What Is A Serious Collector?

stman · January 15, 2013 4:35AM

I often see folks saying whether it be dealer or collector something like this coin is not too expensive for a serious collector. Or this coin won't break the bank for a serious collector at this price. So, is it now these days that you aren't a serious collector if you don't have a lot of money to spend? If not, it sure comes off that may in my opinion.

Casman · January 15, 2013 4:37AM

Are you serious?

renomedphys · January 15, 2013 4:45AM

Umm, Type A. Knows when he sees something he wants and that it's okay to take out a loan to acquire it. Has an uncomfortably large percentage of his net worth wrapped up in his collection. Spends too much time prowling the message boards at CU.

pmac · January 15, 2013 4:52AM

A numismatist that can't take a joke?

stman · January 15, 2013 4:54AM

<< A numismatist that can't take a joke?

>>

Well, when I hear statements that I mentioned above...... it sure is a joke to me.

ambro51 · January 15, 2013 5:11AM

Coinsponge · January 15, 2013 5:17AM

A collector with a credit card.

BillJones · January 15, 2013 5:18AM

You are a serious collector when you have studied your subject and know something about what you are buying. You are not series when you walk into a show with a checkbook and little else.

When I lived in Boston, I knew a collector who went through dealer's junk boxes like a beaver. I think that he knew the value of every coin that cost less than $50 both U.S. and foreign. He was very knowledgeable despite the fact that he never seemed to spend that much money on one piece. I respected his opinion.

I've known some "yahoos" who didn't know their elbow from their "you know what" when it came to coins. You could not advise them or tell them anything because they believed the guys with the big ads that ran stores with carpets that came up to your ankles when you walked in the door. They were spend thousands, and the results were shall we say "predictable." They ended up losing their "you know what."

Sonorandesertrat · January 15, 2013 5:39AM

John Ford (ambro's image, I believe) was a serious collector, but he was also a dealer who used his insider contacts to obtain items for his collection at prices probably not furnished to ordinary collectors.

A serious collector knows the background of what he has and what he would like to have. He is borderline obsessed at times. Having lots of money helps, but is not absolutely necessary.

TwoSides2aCoin · January 15, 2013 5:42AM

I think anyone who holds just ONE coin near and dear for any reason whatsoever is a serious collector. Wealth has nothing to do with the seriousness of that fact.

Walkerfan · January 15, 2013 5:43AM

You are a serious collector, if you are knowledgeable, experienced, ACTIVE in the market, help to educate others and spend as much as your budget allows without being foolish----regardless of your income.

RYK · January 15, 2013 5:49AM

<< You are a serious collector, if you are knowledgeable, experienced, ACTIVE in the market, help to educate others and spend as much as your budget allows without being foolish----regardless of your income. >>

Well, I was doing okay until you brought in the part about not being foolish.

sniocsu · January 15, 2013 5:58AM

I agree with the previous statements. Learn your subject, read, and most importantly enjoy it!

tradedollarnut · January 15, 2013 6:01AM

being foolish much more likely defines being a serious collector than not being foolish.

bidask · January 15, 2013 6:08AM

A serious colllector is a risk taker.

Walkerfan · January 15, 2013 6:13AM

<< 

<< You are a serious collector, if you are knowledgeable, experienced, ACTIVE in the market, help to educate others and spend as much as your budget allows without being foolish----regardless of your income. >>

Well, I was doing okay until you brought in the part about not being foolish.

>>

Yeah---I don't always listen to my own advice, either. Maybe I should amend that to meaning---can still pay ones bills and and stay out of financial trouble!!!

ajman · January 15, 2013 6:34AM

I think what is important to me at least is collecting within one's means. I have been fortunate to build a collection over the years that allows me to use this collection to sell off a few items here and there to pursue an item of interest that I feel betters my overall collection.

Elcontador · January 15, 2013 8:10AM

Along the lines of what some other posters have written above, a serious collector is one who does his / her homework. Said person knows about the coins he / she wants to buy and can grade them reasonably well. He / she also has a good idea of the pricing of such coins, and where a particular coin is on its given grade's continuum. He / she has reliable contacts and backup to help make buying and selling decisions, and knows what coins are worth a premium and which are
govno. Between said collector and his / her contacts, they can spot problem coins and avoid them.

RB1026 · January 15, 2013 8:21AM

I try not to judge others. I believe if you are passionate about your collection and spend the time and effort to educate yourself on whatever it is you collect, you are a serious collector. Contrary to the perception of some, I personally don't think a collector's financial means has much to do with it. That's just me.

Coinsponge · January 15, 2013 8:28AM

Some say it is about experience. I say it is all about money. I see the phrase in classified ads. I don't think the guy selling the 69 Mustang with 4 on the floor in the ad is asking if a person wanting to look at it knows all about Mustangs.

rawmorgan · January 15, 2013 8:31AM

Someone who takes themself too seriously.

s4ny · January 15, 2013 8:57AM

<< I try not to judge others. I believe if you are passionate about your collection and spend the time and effort to educate yourself on whatever it is you collect, you are a serious collector. Contrary to the perception of some, I personally don't think a collector's financial means has much to do with it. That's just me. >>

Well stated. Too often the term "serious" implies a big checkbook. I bought a Kennedy 50c collection on Ebay with any coins containing silver removed.
The coins are in a blue Whitman album and they went up to 1985. I bought them along with some other silver stripped albums for about 10% over the monetary value.

They sat around for a while and my 8 year old daughter found them and started looking at them. She saw the missing holes and asked about them. I explained (in probably too much detail) about the Kennedys going from 90% silver to 40% to zero. The Hunt brothers came up in conversation.

Next thing, she wanted the set completed. I took her to a coin show and bought the missing 40% silver Kennedys. We found 1964 and 1964D on Ebay. That left the 1970D. In the Whitman album, that space had a blue cardboard plug. I explained to her that the 1970D never was a circulating coin and that is why it was a plugged space. She insisted that we had to get the 1970D. We did.

She is a serious collector!

Broadstruck · January 15, 2013 9:11AM

Here's a photo of a not so serious serious collector...

coinsarefun · January 15, 2013 9:26AM

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Broadstruck · January 15, 2013 1:10PM

<< You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done. >>

Thanks a lot coinsarefun... No wonder this thread dropped, as no one want's this Kenny Rogers song stuck in their heads!

SAM5969 · January 15, 2013 3:02PM

You are not a serious collector until you have completed step 1 of NA (Numismatics Addiction)

“We admitted we were powerless .....

Myqqy · January 15, 2013 3:19PM

<< Thanks a lot coinsarefun... No wonder this thread dropped, as no one want's this Kenny Rogers song stuck in their heads! >>

Too effin late!!!

coinsarefun · January 15, 2013 4:41PM

<< 

<< Thanks a lot coinsarefun... No wonder this thread dropped, as no one want's this Kenny Rogers song stuck in their heads! >>

Too effin late!!!

>>

Your welcome

Type2 · January 15, 2013 6:27PM

I think it is more like dont wast my time if you are not going to buy it. But i like to let other collectors see my coins if they have the cash or not they are fun to look at. But thats just me crazy Type2 a non Serious collector.

rec78 · January 15, 2013 7:16PM

A serious coin collector is a coin collector who buys serious coins from a serious coin dealer at a serious price.

joecopper · January 15, 2013 8:50PM

Bill - I agree

TwoSides2aCoin · January 15, 2013 9:44PM

If a person avidly seeks one type coin in my sigline, they're probably a serious collector. If avidly seeking the other type coin in my sigline: they can't be serious"

...and they probably have less fun.

ambro51 · January 15, 2013 10:35PM

......you can tell a lot about a collector by looking at his library.

pmac · January 15, 2013 10:57PM

<< 

<< You are a serious collector, if you are knowledgeable, experienced, ACTIVE in the market, help to educate others and spend as much as your budget allows without being foolish----regardless of your income. >>

Well, I was doing okay until you brought in the part about not being foolish.

>>

"You can't be serious!"

astrorat · January 15, 2013 11:34PM

<< I often see folks saying whether it be dealer or collector something like this coin is not too expensive for a serious collector. Or this coin won't break the bank for a serious collector at this price. So, is it now these days that you aren't a serious collector if you don't have a lot of money to spend? If not, it sure comes off that may in my opinion. >>

The "serious collector" comment in a listing is the numismatic equivalent of a playground taunt.

Playground: Well ... if you were brave, you would jump from that tree.

Listing: Well ... if you were serious, you would buy this coin.

chumley · January 15, 2013 11:44PM

that guy that always tries to avoid or not smile in The Penny Ladys picture reports

2ltdjorn · January 15, 2013 11:58PM

<< 

<< I often see folks saying whether it be dealer or collector something like this coin is not too expensive for a serious collector. Or this coin won't break the bank for a serious collector at this price. So, is it now these days that you aren't a serious collector if you don't have a lot of money to spend? If not, it sure comes off that may in my opinion. >>

The "serious collector" comment in a listing is the numismatic equivalent of a playground taunt.

Playground: Well ... if you were brave, you would jump from that tree.

Listing: Well ... if you were serious, you would buy this coin. >>

I always jumped! I guess I showed them!

Sonorandesertrat · January 16, 2013 12:51AM

<< ......you can tell a lot about a collector by looking at his library. >>

originalisbest · January 16, 2013 1:52AM

Serious collectors do exist at all income levels; I can't think of one serious collector, no matter their income, who wouldn't seriously like more available $ to pursue things even more seriously. Barring that, everyone just pursues in a serious way, as seriously as their budget allows.

Elcontador · January 16, 2013 6:43AM

<< ......you can tell a lot about a collector by looking at his library. >>

And whether he uses gloves when reading said books written by Walter Breen.

sniocsu · January 16, 2013 6:54AM

<< ......you can tell a lot about a collector by looking at his library. >>

+2

Shamika · January 16, 2013 8:10AM

I suspect most dealers would say a serious collector is one who is willing to spend enough money worth his (the dealer's) time.

DeliaBug · January 16, 2013 11:44AM

BCD is a serious collector.

leothelyon · January 17, 2013 12:58PM

I became a serious collector after I had accumulated some coins and came to a decision that I needed to ranked them according to some grading standard. With the standards that were available then and they really haven't changed much since, they really didn't give me enough info to sort my coins. There were no books out there that outlaid the strike characteristics of a coin. I ended up deriving to my own standards that would tell me which were my best coins and those I would let go. This thinking became very important to have so I could think outside another's opinion especially a coin grading service. I mean, if you haven't the skills to be able to disagree in the slightest, are you really a coin collector at all? Than we have those who's interest doesn't expand beyond filling a Whitman folder or album or a registry grid. And before they figure out what they really have, it's too late! I've been there, I've done it myself. Constantly losing money on bad choices, where's the thrill in that?

Leo

BryceM · January 17, 2013 1:15PM

I'd rather hang out with the people who are having fun. I have enough serious things in life to deal with. I try not to waste people's time, I'm grateful for help when it's given, and I try to not step on toes, but at the end of the day, when this stops being a hobby, I'm out.

ambro51 · January 18, 2013 12:32PM

A serious collector has four books on Reeds.

Baley · January 18, 2013 11:44PM

the definition of "serious" depends on the context

most of us think of a serious collector as one who has an ongoing interest in studying coins and building a collection of them

in the context of dealers, it might mean one with lots of money to spend

What Is A Serious Collector?

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The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

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