My Family Thinks Coin Collecting is Geeky!
Aotearoa
Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭✭✭
I collect Draped Bust Large Cents. By year. By die variety. By die state.
My 13 year-old thinks that is just the geekiest thing ever. He cringes! He's embarrassed for me! My 15 year-old at least feigns a level of interest but his eyes glaze over when I try to explain/demonstrate the die state concept. As for my wife, the only interest she has is in the cost. To be fair, Fortnite does nothing for me...
I picked up a sweet 1801 S-223 DS-I today. I'm excited even if no one else is!
Smitten with DBLCs.
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Comments
I think it's funny how certain people think coins are geeky, until they find out how much money is involved, then all of a sudden they think it's cool.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
They're 13 and 15. Everything you do and say is geeky and cringe worthy.
To an outsider to the hobby, it's best to present the 50,000 foot view rather than tiny details. Tell them is like an old fashioned, metal 1c gift card from over 200 years ago, which could have been used to buy some small amount of ale.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
My girlfriends think I am an old soul.....so I told them to grow up
BTW I am EXCITED for your sweet S
Accept the geekiness! Wear it with pride!
My wife is just happy I have something to keep me entertained. She has no interest in coins, but once in awhile I can catch her interest. She was amazed that Carson City had a mint....
It's the little things....
Fly your geek flag high. Messydesk has the right angle. History and stories of the coins travels are magical. Tie it something that interests them like "in the old days" there were only coin operated games. Good luck. Age may bring them around.
Everyone thinks coin collecting is geeky. I know people who could swing a million dollars for a coin but would not consider buying one for a hundred dollars. They would rather spend the money on a trip around the world, which one of them just did.
Now gold or possibly silver bullion, that is a different story.
May I tell you my pick @MANOFCOINS ?
I like the smaller duller one 
My older boy was reading AB Guthrie's "The Big Sky" (set in 1830 and beyond) and I mentioned that the coins Boone had in his pocket probably weren't as old as the 1800 Large Cents I had in my hand. That made a bit of a connection.
And, in retrospect, the younger boy did think it was pretty cool to hold a handful of Morgan dollars.
Smitten with DBLCs.
Absolutely!
Smitten with DBLCs.
Mine does too.
I don't care.
Classic coin collecting is like antiquing, it's American history, it's hours of looking at all the details of a coin...........HMMM, I believe that is Webster's defintion of "geeky". At least they didn't call you "nerdy".
...sounds like your Family is normal to me
Just think, in 30 years time they'll probably be collecting something and you'll be able to razz them about how geeky it is whatever they are collecting.
U.S. Type Set
When my son was 15 he told me he would sell my coins on eBay if I died. Fast forward 10 years and now at least he has a sense of appreciation for some of my coins, especially the gold ones.
I have been Getting the geeky line for years... but recently, as I was paging through an online coin auction, dog by my side, bourbon on the rocks in my hand, my 20 year old daughter said she hopes she can be as content as me one day in the future. Wear your geekiness as a badge of honor.
Miley Cyrus bobbleheads that "twerk".
Where's the pic of your 1801 S-223 DS-I? Would love to see it.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
You are amongst friends here.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
@dennis1219 said:
Right in them feels.
I never considered geek to be a pejorative term. If someone called me a geek I would thank them for the complement.
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
If individuals have no interest in someone else's interest, it becomes 'geeky', no matter what it may be...there are many in my family who do not share my interests - and it is easy to see the cloud of disinterest descend over their eyes if I mention one of my hobbies. This does not prevent me from such discourse, often to their dismay
Once in a while, a facet will intrigue someone... especially if there has been a newsworthy event related to my interests. Then I will get questions and a limited discussion of the topic. Overall, I am fine with this.... it is MY interest and there are other like minded people to discuss the technical points with (i.e. this forum, my gun club). So enjoy what interests you, pursue your personal goals...Let others enjoy their interests - Life is like a pizza with 'all the toppings'...a hodge podge of delicious variety, that blended together, is the feast of living. Cheers, RickO
Only endeavor where people pay more for something they can get for face value at the bank and others take 11% less on deposit at coinstar. Yeah, that's geekiness to the tenth power.
I've been called worse. It all started when I was a kid I tried rapping 1st it did not work out so I started coin collecting.
Hoard the keys.
I'd guess most people under 30 consider coins as either something to spend or something to sell.
And "spend" would be diminishing as they fall under the spell of credit cards.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Buy them a few 1 ounce Gold coins toss them into their hands and say here you go! I bet they have a different outlook. Or better yet buy them 20 of the 1 Ounce Solid Silver Bullion and drop them into their hands. Then say go spend it!
But then you tell them each one of those 1 ounce silver bullion is worth $16 bucks or market. Now your teach them conversion math! Now you got a Math Student for life!
One thing I've learned is everyone is geeky/dorky in some way or another some just opt to completely hide it.
Yes I've ben known to bite heads off live chickens too but I collect proofs mostly. So when I show the kids some cool coins at least they are impressed by the beauty....... Just don't tell them how much they cost !
I think hobbies in general are not nearly as popular as they once were. That is really tragic as they provide valuable "down time" or meditation of sorts.
Most hobbies also provide for a wide exposure to lots of things that are peripheral to the hobby itself. Most coin collectors, for example, have a much better knowledge of their country's history and some of the dynamics that were occurring at various times. Hobbies make for better rounded people.
I have friends who are at best indifferent to my various collections, but I watch them waste time on Facebook or video games or endless cable TV watching. A sad existence, in my opinion.
In any case, if your kids think coins are nerdy, threaten to start a stamp collection.
Wow geek comes out as the coolest
to me, I'll take it. 
Probably paid too much but I've been seeking one of these for a while...
Smitten with DBLCs.
I know some people use money to buy love...
I just use money to buy money.
I like that diagram. I've been preaching to "Embrace your inner Geek" ever since I decided I would never be "Cool".
Try to stay in the Geek area, and avoid being a Dork.
I have always taught my kids that if someone tells them that they are weird, to say "Thank You", strongly back.
if thats being geeky then thats another thing i can live with. jmo
I was fixin' to say...show us this coin...but you did a couple posts above. Nice one!
I always thought that "nerds" were the center of the universe. I embrace my "nerdiness" on a recurring level.
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I haven’t read all of these responses but let me tell ya. It IS geeky and that’s alright
I’ll promise you this. When they grow up they will see the light.
Very nice. I like it regardless of the label.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
The guys on the "Big Bang Theory" are definitely geeks. In this exchange from Series 9, episode 19, Leonard basically implies that coin collecting is geeky:
Leonard: Penny says they’re having fun working on the prototype.
Howard: Remember when her fun was nightclubs and drinking games?
Leonard: I know. I’m lowering the bar so slowly. This time next year she’ll have a coin collection.
To each his own. Most of the world is crazy in love with soccer, including two of my sons. I don’t get it at all. Most boring sport (to me) I have ever watched. A great way to take a nap in my opinion
Geeks are cool. We all be cool man
I told my grandson while he looked yhrough a dishbof> @skier07 said:
Kinda reminds me of the old saying "When I was fourteen my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have him around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
It could be worse.
Sent that to my dad. He wakes up in 9 minutes. I bet it will make his day thank you.
Weird Al: White and Nerdy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPdw
Collector, occasional seller
Coin Collecting is often used as an example as describing certain savant qualities / fixation on a certain area of interest one of diagnostics for persons afflicted with AS.
Be careful how u present your numismatic interests with gals u date as they may have been warned from online sources about “non neurotypicals.”
Best advice of the day/week/month, at least for any YNs here.
When even @Paradisefound has trouble convincing her gal pals that coin collecting is a legitimate hobby, any young male coin collectors had better tread carefully.
Maybe say that you are an investor or a precious metals hoarder. The ??? in their heads will turn to $$$ and you'll probably never be alone on a Saturday night again.
Laugh if you will but I have had some great experiences telling pretty girls I was a precious metal investor. They tend to like that
LOLOLOLOLOL
Laugh if you will but I have had some great experiences telling pretty girls I was a precious metal investor. They tend to like that