collectors come and go-oh well <-update & thanks see last post

pontiacinf

I never thought I would have to hear the words I heard this afternoon. I have done a-lot over the years
trying to bring new collectors in, educate, learn at the same time (I did actually) but never thought someone
whom I got interested in collecting and spent so much time and effort would jump ship. It hurts.

15 going on 16, loves mountain biking and snowboard/skiing. Great grades in school general all around great
kid. Always shown interest in Jefferson's, and that being my choice it clicked great. I helped him put together
books, shared all kinds of finds and bought al-ot off this board for his collection. Well today that all changed.

Has new interests, and asked how upset I would be if he sold his collection right now, in his words " I really enjoyed
our time, and I do like collecting but I need a break and there is something I really want to do next month, so would
you be hurt if I sell my stuff"

so I am at a loss, first impression would be fund his whatever and sit on his holdings, but times as they are that is not possible.
I can package his stuff in a lot sale but selling items fast + numismatics never ='s good.

I need some ideas. fast

CarlWohlforth

Sorry to hear about that. Perhaps he will remember and return to the hobby in middle age. That has happened to other people (like me!).

JupitarCoins

I bet his new hobby is girls!!!
Does he have the collection or do you?

lasvegasteddy

for whatever reason...some of us catch it and some don't
not sure if age truly plays it's role but myself i found fascination like at 5

Bochiman

Bill,

I may be going through this in a few years too, and hope I don't. Right now, mine is showing a renewed interest, but who knows for how long.
I started collecting again because of wanting to spend time with my son, and he is now re-interested for the same reason. He's younger though.

For the collection, what type of value do you think and what type of items (all PCGS and top grade? Common? Mixture of slabs?)

pontiacinf

<< <i>I bet his new hobby is girls!!!
Does he have the collection or do you? >>



He left it with me and promised he loves coins but needs to be following
hobby, and yes the mountain biking does include one real nice girl who
has been following him around

I really want to tell him to sell it as a lot himself, he needs to learn how the flip
flop affects his collecting in general but same time if I force him to sell them he will lose
out. I have him stacked with a full dansco, obw rolls, special mint stuff and loose stuff
off the boards here. While the dansco is not FS it has some killer strikes and color.

I pretty much set him up, all he had to do was make an MS book a MSFS book, obviously within
reason

MidLifeCrisis

Be thankful for the time you've had to share your hobby with him. My son has never been interested in coin collecting. I'm very fortunate that we found other common interests over the years.

Don't sell his collection...hold onto it just in case he becomes interested again. If not, you can sell it later when you're not in a rush. Take out a loan and make him pay it back. Or get a credit card in his name if possible and make him make the payments.

Or simply explain to him the nature of collectables and the reality of not getting much for your prized coins in a quick, must-sell situation.

joebb21

Perhaps tell him to save one or two pieces and sell the rest.
Just remember- you gave him the spark that will forever be lit. all he will now need is a little O2 and that spark will ignite again

derryb

introduce him to a girl that collects

Timbuk3

Sounds like he's at the age
where other interest may be
more important. Hopefully,
one day in the future he'll return to
collecting again. I wish he
would change his mind about
selling his collection. Please
keep it for the future !!!

pontiacinf

<< <i>Bill,

I may be going through this in a few years too, and hope I don't. Right now, mine is showing a renewed interest, but who knows for how long.
I started collecting again because of wanting to spend time with my son, and he is now re-interested for the same reason. He's younger though.

For the collection, what type of value do you think and what type of items (all PCGS and top grade? Common? Mixture of slabs?) >>



In all honesty he has a ton of slabs, but does not know it Everything I have in SDB's will be his oneday when time comes unless
he gives me a reason otherwise. What he has in his collection now is mainly raw stuff but very nice-kid has a good eye

it breaks my heart

ctf_error_coins

Girls, girls, and girls is what he is interested in and girls of his age may not like coin nerds.

He will come back to coins in 10 to 20 years and you should feel proud of yourself for starting him off on the right track.

He will be back in coins at a latter date , no doubt

RedTiger

Sounds like an average event. Maybe he will come back to coins later in life, maybe not. If the collection isn't that valuable, selling to dad, or taking out a loan against it through dad, are options. It sounds like dad bought his fair share of the coins anyway.

At least the kid asked. A lot of kids just take the stuff down to the pawn shop and get 20 cents on the dollar. Again, for those buying expensive coins for younger relatives, this is a common scenario. Many kids don't ask, they just sell and get next to nothing. Few kids are going to be coin collectors, very few will want to be serious collectors.

illini420

I left collecting from around age 14 to age 25 or so. More important things than coins at that time

If you have his collection, I think it would be really cool if you told him you'd sell it for him. If you can afford to do so, pay him a reasonable amount of cash and say it was an easy sell. Don't really sell them though, keep them hidden away until he is in his late-20s/early 30s and give them back. Perhaps that'll help get him back into collecting at that time.

Bochiman

From what you listed that he has, what do YOU think it would go for?
And, in the OBW rolls, do you think there is anything really worth it? if not, put those on the BST with him or let him take to the bank.
Let him see the losses that may come in some of this.

For the danscos....how much do you think those would really go for, raw? That is always the question.
At this point, unless there are particular issues that would do super well slabbed, I wouldn't go that route (more money).

Special mint stuff? Such as ?


Loose stuff from the boards? Help him sell those...let those go as that is his new direction and if he doesn't have interest, then he doesn't.

jmski52

Save a couple of the best coins for him, and wish him good luck. He needs the cash right now and your teaching hasn't gone for naught.

TexasNationals

How much we talking here hommie?

pontiacinf

<< <i>From what you listed that he has, what do YOU think it would go for?
And, in the OBW rolls, do you think there is anything really worth it? if not, put those on the BST with him or let him take to the bank.
Let him see the losses that may come in some of this.

For the danscos....how much do you think those would really go for, raw? That is always the question.
At this point, unless there are particular issues that would do super well slabbed, I wouldn't go that route (more money).

Special mint stuff? Such as ?


Loose stuff from the boards? Help him sell those...let those go as that is his new direction and if he doesn't have interest, then he doesn't. >>



Ron I know what to put out there and what not to, what can be replaced and what cannot. I have some input from ones watching it go down live that I should make him sell, take the loss and next time maybe he will know better than to think of a collection as quick cash-thats a mistake I made many years ago-its an ugly lesson sometimes but might need to be learned.

again, breaks my heart.

steveben

let him do it. he's obviously thought a lot about it to come to you and tell you his thoughts. it's a learning experience, even if he decides later he made a mistake. the world is changing to him and he feels the need to move on. later in life, he'll return to it. trust me. if you have a really special coin(s) to you, make him the first offer on those.

Spooly

Youth...... he will want those coins back in 20 years. It's the cycle of life. I loss a pocket knife my grandfather gave me as a child....... I would pay a fortune of that pocket knife today.


At least I still have my Grandfather and Great Grandfathers rifles... looking forward to passing them down to my son someday. I tell my wife not to pass the rifles until the kid is in a financially stable place in his life.

Pawn Stars...... has scared the crap out me. (This is my great great grandfathers.. (what ever) I want to sell it so I can go blow the money at the casino.)

fivecents

<< <i>introduce him to a girl that collects >>

intoduce him to a PRETTY girl that collects.

Mistercoinman

I was once that kid, I started at 13 and when I was 17 gave it up thought it was just to boring. I came back and love it more than ever, and to this day I still thank the guy who got me interested. Life has many twist and turns. Buy it and sit on it he will come back to visit them from time to time, and will soon want to return.

pontiacinf

<< <i>Youth...... he will want those coins back in 20 years. It's the cycle of life. I loss a pocket knife my grandfather gave me as a child....... I would pay a fortune of that pocket knife today.


At least I still have my Grandfather and Great Grandfathers rifles... looking forward to passing them down to my son someday. I tell my wife not to pass the rifles until the kid is in a financially stable place in his life.

Pawn Stars...... has scared the crap out me. (This is my great great grandfathers.. (what ever) I want to sell it so I can go blow the money at the casino.) >>



OMG rumors are true, you do stray ATS once in a while-hope all is well on your end

ColonialCoinUnion

Unless what he has is utterly irreplaceable, sell now and know he can start again later - possibly in an entirely new direction.

pontiacinf

<< <i>How much we talking here hommie? >>



I have not put much in his hands, besides his danscos (2x 8113) he has a henning which can be replaced and he has one or 2 94 sms that were slabbed and had experiemnts and some other stuff obw rolls and jeff collectibles.

id figure he would get 200 for the whole lot on ebay in a fire sale. When the hobby started fire sales were not part of the lingo for a reason

Elcontador

Bill, I wouldn't worry about it.

I started collecting coins when as a 12 year old, I found a "really old" quarter in change and something told me to keep it. It was a 32 S. I'd go to bid boards, and when I could drive, I'd go to auctions.

At age 17, I took up running (something I still do), entering marathon events, etc. Then onto college, the CPA exam, etc. All of my coins just sat there. I bought 12 of the GSA CC $s in 1979, and eight of them were the ugliest Unc. Morgans I've ever seen. Put them away. Went to work for myself, and traveled internationally every chance I could.

Fast forward to 1996. The U.S. Central America gold coins were being displayed and auctioned at the hotel literally across the street from my office. I was curious, so I had a look. I've been back into it ever since.

I don't think the above is all that unusual.

On the whole, I made more money keeping my nicer material than the losses I incurred getting rid of my mistakes. One of the GSA CC $s is now in a PC 6 holder. Ditto re a 36 S Walker I bought at an auction in 1968. I traded 5 rolls of G-VG common date IHCs for a PC 5 RD 09 P IHC in an OGH.

LindeDad

"She" must be hot it happens at that age.

Swampboy

I'll second Illini's suggestion.
If I wasn't't posting from my phone I'd link to "Angel Dee's Story" as posted here which that strategy reminds me of.

pontiacinf

<< <i>Unless what he has is utterly irreplaceable, sell now and know he can start again later - possibly in an entirely new direction. >>



I like all coins but chose Jeffersons for a reason, I in my opinion would like to see him continue that route, same time I could see how I might have forced that hand so to say.

I did also turn him onto old british pennies and half pennies that mimick the judd lady by the seashore patterns- my mind is slow lately but that was one beautiful pattern whos judd number escapes me I know its started with a 14 lol.
(pattern trade dollar?)

if he turned into a pattern collector, id drop dead id be so happy

TomB

It's his life, why fight it? He should sell and move on. Years from now when his life changes again, for the who-knows-how-many-times later, he may come back to the hobby and will have a deep appreciation for everything he is now walking away from.

stealer

<< <i>

<< <i>introduce him to a girl that collects >>

intoduce him to a PRETTY girl that collects. >>


Ah, the all important qualifier

NeoStar

I left collecting from around age 14 to age 25 or so. More important things than coins at that time

If you have his collection, I think it would be really cool if you told him you'd sell it for him. If you can afford to do so, pay him a reasonable amount of cash and say it was an easy sell. Don't really sell them though, keep them hidden away until he is in his late-20s/early 30s and give them back. Perhaps that'll help get him back into collecting at that time.

This is exactly the same thing I would do!

pontiacinf

<< <i>It's his life, why fight it? He should sell and move on. Years from now when his life changes again, for the who-knows-how-many-times later, he may come back to the hobby and will have a deep appreciation for everything he is now walking away from. >>



Tom even you should know the simpliest of collections still took blood n guts to be put together, its painful to watch.

for those who are wondering, he is selling out to go on a biking trip where the fun part is avoiding pain by avoiding trees while riding down a path in a free for all

geesh I used to catch frogs

Bochiman

<< <i> I have some input from ones watching it go down live that I should make him sell, take the loss and next time maybe he will know better than to think of a collection as quick cash-thats a mistake I made many years ago-its an ugly lesson sometimes but might need to be learned. >>





Fully agree with that. My brother had a HUGE comic book collection with MANY of the harder to find golden age comics, and in good (ie...very fine/near mint) condition. He was about that age and got interested in girls and motorbikes. Sold them all for just a few hundred bucks or less (lot of money back in the mid-70s). He still cringes when I remind him of some of them and what a SINGLE book will sell for nowadays ("I had one of those, and it was almost like new!")

pontiacinf

<< <i>

<< <i> I have some input from ones watching it go down live that I should make him sell, take the loss and next time maybe he will know better than to think of a collection as quick cash-thats a mistake I made many years ago-its an ugly lesson sometimes but might need to be learned. >>





Fully agree with that. My brother had a HUGE comic book collection with MANY of the harder to find golden age comics, and in good (ie...very fine/near mint) condition. He was about that age and got interested in girls and motorbikes. Sold them all for just a few hundred bucks or less (lot of money back in the mid-70s). He still cringes when I remind him of some of them and what a SINGLE book will sell for nowadays ("I had one of those, and it was almost like new!") >>



wow that must really hurt. My grandfather loved Lionel trains and was a serious collector, xmas 1967 he built me a big track downstairs setup with villages, trees you name it he had everything-set it up like he was going to use it himself. He died the next year, and I believe I sold it 2 years later for like 10 bucks-thats how bad we were with toys back then-need I say what that stuff would be worth now.

cladking

There's no keepin' 'em down on the farm when those hormones kick in.

Sell the coins for him and he'll be back as an adult.

BryceM

Don't be too broken up about it. Actually, it would be rather surprising if his interests didn't float around a bunch at that age. He might come back to it later, and then again he might not. Find something else that you can connect with him about. Honestly, if you can find ANYTHING, you'll be ahead of many parents. If you don't need the money, buy it from him and put it away somewhere. He might ask about it later and it would be a ready-made gift if he ever expresses interest again.

WestySteve

I learned recently that my oldest daughter never really like coins...but she would join me on trips to the coin store and go through them with me because she just wanted to be with me. How can I be disappointed with that?

Maybe he never liked the coins, but he loves you.

Steve

Catbert

I was a 15 year old long haired kid who was interested in buying a new stereo so I could rock to Led Zepplin, Aerosmith, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, etc. Sold my collection to my Dad, now deceased, so I could have the necessary cash. He gave it back to me about 15 years ago and I was really touched. It sat in my closet unappreciated until I turned 46 and, looking for a hobby, I rediscovered my passion for numismatics. Been back at it for about 6 years now and am hooked. All this you describe is normal for a teenager. I was sure glad my Dad looked out for me and, now that I have perspective on things, my collection is a way for me to remember/honor him beyond the normal rewards of collecting.

bosco5041

I bought my sons collection because he no longer enjoyed coins, put it in a tupperware bowl and put it up so if he changes his mind later like a lot of us do.

mingot

don't worry bill, he'll be back.

johnrav

<< <i>

<< <i>Unless what he has is utterly irreplaceable, sell now and know he can start again later - possibly in an entirely new direction. >>



I like all coins but chose Jeffersons for a reason, I in my opinion would like to see him continue that route, same time I could see how I might have forced that hand so to say.

I did also turn him onto old british pennies and half pennies that mimick the judd lady by the seashore patterns- my mind is slow lately but that was one beautiful pattern whos judd number escapes me I know its started with a 14 lol.
(pattern trade dollar?)

if he turned into a pattern collector, id drop dead id be so happy >>



No offense, but this kind of sounds like, you were collecting what you wanted.

Either way, collectibles shouldn't be the first option for discresionary spending. Does he have other savings, birthday money or a lawn mowing job?

percyb

Well, we all know we can't impose our will on others. Just keep your interest in the hobby alive for him to see.
He'll return one day and it may be sooner than you think.
Keep showing him neat stuff. He doesn't have to collect now...maybe he's just bored with what he has seen.
Some interesting coin will get him charged up....or try paper $. Show him neat vignettes.

DIMEMAN

Kids!! Youth is wasted on the young!

Hope he is better at the biking tree thing......than Sonny Bono was at the Skiing tree thing!

TwoKopeiki

Don't take it too hard. You've given him something he can always come back to when he's older. I know this was the case with me and my oldest brother. He got me into coin collecting when I was 12-14, then I got other interests and only came back to coin collecting when I got my first professional job and started to have some disposable income. Coin collecting was a natural thing to pick-up, since I already had appreciation for the hobby from when I was a kid.

Baley

I was down at the coin shop just about every weekend from age 8 to 14. I still liked coins after that, but didn't actively collect or follow them-- time and new money went instead to fast food, video games, movies, then later, to gas, beer and weed, and dates, and still later, to tuition, books, rent, travel, etc.

Next time I set foot in a coin shop, I was 28, and didn't really get actively collecting again until I found eBay and this place about ten years ago at age 34.

The kid will probably be back, but will likely have other priorities for a while...

JamesMurray

I'm in the "it's par for the course" club , i also collected coins as a youngster and fell away when i left for the navy at 17. Girls , rent , family and mortgages kept me busy for a while but i found my way back some 25 years later and with more interest than before.

sonoranmonsoon

Your time was not wasted. Many of us were distracted with other interests in our teens, and were tight on extra money in our twenty's, but returned to our childhood hobbies in mid life. He will be back.

pontiacinf

<< <i>I was a 15 year old long haired kid who was interested in buying a new stereo so I could rock to Led Zepplin, Aerosmith, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, etc. Sold my collection to my Dad, now deceased, so I could have the necessary cash. He gave it back to me about 15 years ago and I was really touched. It sat in my closet unappreciated until I turned 46 and, looking for a hobby, I rediscovered my passion for numismatics. Been back at it for about 6 years now and am hooked. All this you describe is normal for a teenager. I was sure glad my Dad looked out for me and, now that I have perspective on things, my collection is a way for me to remember/honor him beyond the normal rewards of collecting. >>



wow that is a great story

ricko

Unfortunately, this is a cycle that is not unique. As you have already seen in many posts, it happens to many of us. If you cannot buy it yourself, let him sell it (BST would be best). It is a learning experience, and we all have regrets. Regrets that we only have later in life and they serve as knowledge then. Painful, but it is necessary. Cheers, RickO

cladking

<< <i>I was down at the coin shop just about every weekend from age 8 to 14. I still liked coins after that, but didn't actively collect or follow them-- time and new money went instead to fast food, video games, movies, then later, to gas, beer and weed, and dates, and still later, to tuition, books, rent, travel, etc.

Next time I set foot in a coin shop, I was 28, and didn't really get actively collecting again until I found eBay and this place about ten years ago at age 34.

The kid will probably be back, but will likely have other priorities for a while... >>



First time I ever went to a coin shop was at 14 or 15 to sell my coin collection.

I was completely out of collecting except for looking and tracking clad coin movements until
I gradually reacquired the hobby starting at about 20. When I got a real job I got more serious
about having a hobby.