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What Confuses New Collectors the Most?
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?
This is a public poll: others will see what you voted for.
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Old collectors.
OK...............I GET it!
Pete
Learning what original skin is.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
I said RPM's
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
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??"
Grading ... by far.
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
Cleaning.
Sifting through terminology, denominations, designs, and then trying to understand prices/values.
I've seen confusing MD with DD more than a couple of times.
DDs work only at one end, MDs work at both ends,
Total coin grading. Eye appeal Vs Originality
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
Uncirculated does not equal proof.
Uncirculated does not necessarily mean it was never in circulation.
coin cleaning.
No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left
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.
New collectors aren't confused. They're having the most fun... but they'll learn to be confused. Just give them time.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
I wanted to put a "Like" AND a "LOL."

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
DEALERS?
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.
That not all 65's are created equal and that buying the cheapest one is usually the worst deal
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Because a Coin is Called Rare it Does Not Mean it's Rare
Maybe this? (Clipped from the website this evening):

I have seen the confusion between DD and Machine doubling many times, on this forum and others....Cheers, RickO
I'll go with grading also.
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."
"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
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"
Market grading - an AU coin can be graded MS-60 or higher.
I think this confuses some long time collectors too.
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"
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
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!
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.
Grading. No rules, just right.
Kind regards,
George
Making sense of "What's It Worth?"
Successful BST transactions with forum members thebigeng, SPalladino, Zoidmeister, coin22lover, coinsarefun, jwitten, CommemKing.
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
ill say machine doubling then post mint damage. it can be a number of things as well with the individual collector.
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.
The people who sell them coins.
white - cleaned - bright - toned - rainbow - lustrous - blast - original - artificial
Confuse with so many terms and conditions but having fun along the learning way
I've been coin collecting for over 50 years and I'm still confused about it.
Agreed! When I started to learn, the first thing I thought of was how to clean/preserve the coin
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
The man on the other side of the glass case??
Is that Fench’s or Grey Poupon on that dealer’s shirt???
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸