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What Confuses New Collectors the Most?

BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 26, 2018 1:57PM in U.S. Coin Forum

Sometimes questions get repetitious, and the same things get explained again and again.

"I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon

What Confuses New Collectors the Most?

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This is a public poll: others will see what you voted for.

Comments

  • topstuftopstuf Posts: 14,803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Old collectors. ;)

  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,545 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @topstuf said:
    Old collectors. ;)

    OK...............I GET it! ;)

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,956 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Learning what original skin is.

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re-Punched Mintmarks

    I said RPM's :smile:

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • TommyTypeTommyType Posts: 4,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Post Mint Damage

    I think definitely PMD....and by that I mean more than just mistaking damage for legit error coins.

    How many times have you been shown a "old coin" by a budding collector that has dings, scrapes, holes, corrosion, and other damage? They tend to look right past all that, see the date and type, and think it's a "collectable coin".

    "But I can read 'LIBERTY', so it must grade Fine! Right??"

    Easily distracted Type Collector
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,670 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Grading ... by far.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Because a Coin is Old it Does Not Mean it's Rare

    New collectors need to learn not to clean or otherwise mess with an old coin no matter how tempting it may be.

    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

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sifting through terminology, denominations, designs, and then trying to understand prices/values.

  • JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Shelf or Machine Doubling

    I've seen confusing MD with DD more than a couple of times.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    DDs work only at one end, MDs work at both ends,

  • CryptoCrypto Posts: 3,867 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Total coin grading. Eye appeal Vs Originality

  • ModCrewmanModCrewman Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Shelf or Machine Doubling

    Uncirculated does not equal proof.

    Uncirculated does not necessarily mean it was never in circulation.

  • derrybderryb Posts: 37,612 ✭✭✭✭✭

    coin cleaning.

    No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left

  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Because a Coin is Old it Does Not Mean it's Rare

    Interesting question. I bet most of us can’t really remember what it’s like to be a new collector. Understanding grading is hard enough but understanding the interplay of grading, pricing, rarity, liquidity, and eye appeal is MUCH harder. I’m still very much a student of all of these.

  • topstuftopstuf Posts: 14,803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TwoSides2aCoin said:
    New collectors aren't confused. They're having the most fun... but they'll learn to be confused. Just give them time.

    I wanted to put a "Like" AND a "LOL." :):D

  • clarkbar04clarkbar04 Posts: 4,979 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How is this UNC when it has wear?

    Thats not high point wear, its die wear.

    Well how do you know its unc then?

    Because, you just do.

    MS66 taste on an MS63 budget.
  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,545 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @clarkbar04 said:
    How is this UNC when it has wear?

    Thats not high point wear, its die wear.

    Well how do you know its unc then?

    Because, you just do.

    Yep.....the frustration.....BECAUSE YOU JUST DO.

    Good answer!

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • HydrantHydrant Posts: 7,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    DEALERS?

  • BLUEJAYWAYBLUEJAYWAY Posts: 10,018 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 26, 2018 11:29PM

    I'll go with grading. It might be easier to explain the minting process to someone, than to try to tell them/discern the difference between MS66 and MS67. Or between MS69 and MS70 for that matter. Reason being the former is is opinion based, the latter is factual.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 27, 2018 9:25AM

    Because a Coin is Old it Does Not Mean it's Rare

    Because a Coin is Called Rare it Does Not Mean it's Rare ;)

  • TommyTypeTommyType Posts: 4,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Post Mint Damage

    Maybe this? (Clipped from the website this evening):

    Easily distracted Type Collector
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Shelf or Machine Doubling

    I have seen the confusion between DD and Machine doubling many times, on this forum and others....Cheers, RickO

  • WDHWDH Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    I'll go with grading also.

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,759 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My vote would "none of the above." The coin grading system is the most confusing thing for new collectors, and it's not because it isn't on a 100 point scale. The trouble is learning to grade coins is not easy. For many of us it takes years, and no one I know, who is honest, can ever say, "I have learned to grade coins completely; there is nothing more for me to know."

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,426 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "It's not a Penny. It's a CENT"

    What does the Penny Lady have to say about this statement?

    Striking on certain coin issues confuses both new and old collectors.

    Ken

  • YQQYQQ Posts: 3,340 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Because a Coin is Old it Does Not Mean it's Rare

    definitely grading and its vast terms
    and this: collectors who "know it all". They have been around for decades and should know it all.
    and those who do know, or think they know, the striking and "coming to be a coin" process. many expect everyone else to know what they are talking about. :/
    it is discouraging for new collectors as it sounds "humangos"

    Today is the first day of the rest of my life
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,401 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Market grading - an AU coin can be graded MS-60 or higher.

    I think this confuses some long time collectors too.

  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Shelf or Machine Doubling

    ENUF already on the penny vs cent thing ..... the mint uses the word "penny" on their website !!!!

    "Say “Happy Birthday!” with five proof coins
    Contains: Kennedy half dollar, Roosevelt dime, Jefferson nickel, Lincoln penny, and Block Island National Wildlife Refuge quarter from the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program
    Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity"

  • seatedlib3991seatedlib3991 Posts: 1,095 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Post Mint Damage

    Join Coin Chat. Everyday they send you a list of new topics. EVERYDAY there are 2 to 5 posts by new collectors asking if a coin with obvious post mint damage is worth collecting. Wins poll hands down

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 27, 2018 10:16AM
    Shelf or Machine Doubling

    Hey guys. It would be nice if all the very knowledgeable posters could stick ONLY to the choices in the OP's poll. Posting that grading is confusing is a no brainer. >:)

    Even folks in business for 60 years can have trouble understanding grading since it has changed several times in their lifetime! :p

    I picked doubling because hardly anyone has asked about PMD at a coin show while at least two or three novices come up to the table with a "rare" MD variety. From what I see, PMD causes the most problems on the Internet forums.

  • giorgio11giorgio11 Posts: 3,936 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Grading. No rules, just right.

    Kind regards,

    George

    VDBCoins.com Our Registry Sets Many successful BSTs; pls ask.
  • COCollectorCOCollector Posts: 1,346 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 27, 2018 11:53AM

    Making sense of "What's It Worth?"

    Successful BST transactions with forum members thebigeng, SPalladino, Zoidmeister, coin22lover, coinsarefun, jwitten, CommemKing.

  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,545 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I started the poll. As far as I am concerned, personally from what I see on this site the answer should be shelf or machine doubling.

    Seems to me IMHOP I see too many questions about that.

    Thank you all very much for posting so far.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 29,168 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Shelf or Machine Doubling

    ill say machine doubling then post mint damage. it can be a number of things as well with the individual collector.

  • 59Horsehide59Horsehide Posts: 427 ✭✭✭

    I would say initially it is grading. I took the definition of "BU" literally. If I found a coin in circulation it could not be "BU" because it had been put to use. That was a wrong way of thinking for me at least.

  • HydrantHydrant Posts: 7,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The people who sell them coins.

  • ParadisefoundParadisefound Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 28, 2018 1:34AM

    white - cleaned - bright - toned - rainbow - lustrous - blast - original - artificial
    Confuse with so many terms and conditions but having fun along the learning way :|

  • stevekstevek Posts: 30,064 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've been coin collecting for over 50 years and I'm still confused about it. :)

  • @PerryHall said:
    New collectors need to learn not to clean or otherwise mess with an old coin no matter how tempting it may be.

    Agreed! When I started to learn, the first thing I thought of was how to clean/preserve the coin :wink:

  • OnastoneOnastone Posts: 4,131 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re-Punched Mintmarks

    Repunched mintmark? Okay, what really confused me at first were all the acronyms used IYKHCTRWYWUTSM ITALOA AUGEGOMG WAYRTTS AAROU (If you knew how confusing these really were you wouldn't use them so much, is there a list of acronyms, almost uncirculated graded eagle golden oh my God what are you really trying to say acronyms are really overused!) IMHO

  • HydrantHydrant Posts: 7,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The man on the other side of the glass case??

  • EXOJUNKIEEXOJUNKIE Posts: 1,624 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Is that Fench’s or Grey Poupon on that dealer’s shirt???

    I'm addicted to exonumia ... it is numismatic crack!

    ANA LM

    USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸

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