What are the definitions of a "casual collector" and a "serious collector"?
SanctionII
Posts: 12,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
In another thread I posted today CladKing responded with information broken down, in part, into "casual collectors" and "serious collectors".
That caused me to stop and think about the two terms.
I consider myself to be a "casual collector" since I spend only modest amounts of discretionary dollars on coins [though what is modest to me may be a mere pittance to someone else; and may be huge dollars to yet another person] and spend only a small portion of my time and energy on the hobby.
So what are your definitions of these two terms?
That caused me to stop and think about the two terms.
I consider myself to be a "casual collector" since I spend only modest amounts of discretionary dollars on coins [though what is modest to me may be a mere pittance to someone else; and may be huge dollars to yet another person] and spend only a small portion of my time and energy on the hobby.
So what are your definitions of these two terms?
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Casual - might read a good bit about the hobby over the course of year but might only make a couple of purchases per year...and maybe attend a show or two in a year.
Just a few thoughts here.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
<< <i>A casual collector tells his wife what he buys. A serious collector does not.
<< <i>A casual collector tells his wife what he buys. A serious collector does not.
What your wife don't know, can't hurt you.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Obviously, others will set the bar at other places, but for me, a decent ballpark might be $500 a year and/or three hours a month for the "serious" category. By those standards, virtually everyone active on this forum would qualify, just with time spent on the forum.
Casual collectors might be those that buy a proof set from the mint every now and again, and maybe put away a few coins from circulation. Those that toss all their coins into a bucket and don't take any care in preserving their coins do not qualify as coin collectors in my book. Spending some time and effort organizing or archiving circulation finds would be that dividing line to reach the casual level.
<< <i>Time and money spent would be the main factors, though like the adjective expensive, there are as many ways to define it as there are responders.
Obviously, others will set the bar at other places, but for me, a decent ballpark might be $500 a year and/or three hours a month for the "serious" category. By those standards, virtually everyone active on this forum would qualify, just with time spent on the forum.
Casual collectors might be those that buy a proof set from the mint every now and again, and maybe put away a few coins from circulation. Those that toss all their coins into a bucket and don't take any care in preserving their coins do not qualify as coin collectors in my book. Spending some time and effort organizing or archiving circulation finds would be that dividing line to reach the casual level. >>
Interesting take. I was thinking along the lines of your view of serious is my view of casual, and your casual would be my dabbling hobbyist.
I used to be serious by saving, selling and searching the ebay tree for low fruit 2-3 hrs/day, now I'm casual with few but nice purchased items in defined areas do 1/2hr/day.
I never put a dollar value on the separation, just time.
serious = more money. no self control. :
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
<< <i>A serious collector subscibes to COINFACTS. >>
A serious collector does not have to subscribe to Coinfacts.
A casual collector, in my eye, is stereotypically one who buys yearly proof sets from the Mint, one who collects coins from pocket change, and or one who has a stash of "old" coins from a grandparent, but one who has not made any serious effort to elevate his level of expertise beyond the US Mint brochure or what he observes on his own.
There are various gradations of serious and casual collectors, and like any other subjective term, it probably defies a strict definition.
serious...when I have the funds
casual....when I'm broke.
but always looking.
Barrytrot(2),Stupid,Savoyspecial,docq,ecoinquest, halfhunter,snman,Coll3ctor.
wondercoin. Blue594. internetjunky.
keepdachange. Scrapman1077.Ahrensdad, mrmom, mygrandeoso, blu62vette, Clackamas,giorgio11, adriana, cucamongacoin,
Serious collector---Coin is MS66 or PR69DCAM.
Registry collector--- I must have a MS67+, or PR70DCAM for my set.
I could just agree with RYK, too.
A "serious collector" has his coins in the bank vault and sits in a leather chair wearing a smoking jacket and sipping fine port at the kitchen table to enjoy photos of his collection.
<< <i>A casual collector tells his wife what he buys. A serious collector does not.
+1
casual collector will buy something add it in and thats the end of it
serious collector will look buy come on here chat it up show pictures, then ask if it will upgrade and show how it looks in their collection. then sell the coin in the lower grade that this new one upgraded.
A serious collector says, "I collect coins. It is my primary hobby or pastime."
A registry collector says, "I collect blue pieces of paper with printing on them that are encapsulated inside sonically sealed plastic holders. There are also stamped metal disks inside the plastic holders, but that's not ultimately what interests me."
World Collection
British Collection
German States Collection
A casual collector, in my eye, is stereotypically one who buys yearly proof sets from the Mint, one who collects coins from pocket change, and or one who has a stash of "old" coins from a grandparent, but one who has not made any serious effort to elevate his level of expertise beyond the US Mint brochure or what he observes on his own.
There are various gradations of serious and casual collectors, and like any other subjective term, it probably defies a strict definition.
most of the time I don't have to bother to compose a reply to threads like this.. I can just
with RYK
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
1. Chance or unpremeditated
Happening or done by chance or without prior thought or planning
2. Known only slightly
Known only slightly or involving only slight knowledge of somebody or
Something
3. Superficial
Not involving emotional commitment or loyalty or lacking in thoughtfulness or seriousness
I GOT IT!
It's someone with a registry set who has more money than BRAINS
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
<< <i>A casual collector tells his wife what he buys. A serious collector does not.
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.
I believe one can have a few dollars wrapped up in a collection and be a serious collector
or have a million dollars in it and be casual. It's not about money but about attitude and
desire to learn and enjoy the hobby at any level. There are many ways one can contribute
to numismatics or attempt to without spending vast sums of money. Some of the finest
researchers barely collect at all.
A "casual" collector to me is someone who just buys or sets aside coins without thinking
about them or attyempting to learn about them. A kid who tries to learn the names of all
the states by putting togetrher a state quarter set is a casual collector. A kid who tries to
learn about states quarters is a serious collector providing his attitude matches his desire.
Another way to say it is that there are about 3,000,000 serious collectors. This not only
includes the 100,000 with $20,000 collections and more but 2.9 million who are putting
together and studying US coins. Most of these people are baby boomers but the most
rapidly growing segment are younger folks.
JT
I collect all 20th century series except gold including those series that ended there.
<< <i> It's not about money but about attitude and desire to learn and enjoy the hobby at any level. >>
I agree with you. There are plenty of folks who have lots of money who can go pay moon money for coins, who aren't serious collectors. Wasn't there a guy who bought all sorts of coins at top dollar at major auctions in 2007-2008 and then had to sell out recently at a loss? (I don't know the full story, read it on the forums here).
-Fred
Successful BST (me as buyer) with: Collectorcoins, PipestonePete, JasonRiffeRareCoins
<< <i>A "casual collector" ... enjoy his collection.
A "serious collector" ... enjoy photos of his collection. >>
How true is this?
A state quarter coin collector purchasing each coin for his/her set for the completion seeking them from circulation, dealer or bank is a serious collector. Someone that can grade their specialty coins within 1 point of a PCGS grader is a serious collector. If they can grade 3 or more denominations within 2 points of a PCGS grader is serious. A serious collector is smarter than me. They DON'T tell the wife what or where they have. I'm waiting for the court to decide who gets what.
A casual collector doesn't care about the latest coin/set from the mint. They don't go to a single show, receive any coin magazines, or come here or any other boards. They don't scour E-bay, Heritage, etc for the last coin for their slot. Or spend YEARS looking for a single upgrade to their set. They don't just buy the coin for the holder-they are the fools. They buy proof sets/coins for their grandchildren from the mint or dealer around Christmas time. They don't follow the price of gold or silver on a daily basis.
Just my fifty cents. Ray
<< <i>A casual collector tells his wife what he buys. A serious collector does not. >>
Last years 2am call from my wife in the USA to me in an Amsterdam hotel confirmed that I am the latter. She opened my personal bank statement and saw my cheque paying Stacks for a rather large auction purchase. My wife knows I have affairs, with my coins and banknotes.
<< <i>I would have to agree with RYK. And also add, the difference between serious and casual collectors has absolutely nothing to do with the price of the coins they collect. >>
If you get numismatic subscriptions you are serious.....
Have a collection of books which you have read you are serious.....
Agree completely +1
I’d like to think that the distinction isn’t based upon how much money is spent. I know collectors who are much more serious in their collecting than others who spend FAR (and then some) more.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
A serious collector collects the same thing you do. A casual collector collects things you don't like so you think they're an idiot.
[At least as the terms are used here. ]
Just curious, what motivated you to bring up an 11 year old thread?
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
More of a qualitative call.
To be in the serious range they are spending a material PCT or amount of income on RCI say ballpark est 5-10 pct as example, have CF, CPG, TPG aps, and may subscribe to a publication like CW, NN. They have strong grading and pricing skills with possibly an active eBay, GC presence. They will have a strategy whether set, country, birthdate, series, pursuit of low pop material, inventory level, risk limit, etc.
Examples: Jim collects Texas NAtional Banknotes, Lisa collects slabbed coins by her bd, Frank stacks slabbed generic dollars, Jon collects WPM and submits to PCGS currency, Eric wkg on Peace $ set, Ray collects Mexico 2nd Republic coins, Charley collects slabbed CC material, Dave filling up 5 slab boxes of 20 just stuff he likes off bourse (over period of time) no real detailed goal except Qty and no items over a set amount like $300 (his risk limit per item.) . Then maybe upgrade some as time goes on.
So you have to have a leather chair, smoking jacket and like wine to be a serious collector? @RWB
Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM
A serious collector will make a non-collector's eyes glaze over within 5 minutes of starting to talk about their collection..
I was reading a thread on a different forum titled; “Fewer long term serious collectors” and wanted a definition of a serious collector, so I Googled it and spotted this thread. I’m a member here, and after reading the thread, I happened to agree with @TheRaven comment and added a link to this thread. The other thread is here - https://www.papermoneyforum.com/post/fewer-long-term-serious-collectors-8589522?pid=1327465811
It is all a matter of perspective - which differs among observers. I have many coin books, coins of note and coins I just keep with no significant value. I read coin magazines, participate in the forum. To some, that would indicate I am a serious collector. At times, over the years, I would agree. Other times, such as the last couple of years, I would say more of a casual collector - I am not pursuing any series, VAM's, albums or mints. Ultimately, labels do not really interest me, I just enjoy my coins and seeing the coins others have collected. It is an enjoyable hobby. Cheers, RickO
Deleted
Some great replies. It's taking the shape of a Jeff Foxworthy show:
You might be a serious collector if....
...you own a #1 PCGS registry set.
...etc, etc, etc
- Ike Group member
- DIVa (Designated Ike Varieties) Project co-lead and attributor
What % of one's life is spent looking at eBay, GC, Heritage, Stack's CU Forums
What your wife does not know might hurt you. lol
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...
To me, it's not about money spent. Someone can be a "serious" collector out of pocket change, if they have made an effort to understand what they are collecting.
It's more about "active interest".
As an example, I'd likely not consider someone who is predominantly buying coins as a substitute for "stacking", no matter how much they spent especially if it is NCLT.
Many have said it different ways, but I think it has to do with the amount of discretionary time and money spent on the hobby.
Also, I think someone can be serious about the hobby and not really be an serious active collector (a lot like @ricko was talking about).
I’ve always been a collector, but my seriousness in regard to time/money/effort put into it has definitely gone up and down.
I think my answer from 11 years ago is still my answer today.
Time flies and things change.
When I wrote that, I was probably an 11 on the 1-10 scale of serious collectors, 10 being most serious. Now, I would consider myself about a 3.
Time spent.