Your Collecting MO

braddick · February 23, 2003 7:52AM

We all do it different! Some collect a series (or two) and become expert within it. TDN comes to mind with his Trade dollars, dbdie55 with his Liberty nickels. Russ with his expertise in Kennedies (and Two Cent pieces). Tad of Supercoin fame has taken on, successfully, the challenge of collecting Ikes and definitely knows that series along with other Registry players. Lucy knows Franklins (and is an expert chemist!).
I suppose others, like Mark Field or Laura know quite a bit about most all Series and Mitch of Wondercoin definitely knows his Moderns and Classic Patterns. Steve of Registrycoin knows his early Commemoratives (and Roosevelt dimes!) and Dog97 knows Morgans.

What is your "specialty"? Do you collect with a Coin Theme in mind or do you find you have no rhyme or reason? Are you a sharpshooter with your collecting methodology, or do you use the shotgun approach?

Are you a collector who simply finds joy in all coins and collect what you stumble upon and like (I liken it to a county doctor, a general practitioner) or are you a Specialist?

Gemini · February 23, 2003 8:07AM

Unfortunately I am like the kid looking in the candy window...if only I could make up my mind...I haven't finished anything mostly some of this and some of that.
I guess I just like variety.
I admire collectors that can stick to one series though.

stujoe · February 23, 2003 8:11AM

I don't consider myself an expert in anything.

I have my hard collections (1900-present US business strike coins - cent through dollar, World Coin birth year set, US type set) but I also just buy stuff that interests me as I see it. Stuff like the irradiated dime that I just bought, various tokens and exonumia that I run across and find interesting, really worn coins, etc. When I go to shows, I also cruise the binders looking for signs of color. Cheap toned stuff, basically.

I have some destinations but I enjoy the heck out fo the side roads.

dwood · February 23, 2003 8:12AM

Callipygian commemoratives of the 20th Century

Seriously? Lincoln cents, though I'd hardly call myself an expert. I have a roll collection, as well as several singles and slabs.

agfox · February 23, 2003 8:12AM

I collect Morgans and 3cs's. I think everybody starts off with a nice Morgan dont' they?

When there's so many coins in the Morgan series I can afford to take a little bit of the shotgun approach and look for a good deal on a good coin. With the 3cs's it's more of a sharpshooter approach. That is until some big showboat dealer flashes some toned coins at you and you get weak in the knees.

I enjoy the US type set as well, but it's an afterthought really.

KlectorKid · February 23, 2003 8:20AM

My specialty is buying high and selling low.

Barry · February 23, 2003 8:33AM

I generally work on one series at a time, sometimes two, if it's really slow going.
Currently working on Seated Dimes. Only need a 71-CC to finish them, though I am still upgrading several others in the set.

jbsteven · February 23, 2003 8:42AM

I tried the buy a little of this and a little of that approach but have recently narrow my collecting to nice toned dollars and high grade Morgan dollars. I have had a hankering for some 1793 and 1794 large cents.

ms71 · February 23, 2003 8:59AM

Hey KK, don't think of it as "buying high and selling low". Think of it as renting the coin for awhile. Most of us go through that, at least those without a ton of bucks to spend. To buy new stuff, you have to recycle some of the old stuff that you no longer like so much anyway. Once you get mostly over that, it's not all good news either - eventually you get to where you only buy stuff you REALLY like. Then you've got nothing to trade in any more. Hey, you could be spending the cash on something a lot less worthwhile....

Baley · February 23, 2003 9:00AM

I'm always looking to upgrade the worst 3 or 4 coins in every album, especially my US type 1800-present. Once I do, the old coin gets bumped into the #2 set, and then that one gets bumped into the sell/trade pile, the proceeds of which go shopping for another upgrade! its a viscious, maddening, and thoroughly satisfying cycle.

Your Collecting MO

Comments

Leave a Comment