Pre-Decimal (Dansco set set 1928-1968)
Morgans
Dimes 1796-date
Misc...

Also am working on a set of Canada 1967 in Cameo for sentimental reasons........

Iosephus

I dabble in US medals in addition to my main collection of Papal medals.

JZrarities

<< <i>One of my darkest secrets is that I recently (within the last 6 months) started a 7070 . Shhh, don't tell anyone! >>




WHAT !?!?!?!

DesertRat

anything that catches my eye including exonumia.

MSD61

Mostly Ireland and a few other countries but I did just complete my U.S. proof birth year set all NGC graded. Actually the dead king got me
started on the NGC graded set when I purchased the Frankie from him a couple of years ago. I have Morgans, peace,
Ike, SBA and sac dollars, Bust, barber, walking libs frankies, and Kenndy halves, Barber, standing lib, washington
quarters, all kinds of dimes, V nickels, buffs and a bunch of pennies oh yeah I've got a state quarter album going.
That's all my lightside.

Aethelred

I am only serious about Darkside and even there I am only into British and Roman coins and Conder tokens.

If I were going to collect Lightside again it would be Bust Half Dollars or a type set.

crito

I don't discriminate: I buy big silver widgets of all denominations and faiths.

Liquidity has never been a problem for me. They're accepted more places than American Express.

clarkbar04

Those are some nice "widgets". I also am a fan of the Peru 1 Sol and Panama Balboa.

Burks

I started in liteside coinage and slowly moved to darkside. Now I collect about 30% lite, 70% dark. Darkside coins are much cheaper as I'm down to either higher grade or scarce date coins on the liteside.

crito

I've got modern silver widgets too. But the older ones are a lot more fun.

Sapyx

I'm from Australia, so American coinage is "weird foreign stuff" for me. My nicer American coins are in my darkside albums, wedged in between United Arab Emirates and Upper Canada.

For "specialties", I try not to have any. "One from every country", including ancient and mediaeval countries, is my main collecting goal.

As for proportions, out of 7,384 coins and notes, 440 are from the USA - that's the third highest number after Australia (about 700) and Great Britain (468).

Hey! I've just discovered my coin database has this really neat statistical summary option!

Gazza

Just Darkside, 1900 to 1970 pre-decimal Farthing to Crown. Although I do have one morgan dollar and one early Phiippine peso.

Preussen

<< <i>One of my darkest secrets is that I recently (within the last 6 months) started a 7070 . Shhh, don't tell anyone!


Cathy >>

Me too (about 1 year ago) . Working on it slowly and quietly...I won't tell anyone if you don't -Preussen

Daltonista

In 50+ years of collecting, I've swung both ways, completing in mostly unc & up: USA, 20th century by date; Britain, Liz-to-Liz by type; Architecture on coins (well, that one will never be complete, considering all those city-view thalers); British Empire and Commonwealth by type starting with George III; Japan Meiji onward by type; Mexico, Republic by type; China, provincial copper & silver by type; Aussie, NZ, NG by date.
Still chasing down "British World" exonumia (Think Pridmore!) -- heavy on Canada, Carribbean, and Oceania -- but focusing over the last 5-10 years chiefly and steadfastly on Dalton silver and Davis/Withers material. There are some real challenges in both areas, so it's slow going...patience and fortitude in both bidding and buying are essential, I've found.
In retrospect, it seems I've shifted collecting emphasis into a new area every time the holes in my main current interest can be filled only by $500-and-up coins. Putting kids through college will do that to you.
BTW, I'm a recently-enrolled member...inquiring (ignorant) minds need to know: Can anyone fill me in on the origin and meaning of the "darkside" label that pops up so often on this site?
Thanks to all for making this an interesting place to visit!

One of my all-time favorites...

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u60/themugster/griquamerelybigrx.jpg

Tom

ozzysdad47

I collect most everything, But truth be known, I'm a Darksider at heart........

Nothing like Darksider collector's either, They seem to be the best folk's........

farthing

I have a smallish collection of US coins but have not made a purchase for it in at least 3 years. Conder tokens, medals and World coins keep me busy enough!

trozau

I am an equal opportunity collector (if there is such a term).

bidask

I have collected both for a long time.

DorkGirl

Anything that catches my eye comes home with me. It really doesn't matter to me where it was minted.

Ricke

<< <i>Anything that catches my eye comes home with me. >>



There are so many opportunities there, I don't know where to begin!

I have always considered my liteside coins more like 'potential darkside trading material at a later date'.

clarkbar04

<< <i>

I have always considered my liteside coins more like 'potential darkside trading material at a later date'. >>



That is funny, I do the same thing. I still buy morgans but I only keep the best of the best ones.

AuldFartte

I collect both, and have been getting more into liteside lately. I'm starting my second US type set, and working on large cents and half cents. My Darkside interests are a British Victorian type set, Victorian medals, and some Conder tokens.

XXX

<< <i>I buy what I like and that extends into both arenas... >>



What he said.................

Rickc300

Darkside mainly, But be sure to check my light side interest below, someone else may like this affordable twist on a collection.

I collect the Coins of Germany, I collect the German Empire (71% complete), The Weimar Republic (51% complete) and the Third Reich (78% complete) by date and mint. Right now I am more focused on the Third Reich coinage more than anything else since I am closing in on completion (less than a hundred coins to go). The Weimar Republic is getting tougher, lots of commemoratives to fill in and they are getting harder to find.

I also collect the German States by type except for coins minted under the Empire (2, 3 and 5 Marks). The State of Prussia I collect by date and mint as this may be the only state possible to ever complete and since it was the driving force behind the German Empire (my true Darkside love).

Many years ago, I found a very nice looking Prussian 2 mark and bought it for a little more than melt, I discovered it had a low mintage, low enough that if it had been a US coin it would be going for hundreds of dollars instead of basically silver value (those times have changed BTW). I started researching Germany (I am an amateur WWII buff) and discovered some history, got hooked and promptly sold my lightside collection to start my German collection. I have never looked back nor been disappointed in my choice. A lightside collection would never be complete, due to the huge costs involved. The Empire, Weimar and Third Reich are completable with only a handful of expensive coins.

Having said that, I do have a US type set going, but only in the poorest grades I can find and still be identifiable. How many collectors do you know who are looking to downgrade their collection? I am!!! Got any really crappy types that are identifiable? I am interested!
Rick

hookedoncoins

As you can see from my sig image, I collect both lightside and darkside. I buy coins based on aesthetic and historical value. I don't particularly care what country they are from (although darkside gives a lot more bang for your buck).

clarkbar04

<< <i>As you can see from my sig image, I collect both lightside and darkside. I buy coins based on aesthetic and historical value. I don't particularly care what country they are from (although darkside gives a lot more bang for your buck). >>



Err, you sig is all liteside - albeit very cool liteside!

hookedoncoins

<< <i>

<< <i>As you can see from my sig image, I collect both lightside and darkside. I buy coins based on aesthetic and historical value. I don't particularly care what country they are from (although darkside gives a lot more bang for your buck). >>



Err, you sig is all liteside - albeit very cool liteside!

>>



Well, my avatar is darkside.

ajaan

The only US I actively collect are the State Quarters which I put one of each type into a wall map.

TwoKopeiki

<< <i>BTW, I'm a recently-enrolled member...inquiring (ignorant) minds need to know: Can anyone fill me in on the origin and meaning of the "darkside" label that pops up so often on this site? >>



Hi Tom, Darkside refers to "coins other than U.S. and Canada", or World coins. Liteside is U.S, with Canadian coins being dubbed Greyside. The origins of these terms are un-known to me, however I suspect it to have roots in either Collectors Universe forums, or Collectors Society forums...

cacheman

Neither......

AuldFartte

Scott, that's as DARK as you can get !

cacheman

Good point, Fartte....

Stork

I believe the term "darkside" originated with Askari who has not been posting for some time. He was one of the very early boardmembers here. As far as I know Darkside started here...I'm sure I've read threads about it in the past, I may dig around for them if I get some time.


Cathy

TwoKopeiki

Cathy, you mean this thread?

I think it's a must-have read for every new poster

RareBronzeCollector

<< <i>Great Britain Bronze and Copper
Ireland Pre-Decimal (Dansco set set 1928-1968)
Morgans
Dimes 1796-date
Misc...

Also am working on a set of Canada 1967 in Cameo for sentimental reasons........ >>



I forgot..... I'm also working on a collection of varieties of the Birmingham Workhouse Tokens.........

IstilllikeZARcoins

My main collection is obviously ZAR coins but I also collect ( or rather ), did collect Eliasberg World Gold ( not collecting EWG anymore to focus on my ZAR collection ).

But I have also started collecting Dutch Rijksdaalders, Maundy Sets, German Empire Pfennigs, Irish pre-decimal, Holey coins, 1975 coins, other German coins ( mostly empire though ) but also Kreuzers, 1966 Irish 10 shillings, Sovereigns, and various English coins.

I think that that is enough to keep me busy.

BS

My main interest is darkside but I also have a small collection of US coins.

cacheman

<< <i>Cathy, you mean this thread?

I think it's a must-have read for every new poster >>




The term Darkside was even used earlier in May 2001 here on the forum... the thread I found was by someone else and the term appeared to already be in the people's vocabulary... so I'm not sure when it started but before I got here in 2002...S

Daltonista

Roman, once again, you Da Man.
Thanks also to Cathy and cacheman for all the enlightenment...I guess I've been 100% Darksider
since about 1984, except for my US Colonials, which I consider GB (Kentucky token, Franklin Press token, etc.). Full story above.
Great group goin' on here!
Tom

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u60/themugster/griquamerelybigrx.jpg
">

clarkbar04

That would be a good sig line.

"Darksider since 1984"

BBQnBLUES

I started with US coins when I was a teen..

Branched out into 'Darkside'.. Paper Money & Bullion..

Hell, I just like to collect ANY kind of MONEY

IloiloKano

US-Filipinas to the exclusion of nearly all else.

So what is that? U.S. Lightside? Philippines Darkside?

Bear in mind that two US Presidents were Govenors of the "Commonwealth of the Philippines, United States of America" before becoming President. Hooray for William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt.

And what's better than a Silver Certificate being exchangeable for US Gold Coin? Wouldn't that make it a Gold Certificate?

Sooooo many interesting aspects to that US Currency in the form of Pesos and Centavos!

Does that all mean that I am a TwilightSide collector? Or maybe a CloudyDaySide.