Just what is current day Numismatics about ?
numis1652
Posts: 44 ✭✭✭
Is this hobby about plastic holders & stickers & how to artificially boost a coin’ s market value or is it about collecting rare coins for their beauty and history and true rarity ? An ever increasing volume of posts stress holders, stickers and how to increase a coin’s value and can this trend eventually destroy the pursuit of numismatics ?
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It’s about all of those things.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I have no issue collecting via holders and stickers.
They offer a level of protection and guidance for every level of collector or flipper.
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Good question,
You sounded liked its a bad thing. Its not. Raw, slabbed and stickers are all part of the hobby.
You can choose not to participate if thats what you prefer.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
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Current day numismatics is about the same thing as its always been...old men complaining about things they don't like and giving unsolicited advice that other people are enjoying the hobby the wrong way.
In all seriousness, numsimatics is about collecting and enjoying coins. All of the other stuff is fun and important for many but is always secondary to the coins.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
“ In all seriousness, numsimatics is about collecting and enjoying coins”
And telling coin lore stories 😀
Read other threads.
I do agree that there is heavier leaning towards getting coins graded than there has been in the past. It is not a path I follow since my preference is still raw coins for albums. What gets me is the plethora of posts with whatever coin by non-collectors asking "should I get this graded?"
I personally enjoy numismatics as a scholarly and intellectual pursuit.
Custom album maker and numismatic photographer.
Need a personalized album made? Design it on the website below and I'll build it for you.
https://www.donahuenumismatics.com/.
Numismatics today is the same as it has ever been. You get out of it what you put in and you get to emphasize what is or is not important to you. beyond that aanything and everything is fair game. I have collected for more than 50 years.
Slabs have created a vast new market area but without it coin collecting in general would probably have withered; and perhaps died. The option to not use slabs, collect from circulation, not collect at ll but simply learn for learning sake are all still around.
I am one of the people who openly call this the golden age of numismatics. At no time in my 50 plus years of collecting have there been so many levels and styles of collecting. More to the point, right now there are more detailed reference books available free online.
Here is my challenge to you. Think of any type of US coin that grabs your fancy. Then let me know if you can't find detailed reference books for that subject plus hundreds if not thousands of actual coins pictures for your free use. Right now anybody can become an expert on just about anything coins. Name another time in history when that was true. james
Same as it ever was...
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
“and enjoying coins.”
What joy as in enjoy is there in a coin without Chopmarks?
I spoke to a former NGC grader now out west working retail numismatics and he was talking about a program that NGC once thought about “If this coin could talk?”
50 years ago I bought a GSA hord CC Morgan, now MS63 slab. If that coin could “talk” what would it say? It would be a boring tale.
This Trade Dollar (indeed my favorite) would have much to say 🫡
@seatedlib3991 my above post to a fellow CM collector was a little tongue in cheek but I need to tip my hat to your comment.
The plethora of online publications, of which nothing like that existed in the 70s, allows one to create the “coin lore” which is needed in our hobby. That in turn I believe will grow our hobby because a hundred year old silver coin without history “coin lore” is nothing more than scrap metal destined for the melting pot.
It’s always been about history, rarity and beauty for me.
BUT
The stickers and slabs offer protection, value and liquidity, so I don’t have a problem with them.
If you learn how to grade and know your series, you can do very well cherrypicking, which adds another fun and profitable dimension.
It’s a ‘giant game’ that I love to play!!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
Both collection and investment. Coin club member collects 1oz Mexico slabbed Libertads for date set. A number of tough dates. Silver been going up.