Does owning a subpar coin make you a subpar numismatist?

RYK · August 29, 2013 11:24PM

Gosh, I hope not!

MidLifeCrisis · August 29, 2013 11:26PM

It does in the eyes of your competitors...

DAM · August 29, 2013 11:31PM

<< It does in the eyes of your competitors... >>

I prefer to look at collecting as a hobby, rather than a competition. Though the Registry(s) does seem to bring competition into the equation.

Buy what you like, and can afford.

Sonorandesertrat · August 29, 2013 11:35PM

Owning coins does not make one a numismatist.

Barry · August 29, 2013 11:39PM

<< It does in the eyes of your competitors...

>>

I never had any competitors. I always collected for myself.

Oxenham · August 29, 2013 11:44PM

If you bought the coin on your own accord then the answer is yes.

Sonorandesertrat · August 29, 2013 11:44PM

Exactly what is a subpar coin? One that is not nice for a grade on an insert or flip? What does the grade really mean, considering the (manipulative) manner in which grading is commonly practiced today?
Eye appeal is similarly difficult to pin down. And if virtually all of the surviving members of a type of numismatic collectible are beat-up, corroded, etc. (certain types of colonial pieces come to mind), does the term 'subpar' really matter?

Coinosaurus · August 29, 2013 11:45PM

Everyone has to find some reason why they are better than the other guy.

On the bourse floor of life, attributing a crappy coin to the other person is an easy way to do it.

nags · August 29, 2013 11:49PM

I'd think that owning subpar coins would be more of an indication of being a subpar numismatist than owning incredible coins making you a numismatic heavyweight.

silverpop · August 29, 2013 11:55PM

no

rmpsrpms · August 30, 2013 12:01AM

Of course but it's actually worse than that. Owning ANY coin that is not a top pop makes the collector who owns it not only a sub-par numismatist, but also results in impotence and any number of other mental and physical ailments, many of which are contagious.

291fifth · August 30, 2013 12:07AM

If your coins aren't up to "billionaire trophy hunter" standards they are not worth owning.

jayPem · August 30, 2013 12:09AM

I revel in my subparness...for me, investing less time and money in numismatics generally brings about greater rewards in other (more important) areas of life...
One of these days I will post my latest collecting endevour to illustrate my point....a truly sub-subpar Peace Dollar set !

Blackhawk · August 30, 2013 12:11AM

No more than having the money to buy a great coin makes you a great numismatist.

pjcoins · August 30, 2013 12:12AM

Just because someone owns a model rocket does not mean they are a rocket scientist

Tdec1000 · August 30, 2013 12:13AM

Nope

PerryHall · August 30, 2013 12:18AM

What's the definition of a subpar coin? Is a PCGS MS69 high relief Saint that's actually only an Ms68++++ a subpar coin?

sparky64 · August 30, 2013 12:21AM

<< Does owning a subpar coin make you a subpar numismatist? >>

Uuuhhhh......No.
Next question?

USMoneylover · August 30, 2013 12:25AM

Depends on how much it costed you

ricko · August 30, 2013 12:29AM

Disregarding the nebulous nature of 'sub par', and also the impossible relationship of ownership to competence, and accepting the statement at the plebian level, the answer would be 'No, of course not.' Further analysis necessarily would point out that being a numismatist merely indicates one who collects coins and is not indicative of knowledge or skill. Sub par is, of course, relative. Par is arbitrary and assignment of such a standard is an individual choice or possibly arrived at and documented by a segment of individuals involved in a specific activity, and for their own personal gauge of measurement. Cheers, RickO

JRocco · August 30, 2013 12:30AM

Hey RYK
If your goal is to attain the stature of an Eliasburg or Norweb pedigree, than yes.
If your goal is to enjoy collecting coins and learn about the hobby while having a life, than no.

RYK · August 30, 2013 12:38AM

<< What's the definition of a subpar coin?.... >>

It's a coin that is not quite up to par.

Next question!

DorkGirl · August 30, 2013 12:43AM

<< 

<< It does in the eyes of your competitors...

>>

I never had any competitors. I always collected for myself. >>

Yes!!

BryceM · August 30, 2013 12:43AM

So what orginization hands out the official certificate of grand numismatism status? I check the mail every day but haven't gotten mine yet. I suppose I still have too many sub-par coins.

BillJones · August 30, 2013 12:43AM

Decidedly no.

I've found in 50+ years of collecting you quite often find really nice coins within your financial range if you are persistent. To some outsiders it might seem that you are "lucky," but it's often more likely that you are more observant than most collectors rather than "lucky."

BUT now and then you just never seem to be in the right place at the right time to get a certain item. It just eludes you, sometimes time after time. For example there is specific variety of a Henry Clay (HC 1832-1) campaign piece and an 1856 John C. Fremont (JF 1864-2) medal that I would love to buy, but I've never been at the right place at the right time to get either of them. When I first started collecting the Henry Clay piece appeared a few times in auctions and sold for about $200 each time. I figured I'd wait and get it later. There seemed to be a number of them available. Now I've only seen one in 20 years, and that one had a very distracting scratch on the reverse so I passed.

As for the Fremont piece, I was within a few minutes of buying one. I'd asked the dealer a couple of times to have first crack at his inventory, but he ignored me. He showed his inventory to a lady first who bought a significant portion of his stock like a vacuum cleaner, including the Fremont piece. Sometimes it seems like it's fate. The gods just don't want you find something for whatever reason.

Another piece is the 1839-D quarter eagle. I'm just never in the right piece find a really nice one. I have a mediocre AU-50 graded piece and have passed on some significantly over graded and over priced pieces. The 1838-C half eagle is another example, although I must confess I've been looking for these items for a couple of years.

Sometimes it seems that a mediocre piece is all you are destined to get. But look at it this way. Even Eliasberg didn't always end up with the best stuff. His 1854-S quarter eagle only graded VG on the obverse and needed a tailwind to make the Good grade on the reverse. The 1854-S $2.50 is a rare coin to be sure, but his example was decidedly at the lower end of the condition census.

RYK · August 30, 2013 12:45AM

<< So what orginization hands out the official certificate of grand numismatism status? I check the mail every day but haven't gotten mine yet. I suppose I still have too many sub-par coins.

>>

If you have to ask....

chumley · August 30, 2013 1:39AM

I would rather be a subpar golfer

USMoneylover · August 30, 2013 1:44AM

If someone bought (with their numismatic knowledge) a worn out, corroded large cent that was an R7 and paid a measly 5$, I would say they were a heck of a numismatist despite the coin being "sub par" quality wise. In the world of coins (and many other things) one person's trash could be another person's very valuable treasure. Trying to generalize a sub par or great numismatist is a waste of time, despite how entertaining it is on the forums.

19Lyds · August 30, 2013 1:51AM

It depends.

If all the coins you own are subpar then: Yes

CalGold · August 30, 2013 2:09AM

Yes. Stop making excuses for your failings. If you paid full retail for an overgraded piece you have blundered and if the coins you buy generally are garbage you have failed. Look at it this way. If you play golf and generally shoot 142 you are a lousy golfer. There are a lot of lousy golfers. In fact there are many many more lousy golfers than good golfers.

<< If your coins aren't up to "billionaire trophy hunter" standards they are not worth owning >>

This is generally true as well from a financial point of view.

CG

PerryHall · August 30, 2013 2:24AM

<< I would rather be a subpar golfer >>

steveben · August 30, 2013 2:25AM

subpar is in the eye of the beholder.

ColonelJessup · August 30, 2013 2:38AM

<< I'd think that owning subpar coins would be more of an indication of being a subpar numismatist than owning incredible coins making you a numismatic heavyweight. >>

For a collector, more likely. Some dealers do really well on what you might consider widgets, schlock, junque and dreck. And know what really exceptional coins look like too. But they love the margins and the cash flow on the lower end stuff.

LeeBone · August 30, 2013 2:42AM

<< subpar is in the eye of the beholder. >>

CoinJunkie · August 30, 2013 3:12AM

As long as it's sold within 30 days, I am willing to overlook it.

Icollecteverything · August 30, 2013 3:13AM

If you own the lowest grade 1913 V Nickel does that make you a lousy collector?

What other people think is very low on my personal happiness scale.

WaterSport · August 30, 2013 3:16AM

I do believe some may think my collection is subpar ...but others would love to get their hands on it !

WS

TwoSides2aCoin · August 30, 2013 3:41AM

Yes. But I've known some really rich subpar numismatists.

MidLifeCrisis · August 30, 2013 3:45AM

The villain isn't the villain in his own eyes.

The owner of a subpar coin doesn't think it's subpar.

Being a great or subpar numismatist is all in your head.

Elcontador · August 30, 2013 3:54AM

I can't think of anyone who at one time or other did not buy a subpar coin. I can think of several situations where I did this. In 1999, I was looking for a nice MS 65 Type Barber Dime. I was at a major show. You'd think I wouldn't have any problems finding one, but I looked at twenty of them, and rather than just walking away in disgust, I bought the nicest one I saw. Thirteen years later, I finally had the nerve to accept my mistake and sell it at a $200 loss.

I don't think that makes me a subpar collector, though. Generally speaking, we all make mistakes. Smart people learn from these mistakes; boludos don't.

RYK · August 30, 2013 3:55AM

<< The villain isn't the villain in his own eyes.

The owner of a subpar coin doesn't think it's subpar.

Being a great or subpar numismatist is all in your head. >>

No, it's in YOUR head.

khayse · August 30, 2013 3:56AM

What if I have a subpar coin but I got it at a great price? Is that any worse than paying a huge premium for a nicer one?

As long as the $/awesomeness ratio is maintained I'm happy.

-Keith

Mowgli · August 30, 2013 5:54AM

I knowingly bought an 1884 half that had been whizzed. I knew I wasn't supposed to do it. I knew people on these board would hate it. Still, it is the nicest looking coin in my set and I still like it. It helps that most seated material has been screwed with and certainly many of the ones I own. Besides, I'm a collector, not a numismatist.

SmEagle1795 · August 30, 2013 5:58AM

I don't think so. I recently traded two common but individually nice ancient coins plus a small amount of cash for a new ancient which is much rarer but not quite as high quality (relative to others in the same series). The difference is that I had zero attachment to the two common coins but absolutely love the new one, despite its slight imperfections. Numismatically, I think this was a step up for my collection.

kimber45ACP · August 30, 2013 5:58AM

I own no other type of coin. I guess you can call me Dreckster, the subpar numismatist.

BillJones · August 30, 2013 6:16AM

When you are working on a large set of coins, as I was with my type collection, there are some coins that mean more to you than others. For example I have always been huge for early U.S. type coins. Therefore what I have tends to be the best I could have afforded at the time. One the other hand, I'm not a huge fan of the 1873-4 With Arrows type coins. I happen to have a really nice Proof 1874 quarter because the coin has great eye appeal and unusual toning. The other two coins are a very pedestrian, hairlined Proof dime and a half dollar in MS-63.

One collector who saw a picture of the half dollar responded "That's been dipped! I don't like it." Well, la dee dah. Yes, it's been dipped, but it has come back with some golden toning (Not unusual for something that has been dipped.), and I find it rather attractive. Best of all I didn't need to take a second mortgage on the house to buy it. You can sink a lot money into one of those things, and it's not a coin that really turns me on in general.

So here it is; my dipped and retoned piece of mediocrity.

Barry · August 30, 2013 6:28AM

<< subpar is in the eye of the beholder. >>

One who calls someone else's coins subpar is a subpar human being.

TwoSides2aCoin · August 30, 2013 6:32AM

Subtitled:
Who's head you in ? Or tails you lose !

~The Flipper~

lcoopie · August 30, 2013 6:38AM

Thou shalt not covet thy CU members coins

RYK · August 30, 2013 6:42AM

How about this modification:

Does owning a subpar coin make you a subpar coin collector?

Catbert · August 30, 2013 6:43AM

<< So here it is; my dipped an retoned piece of mediocrity. >>

Bill Jones = mediocre collector. Yep!

Does owning a subpar coin make you a subpar numismatist?

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