A widget is a common date coin that can be easily found and purchased. Dreck means filth, trash, crap, etc and comes from the Yiddish word "drek". When a dealer uses this term he or she is usually referring to someone else's coins.
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
A widget is a very common coin that has limited numismatic value. If it is certified, it might well be properly graded, but advanced collectors don’t give it a lot of respect.
To me “dreck” is anything that obviously over graded in the certification holder. It can also be an item that has an accurate technical grade, but has poor eye appeal. It might be a better date that collectors admire, but the overstatement of the grade or the lack of esthetics make it undesirable.
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 ... ?
Widget and Dreck - things you refer to when trying to make yourself and your wares look more important than what other dealers/collectors have.
It's an elitist attitude assumed by the 1%-ers in numismatics who wonder why you would buy anything other than world class coins.
They apparently don't have budget.
"My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal.
Strongly dislike the terms, but think a widget is: a coin that if you sold one, you could instantly replace it on eBay with an essentially identical example.
Dreck is: slabbed coin that by consensus here or among other informed group, is overgraded, possibly because of "issues"
The definitions supplied above cover the spectrum of each category...The terms are derogatory in nature, and, in fact, insult a vast number of hobby collectors. There absolutely is a high level of coin quality, grade and rarity. However, those 'super' coins are not found in most collections. Cheers, RickO
One is something that nobody should really be collecting, and one is something that is nice enough, but dreadfully common and requires no effort to obtain. In many series, there are a handful of key dates that are difficult to find and a bunch of common stuff to fill the rest of the holes.
The Sac dollar lives in my dollar type set. Let's just say the Small Eagle dollars were a bit more difficult.
In the context of big national dealers, this is also a widget (hopefully not dreck). Another date at the same grade might be a tremendous treasure. In the context of my local club, this coin would qualify as a "NATIONAL TREASURE."
I agree with what most posters are saying. This is what I think each are:
Widget = Common date but still collectible coin thats is easily attainable in MS62-66 (Such as Morgans, Saints, etc)
Dreck = Anything that can be acquired from Modern Mint Sets (excluding the few rare errors)anything in bargain bins (sorry cherrypickers), pretty much any slabbed ultra common coins (For example a 2017 American Silver Eagle in MS69 - although some might consider this a widget, 1967 Washington Quarter in MS64)
I really like some of the coins posted here. This was the point of the post. Any company that uses derogatory language to describe others coins as "dreck" or "widgets" is not interested growing the hobby of coin collecting.
@Aotearoa said:
This is dreck. I still don't know what I was thinking (or not thinking) at the time...
Thanks for all the answers, as now I understand the common usage. Nevertheless, what each of us thinks depends on a lot of things. That's because I've learned that one man's "Dreck" is another man's "Widget." We have to collect what is available and what we can afford.
@PerryHall said:
A widget is a common date coin that can be easily found and purchased. Dreck means filth, trash, crap, etc and comes from the Yiddish word "drek". When a dealer uses this term he or she is usually referring to someone else's coins.
Of course! NEVER EVER use "Dreck" on your stuff!
The word itself just sounds bad (like "wreck").
I use it on my stuff all the time, being a "common" collector.
Sincerely,
Shrek
"I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
It is dealer slang for competing dealers material especially if priced lower than their heavily marked up stuff. They may bash it in their marketing flyer / newsletters or their elitist attitude that they are some kind of coin land god and you should just buy from them lol.
Comments
i usually dont bother to keep photos of dreck on hand
Ive got a bunch of dinged up proof quarters from 70s and 80s I cant get rid of..... dreck.
Ive got a few MS63 Common Date Morgans.... widgets.
https://tinyurl.com/wbuh7ba (Search PCGS on ebay)
A widget is something available to the masses and dreck is widget muck or so that's how I think of it.
Go check legends, plenty of drecks and widgets on hand
The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.
BOOMIN!™
Wooooha! Did someone just say it's officially "TACO™" Tuesday????
A widget is a common date coin that can be easily found and purchased. Dreck means filth, trash, crap, etc and comes from the Yiddish word "drek". When a dealer uses this term he or she is usually referring to someone else's coins.
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
A widget is a very common coin that has limited numismatic value. If it is certified, it might well be properly graded, but advanced collectors don’t give it a lot of respect.
To me “dreck” is anything that obviously over graded in the certification holder. It can also be an item that has an accurate technical grade, but has poor eye appeal. It might be a better date that collectors admire, but the overstatement of the grade or the lack of esthetics make it undesirable.
This is dreck. I still don't know what I was thinking (or not thinking) at the time...


Smitten with DBLCs.
Widget: Anything easy to get as there are many.
Dreck: Anything not sold by legend...
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Widget and Dreck - things you refer to when trying to make yourself and your wares look more important than what other dealers/collectors have.
It's an elitist attitude assumed by the 1%-ers in numismatics who wonder why you would buy anything other than world class coins.
They apparently don't have budget.
Choice and desirable coins are what I think I am buying, Widgets and dreck is what they really are.
Strongly dislike the terms, but think a widget is: a coin that if you sold one, you could instantly replace it on eBay with an essentially identical example.
Dreck is: slabbed coin that by consensus here or among other informed group, is overgraded, possibly because of "issues"
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Widgets are common coins regardless of the grade.
Dreck is something that either has issues, lacks eye appeal or is overgraded.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
This is a widget.
A very nice widget, but still a widget.
All of my collection basically.
My YouTube Channel
The definitions supplied above cover the spectrum of each category...The terms are derogatory in nature, and, in fact, insult a vast number of hobby collectors. There absolutely is a high level of coin quality, grade and rarity. However, those 'super' coins are not found in most collections. Cheers, RickO
This is dreck:
This is a widget:
One is something that nobody should really be collecting, and one is something that is nice enough, but dreadfully common and requires no effort to obtain. In many series, there are a handful of key dates that are difficult to find and a bunch of common stuff to fill the rest of the holes.
The Sac dollar lives in my dollar type set. Let's just say the Small Eagle dollars were a bit more difficult.
In the context of big national dealers, this is also a widget (hopefully not dreck). Another date at the same grade might be a tremendous treasure. In the context of my local club, this coin would qualify as a "NATIONAL TREASURE."
Finally, this is a widget:
But this is not:
Actually, it's the same coin.
I agree with what most posters are saying. This is what I think each are:
Widget = Common date but still collectible coin thats is easily attainable in MS62-66 (Such as Morgans, Saints, etc)
Dreck = Anything that can be acquired from Modern Mint Sets (excluding the few rare errors)anything in bargain bins (sorry cherrypickers), pretty much any slabbed ultra common coins (For example a 2017 American Silver Eagle in MS69 - although some might consider this a widget, 1967 Washington Quarter in MS64)
Successful BST Transactions with: PerryHall, MrSlider, Cent1225, SurfinxHI, Blu62vette, robkool, gowithmygut, coinlieutenant, Downtown1974, MilesWaits, Shrub68, justindan
I really like some of the coins posted here. This was the point of the post. Any company that uses derogatory language to describe others coins as "dreck" or "widgets" is not interested growing the hobby of coin collecting.
Thanks for all the answers, as now I understand the common usage. Nevertheless, what each of us thinks depends on a lot of things. That's because I've learned that one man's "Dreck" is another man's "Widget." We have to collect what is available and what we can afford.
Show me your schlock.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Of course! NEVER EVER use "Dreck" on your stuff!
The word itself just sounds bad (like "wreck").
I use it on my stuff all the time, being a "common" collector.
Sincerely,
Shrek
It is dealer slang for competing dealers material especially if priced lower than their heavily marked up stuff. They may bash it in their marketing flyer / newsletters or their elitist attitude that they are some kind of coin land god and you should just buy from them lol.
Bill Jones hit it right on the nose with his description. One thing to add: price is not involved. You can have a dreck High relief