The "I'm Just Curious" Question for you Long-Time Collectors...

richardshipp

After a couple of years now actively collecting (not counting my youth) I've changed from a "shot gun buy everything approach" to a more focussed manner and have 2 different things that I almost exclusively look to acquire now.. my 1853 year set and toned early commems (only of the designs I like).

My question for those of you who are long-term collectors is....

Once you've focussed your collecting on a particular area or two, what prompts you to change and focus somewhere else? or do you change at all?

I'm happy with what I'm doing and have a long ways to go... in fact I don't think my sets will ever be "complete" or "finished"; I'm just wondering if one day I'll wake up and want to collect a different series than I am now? If so, what prompts it?

Thanks,
Richard

tradedollarnut

Boredom. A new seated or trade dollar comes along once a year or two for me. If I remained focused in just my areas, I'd fall asleep...

oldcameoproofsguy

The changes I've made in numismatics over the years have always stemmed from a combination of boredome with my current collecting interests and a need to learn and specialize in another area. It always keeps me moving and keeps numismatics fun.

Mowgli

I focus on a series or two until it is almost complete then I start another one. Once I complete a series I no longer buy any more coins - no upgrading, no selling, nothing. I always keep what I buy so that there is a "story" for each series which includes my mistakes and sometimes blind luck. I once clipped a cheap Roosevelt dime getting it out of its 2x2. I kept it in the set to remind myself of that mistake - which I have yet to make again. Some people constantly work on improving their sets and I admire their knowledge and tenacity. I get too easily bored and would rather know enough to enjoy the sets/series that I collect but not so much that I cannot move on to other series/sets.

Julio

I've tried to stay focused and failed miserably. I'm all over the map. Right now I'm into IHC. . jws

ricko

I change as my interest is piqued with a particular coin/series. Not really boredom... just another spark of interest. I can easily have a couple of interests going at the same time. Cheers, RickO

tahoe98

so what you are saying is that you're a multitasker, eh ricko?

jmski52

A new seated or trade dollar comes along once a year or two for me.

Interesting. That's how I am with my Large Cents now. And when I get ready to buy, I make sure that I'm pumped!

clarkbar04

I finally did the same thing too, although I doubt I'll have to wait a year or 2 between coins. It is pretty boring.

291fifth

You reach a point where either:

1. You have to admit you can't afford to complete what you started or...

2. Finds become so few and far between that you start to lose interest.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

ram1946

Simple - the cost of the missing pieces needed to complete the collection. My primary interest is in Buffalo nickels in MS64-67 grades. I simply can't afford most of the D and S pieces at that grade level from the teens and twenties.

Elcontador

TDN and 291 Fifth pretty much nailed it. I collect 19th & early 20th Century Type. It's too expensive for me to afford to even think about completing a series in grades that I like / can afford.

When a nice coin in the grade I like comes along and IMO, it's reasonably priced, I buy it. Ie., I collect SLQs in FH 6 & Liberty Nickels in MS 66 & have 5 of the former and 7 of the latter.

I don't like focusing on a particular series, because I see far too few nice coins in any grade in any particular series. Ie., it took nearly four years for me to find one nice Barber Half, and three to find a Braided Hair Half Cent. I still don't have a Bust $ or Classic Large Cent. The idea of trying to complete either series to me seems like the Greek story of Sisyphus.

RWB

Sometimes it has been “competed that set” which is what I felt right after putting the last of the gold and copper stellas in place. Other times, a series is just too long and repetitive to tolerate – Seated Liberty quarters come to mind.

Mostly, it was a broader interest in the variety and circumstances of our coin designs that fostered interest in a full type set.

I think a lot of collectors progress from “everything” to one or two series, to details such as varieties or errors. I gave up the coins completely and migrated to “the Force” and am doing original research. That offers both extensive variety and an endless (at least in a normal lifetime) supply of untouched material to search. (It’s kind of like having a never ending junk box stocked with lots of junk and the occasional unknown gold pattern.)

mr1931S

I seems to me I just get deeper into mint state madness. First I would only buy coins that are accurately graded ms64, then it became MS65 (and followed Bowers message that MS65 is the best deal), now it is MS66 and it looks like I might be heading toward MS67 or higher for the best quality overall. But then again I am not a long time collector so my point may be moot for you.

Aye,the quest for the perfect coin is on your horizon,young man.

MrEureka

Once you've focussed your collecting on a particular area or two, what prompts you to change and focus somewhere else?

The only time I gave up on a series - 1877 Pattern Half Dollars in Silver - it was because I had lost focus. In effect, I sold my primary collection to fund purchases in non-primary collections. It was stupid, and I won't make that mistake again.

Today, there's only one series that I take seriously as a collector. (See my sig line.) I doubt I will ever sell them, but I'll certainly find a new series to pursue just as seriously when I get closer to completing the current one.

Coxe

OPPORTUNITY. I was humming along just collecting Morgan DMPLs and VAMs when I saw a 1964 PCGS gem red SMS cent available. I knew this was a great coin for future appreciation. So I got it. Another time, I saw a very nice quality difficult higher grade variety Fugio (not one of the typical Bank of NY ones) on the first page os a Bowers and Merena catalogue. Had to get that as I wanted to eventually do a variety set of those later anyway. Other opportunities arose and I made some good and some bad decisions in buying out of focus.