I'm done but not here

Hedger · March 6, 2005 1:46AM

While I like everyone here and learned a bunch I have to say this hobby is no longer bringing me the joy it once did. I mean with all the eBay fraud, crooked dealers and mint greed I've had it. You need tons of money to fill an album anymore and prices are just ridiculous. I was hoping I would enjoy the happiness of finding the coins I like but it has become a depressing endevor. Today finding neat stuff in change is nadda! Why bother? Now I long for the days when I had my old Lincoln folder with mediocre cents. Does anyone else share this sentiment?

flaminio · March 6, 2005 1:47AM

Would you like some cheese with your whine?

Hedger · March 6, 2005 1:50AM

I love cheese! Bring it on.

DHeath · March 6, 2005 1:57AM

Hedger, I loved the hobby back then too, but the trouble isn't the price of coins. Your tastes have changed.

The junk I used to pull from circulation as a kid was largely horrible, the occasional SLQ warn beyond recognition, dateless Buffs, VG silver Washingtons and Franklins, and the occasional cull Indian. Once folks started hoarding silver coins, even that went away. That stuff is still cheap today, it's just that now it doesn't look so good to any but a few of us.

BTW - I remember as a kid thinking at least half of all wheaties made were 1944. It seems like I got 20-30 per roll.

Russ · March 6, 2005 1:57AM

That looks like yuppy cheese. Give me a can of whiz!

Hedger,

Chin up, bunky! You're looking at it the wrong way. Instead of focusing on all the sleaze in the hobby, rise to the challenge of sifting through the garbage and finding the cool stuff!

Russ, NCNE

zeus135 · March 6, 2005 2:03AM

When you put your coins on eBay, let us know your eBay name please.

I'm enjoying the momentum and the excitement of the chase. What I like best about coins, is the fact that you can collect coins from vending machines, or $1 Million+ coins, it all depends on what you are interested in.

nwcs · March 6, 2005 2:05AM

I've felt like that at times especially when I see the coins I want that I cannot afford. In fact, I'm selling 50 slabs in the next week which will take my permanent collection down to 29 plus some raw in rolls I keep for sentimental reasons. I think in the end what has helped me is that I have change of attitude from being an accumulator to keeping the coins I really enjoy and adding the collection when I actually do have the cash to spare. And when I do, it will be a coin I really enjoy and not something to fill a hole.

ibzman350 · March 6, 2005 2:06AM

I'm not gonna let a buncha money hungry sleazeballs run me off and neither should you. Relax, take a deep breath and regroup.

Herb

ksteelheader · March 6, 2005 2:12AM

I'm finding that my raw sets are much more satisfactory to me than the high priced stuff. My raw circulated Barber half set is fairly inexpensive and is coming along just fine!

There are many ways to enjoy the hobby and not spend exorbinant amounts!

Hedger · March 6, 2005 2:13AM

Good ideas guys. I feel better now. I think that's a wedge of Gruyere at 7 o'clock. Ohhh, baby!

lonelyp · March 6, 2005 3:46AM

Do you collect old stuff, or more moderns?

I ask thinking about wanting quality coins, without being expensive.
My collection(s) run primerily from 64 - now. Many here my think, THATS NOT A COIN COLLECTION

But for me it's good, I can get all nice looking coins. they don't cost an arm and both legs EACH

My albums may not be FULL pre 64 but I really dont care. If and when I find a nice pre 64 coin I'll certainly keep it. But I wont kill my self to get them.

I'll enjoy my collection, and keep putting in the future years. Untill I die and pass it down.

Paul

majorbigtime · March 6, 2005 2:23PM

<< Would you like some cheese with your whine?

>>

Let me know before you cut the cheese!

D · March 6, 2005 2:27PM

I still get a kick out of finding War Nickels in my change, I've even found a few really bad spotted indian pennys in the last year. A nice war nickel or a Buffalo Nickel with a date in change brings more joy to me than many of my slabbed coins

.

-Daniel

TWODOGS · March 6, 2005 2:45PM

Sounds like you are looking for excuses. There's still a lot of fun to be had on a shoestring budget. There IS good stuff to be found in change.

If you can use crooked ebayers, or the mint as a reason...your heart wasn't in it anyway.

oreville · March 6, 2005 2:56PM

Here is a nice inexpensive buffalo nickel that looks nice for the grade in an old PCGS slab with the doiley insert.

It was worth the extra premium I paid for it (still under $35) I happen to think this is a cool looking coin in a cool looking slab. Still appears to be very affordable to me.

There are ways to collect coins and do so inexpensively enough. It takes some imagination and a willingness to think outside the "box."

jonesy · March 6, 2005 3:00PM

I have stopped collecting three times in my lifetime. Most important thing I learned is to mothball your coins. Never just sell them!! You will be pleasantly surprise when you check them later.

northcoin · March 6, 2005 3:06PM

I like Jonesy's suggestion. While they are being mothballed go ahead and enjoy them. I've learned there are times where it is just as satisfying to treasure what you have as to be out on the chase. As to EBAY, I do find it is harder to get the bargains that once were available so to that extent I agree that venue is not as fun as it once was.

littlejohn · March 6, 2005 4:41PM

I have stopped collecting three times in my lifetime. Most important thing I learned is to mothball your coins. Never just sell them!! You will be pleasantly surprise when you check them later.

===================
ANIT that so true.!!!
littlejohn

291fifth · March 6, 2005 4:46PM

The darkside beckons.

pf70collector · March 6, 2005 8:42PM

Enjoy the coins you have. I agree don't sell but mothball them if you decide to leave the hobby.

Yumawolf · March 7, 2005 1:42AM

There's a thread written by a 17 year old, posted yesterday. The replys might be interesting read for you. (No, I'm not calling you a teen).

For me, up until recently, a coin was a coin, was a coin. Thanks to this forum, the supurb photography, knowledge and humor, I now see the intrinsic worth in coins. I still lurk and learn.

Is it all in the attitude??????? Ya' think, maybe?

Shamika · March 7, 2005 2:01AM

<< Hedger, I loved the hobby back then too, but the trouble isn't the price of coins. Your tastes have changed. >>

My thoughts exactly.

<< The darkside beckons. >>

Great idea!

EJB · March 7, 2005 6:24AM

Had some in-laws over the other night, they asked about my coins and wanted to see some, brought some out and all I heard was how much is that one, over and over. I guess it's true, the new collector is only interested in the MONEY. O'well there loss.....

cladking · March 7, 2005 6:48AM

It would be very easy to have fun in this hobby with a million dollar budget.

It might be even easier on a shoestring, but don't expect your collection to
get a lot of attention.

coachleonard · March 7, 2005 7:37AM

have you discovered the joys of a good junk box hunt yet? beats trying to find a 1909-s vdb in your pocket change ANY day!

dpbailey · March 7, 2005 8:42AM

It is very discouraging from an unsophisticated collectors viewpoint to pick up the hobby after twenty years and find that prices for coins are beyond my meager income. I collected about 250 Morgans, a hundred Peace dollars, and various other coins of interest back twenty and more years ago. When I took my "accumulation" (I guess I am not a collector by most of your standards) out of the mothballs and tried to fill in the gaps I spent thousands and still am not close (10 more) to completing my Morgan mint set which is really just coins that I got for change back then, plus purchases here and there that were no more than $100.00 for a MS CC for instance. Probably the most disappointing aspect has been my experience with e-bay sellers who overgraded or overpriced coins and charged huge shipping and handling fees that put the price of the coin out of reasonable reach. But YOU guys put the fun back in it and I think I will just hang out and wait for the opportunities to present themselves rather than be impatient. Thanks for a great forum!!

Clankeye · March 7, 2005 9:49AM

I got this coin in today. It was under $30.

Russ · July 9, 2005 1:54AM

Deja vu all over again.

Russ, NCNE

AC7DX · July 9, 2005 1:59AM

<< Deja vu all over again.

Russ, NCNE >>

Crap.....

Is this an ALT ID for TerrapinWill??????????????

ddink · July 9, 2005 2:06AM

<< and mint greed >>

This is funny. Yes, the mint goes oveboard sometimes on their pricing, but they frequently sell coins for less than the secondary market. Did the 1999 silver proof set seem overpriced to you at $32.95? Perhaps. But they are selling for $400 now. Seems like the mint sold them too cheap!

DJC · July 9, 2005 2:20AM

<< Sounds like you are looking for excuses. There's still a lot of fun to be had on a shoestring budget. There IS good stuff to be found in change.

If you can use crooked ebayers, or the mint as a reason...your heart wasn't in it anyway. >>

Listen to the man! I'm in a 'forced to sell' position myself (house purchase) and am probably going to start a Whitman folder low grade Buffalo nick set just to stay happy and active. The 'good stuff' is being sold 'cause I need the money, but I enjoy collecting so much, that filling a Whitman will keep me content for awhile. Look at Coin Values at Buffalos, and stay away from those MS columns for a sec. Look at G4. Excluding errors/varieties, I only see 4 $50+ coins, and the highest is the 13-S TII at $200. Most of the rest of the set is less than $5-10 each, even up to F-VF range. Even needing money, I can still actively collect these.

And, really, how hard is it to learn to properly grade a G4 Buffalo? Cleaning or problems aren't that hard to detect, and on a $1 G common date Buff going in a folder, who really cares if it's cleaned anyway?

Forget about TPG's, registries, ultra high grades, gradeflation and eBay scammers for a while. Just hit the BST board and your local shows and shops, and have fun again, cheap!

Russ · October 21, 2005 9:02AM

Please don't go.

Russ, NCNE

Myqqy · October 21, 2005 9:08AM

That's quite a user name you have in your sig line Russ........

Russ · October 21, 2005 9:18AM

<< That's quite a user name you have in your sig line Russ........ >>

It was a new member that joined a couple days ago. Thought it was rather catchy.

Russ, NCNE

Myqqy · October 21, 2005 9:20AM

It was a new member that joined a couple days ago.

Uncanny........

lordmarcovan · October 21, 2005 9:22AM

If you ain't havin' fun, it's definitely time to quit.

I do know what you mean about longing for the old days of simple fun putting modest coins into folders.

There's always other options.

coinkat · October 21, 2005 10:04AM

sometimes you have to make your own fun and not do what is typically expected...

gyocomgd · October 21, 2005 10:18AM

Yes, it's like a drug addiction--you need more to bring along the same thrill. I've rather hit a flat spot myself. The only answer is to step away for a while.

I'm done but not here

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