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What is a "serious" collector?"
Williston
Posts: 13
What is a "serious" collector?" I see that designation frequently, but it seems to me to be a bit snobbish. Isn't someone who collects circulated IH and Lincoln cents just as "serious" as someone who collects proof gold and Morgan dollars by VAM variety??
George
George
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<< <i>What is a "serious" collector?" I see that designation frequently, but it seems to me to be a bit snobbish. Isn't someone who collects circulated IH and Lincoln cents just as "serious" as someone who collects proof gold and Morgan dollars by VAM variety??
George >>
Yes to the last question. It has to do with your attitude and knowledge.
Taylor
My interpretation of what a dealer means by the term is "people who pay big bucks for coins" (preferably from that dealer). It's an obvious sales technique, intended to stroke the ego of the prospective purchaser.
Check out the Southern Gold Society
I think the term describes a collector who specializes in a particular numismatic area and is knowledgeable and passionate about that specialty.
Serious collectors know their coins.
<< <i>What is a "serious" collector?" I see that designation frequently, but it seems to me to be a bit snobbish. Isn't someone who collects circulated IH and Lincoln cents just as "serious" as someone who collects proof gold and Morgan dollars by VAM variety??
George >>
Someone who gets more excited about seeing that padded envelope coming in the mail than anything else in their day!
Hoard the keys.
Devouring the knowledge that is contained within whether they are very inexpensive coins or slabs or related numismatic material due to budget constraints or expensive stuff and everything in between.
A collector of lincoln cents from 1970 to date is just as serious as one who collects Colonial copper coins etc, etc.
Perhaps a better term might be an avid, keen, enthusiastic, or eager collector?
So, with that comes a lot of thinking, negotiating, cherry picking, comparing, contrasting, conversing, etc.
Interests:
Pre-Jump Grade Project
Toned Commemoratives
For me.
I'll reword to the question to "When did you Consider yourself a Serious Collector?"
This about many areas from selling collectibles, authentication, to image licensing from an archive I put together (just starting to work as planned now, where I can hit "send" and make $ with image leasing jobs from people posting my work, mentioning some of my resume in "sig" lines, and my name appearing in others projects in print and online); when my gut felt right and I acted on it (not just heard), when my estimates, offers and evaluations of situations, merchandise, and people were going much more right than wrong, when my appraisals began to be sought, when I could feel out the other guy out and just know, when I could stick to my price (successfully), when I float offers "correctly", when I could hold my ground quietly (and successfully), when I could defend my work (intellectual property and images, w/o a lawyer and prevail, with usually just a properly worded invoice(!)), when I got into my 40's and the security (some measure of) age brings came, when my editorial skills were desired and used, when my work was published and my collections were exhibited in print and physically in museums here and abroad, when I began to be quoted (that felt good)...
I am in no way claiming to be master of any of the above (well, maybe my birthday). I am just enacting (the tough part at first) what now is idiotic to avoid, and very much still learning. Three folks here deserve due credit for my accomplishments and this growth.
Respectfully,
Eric
My interpretation of what a dealer means by the term is "people who pay big bucks for coins" (preferably from that dealer). It's an obvious sales technique, intended to stroke the ego of the prospective purchaser.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
In fact, I have seen a number of people come on the scene through the years, spend a lot of money quickly (often on low pop but off-quality coins), burn out and then leave the hobby. I would not call them serious collectors.
To me a serious collector is someone who has taken the time to become an expert in their specialty, read the relevant books, understands the subtle nuances of their series (e.g. a particular date comes weakly struck or a particular issue generally comes on a darker planchet, etc.), knows who the other collectors are, knows who the specialist dealers are, buys carefully, over time, etc.
Coin Rarities Online
To me: Serious is holding dear that which we collect. Serious carries the greatest weight and it's not about wealth.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>Sorry, but I don't see a connection between being a serious collector and spending a lot of money.
In fact, I have seen a number of people come on the scene through the years, spend a lot of money quickly (often on low pop but off-quality coins), burn out and then leave the hobby. I would not call them serious collectors.
To me a serious collector is someone who has taken the time to become an expert in their specialty, read the relevant books, understands the subtle nuances of their series (e.g. a particular date comes weakly struck or a particular issue generally comes on a darker planchet, etc.), knows who the other collectors are, knows who the specialist dealers are, buys carefully, over time, etc. >>
To me, a serious collector is anyone who follows their passion with persistence.
Much of CRO's post saves me the time of listing their attributes. Almost any EAC member qualifies. Likewise BHNC members. Anyone doubt that roadrunner is a serious collector?. The OP qualifies by, if nothing else, his hunger to learn, and to spread the knowledge he's acquired. In quite a few areas beyond the supposedly tight focus of this forum. Specialists focusing on specific feature of die varieties, MM variations. RYK, GeorgeKellogg? While TDN labors under the disadvantage of having big bucks, it hasn't stopped him from following his bliss as a student of what excites him and passing on what he's learned. Think I know bupkis about the details and intricacies of what excites Dimeman or Broadstruck or.....
Maybe it's a fascination with the focused fetishism of"coin porn". We may not be able to define it, but we know it when we see it.
Apologies to the OP, but magicbilly's post was so cogent and thoughtful I thought he started this thread. BTW, I'd also include Realone in this category.
<< <i>Simple. A "serious collector" would be someone who the average non-coin person would say needs "serious help." >>
Hey, I resemble that remark!
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
Empty Nest Collection
Steve
Probably the two most common interpretations of "serious" are "Having a lot of money to spend" and "Having an intense interest", ideally (but not necessarily) both
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
<< <i>A single word usually needs a context for a definition to have meaning.
Probably the two most common interpretations of "serious" are "Having a lot of money to spend" and "Having an intense interest", ideally (but not necessarily) both >>
<< <i>The guy WHO DOES'NT empty out his State Quarter Album (only to refill it later) when he needs to do laundry
Steve >>
lmao, that bout sums it up best