I collect them all.... I am a coin collector.

llafoe

RickO made me think. In one of my threads he posted: "I collect them all.... I am a coin collector. Cheers, RickO"

His comment piqued my interest... What is a coin? At dictionary.com a coin is: "a piece of metal stamped and issued by the authority of a government for use as money."

So is a coin ONLY the pieces of metal the government mints that are intended to be used for money; ONLY coins intended to be used in circulation? ... or, is any piece of metal with a denomination a coin; hockey pucks, satin finish, commemoratives, silver/gold/platinum bullion?

What say you... is a coin only a piece of metal intended for circulation or is it any piece of metal with a denomination?

Edited to add: I looked up the definition of money at dictionary.com: "any circulating medium of exchange, including coins, paper money, and demand deposits." Notice the word "circulating."

topstuf

Burkina Faso

GoldenEyeNumismatics

I think this is a fruitless conversation.

Just like a silver dollar is 90% silver but not "90%" as the market uses the term, bullion coins (and commemoratives) are coins but are not real "coins" in the connotation applied by collectors of non-moderns.

mumu

So where would a proof fit in

tahoe98

<< <i>So where would a proof fit in >>



...it should fit in perfectly. are not proof coins made JUST for coin collectors.

ricko

Proof is simply a method of production, although mainly intended for collectors. Many of us have found proof coins in circulation. I doubt very much that anyone will find the 'hockey pucks' in circulation. Cheers, RickO

mumu

<< <i>Proof is simply a method of production, although mainly intended for collectors. Many of us have found proof coins in circulation. I doubt very much that anyone will find the 'hockey pucks' in circulation. Cheers, RickO >>



Proof is NOT just a method of production, it is also a difference of intended use. The fact that some have put them into circulation does not change the original intent. And as the definition in the op states, intent is a key part of the definition.

TwoSides2aCoin

I'd be paying with nuts and bolts if it weren't for coins.

mumu

I would argue that "coin" is an abstract and to really answer the question you have to go into the subcategories. Some people collect circulating coins, some people collect bullion coins, and some collect the middle of the road proofs which kinda span those 2. I think the orginal question would better apply to the word "money" as a debating point. But then you exit from the coin only constraint.

Ciccio

<< <i>I doubt very much that anyone will find the 'hockey pucks' in circulation. Cheers, RickO >>



It would be fun trying to spend them for face value!

TwoSides2aCoin

See the thing is this :

Few merchants will take a Silver Commemorative Dollar as pay. And if they do, they won't give any more than the DOLLAR minted on the coin which has nearly $30 worth of silver in it. That's a bunch of bullion, but not really a coin (or is it an undervalued denomination ? ). That's why we get confused. If someone walked into a shop and paid with a twenty dollar gold piece, .. it's only twenty dollars. If it's modern and says "Fifty Dollars"... it's fifty bucks, or for that matter $5 is five dollars.

What's a coin ? Great question. Am looking forward to this discussion.

ProofCents

BaseballAbs

A coin has to either have a value on it that is backed by something of value or it has to be of value ( Gold,Silver,Etc.). That's how i would define it.

golfer72

<< <i>A coin has to either have a value on it that is backed by something of value or it has to be of value ( Gold,Silver,Etc.). That's how i would define it. >>

What of value backs clad coins? The debt of the US govt?

AMRC

Ricko is such a trouble emaker.

ricko

"Proof is NOT just a method of production, it is also a difference of intended use. "

Rubbish. Intended use is not part of the definition, it was part of the OP's comment. 'Proof' IS a method of production. Cheers, RickO