what do you feel was your defining moment from small time collector to serious collector?

GoldenEyeNumismatics · October 13, 2006 2:56PM

My big switch was when I spent $1,200 in an afternoon.

rooksmith · October 13, 2006 3:24PM

It was the moment I bought this one:

ajia · October 13, 2006 3:26PM

When I cracked the top 50 in the Morgan registry set.....since have fallen back.

prooflike · October 13, 2006 3:33PM

hahaha, I still am a small-time collector

Julio · October 13, 2006 3:35PM

When I bought a loupe. jws

ARCO · October 13, 2006 3:45PM

I wanted to start collecting Barber halves. My second half cost $85.00 for a VF35 1912-S. Before, the most I usually spent on coins was a dollar or two as a kid, this purchase was SERIOUS business. I rember looking at the coin and being actually shocked that I had just spent $85.00 on an old silver half dollar with some $2.00 worth of silver.

Six months later I ponied up $750.00 for a totally choice and original 1904-S Barber half from Randy Holder. I could not believe I was spending so much money and beforehand I sat my wife down and explained how important this coin was for me. She thought I was friggin' insane, but relented anway.

My $85.00 coin.

My 1904-S costing a whopping $750.00:

Tyler

I wish I knew who owned this 1904-S so I could offer my children in slavery to the owner to possess this coin again.

tradedollarnut · October 13, 2006 3:46PM

The third and fourth coins I bought when I got back into collecting. The first I acquired was a PCGS MS63 1875 S/CC trade dollar. The second was a PCGS MS63 1873-CC trade dollar. At that point, I had a choice - an MS63 set or one of the finest sets. The next coin was the Eliasberg MS65 1876-CC and the fourth was the Fairfield MS68 1875. The course was determined....

Coxe · October 13, 2006 3:54PM

Well, though I would say I was a damned serious collector already, there was a big league moment when I won the PCGS 1901-P DMPL and the (finest I have ever seen and suspected branch mint proof) 1892-O DMPL Morgans in a single auction. It is a new club then.

WoodenJefferson · October 13, 2006 4:04PM

When I got this...

she calmed down after I showed her what they may be worth once I'm dead.

Cladiator · October 13, 2006 4:08PM

When I stumbled across the world of collecting Capped Bust half dimes by die variety.

Rarity · October 13, 2006 4:24PM

The moment I bought my first gold coin, a raw Saint Gaudens in MS63, and nervously sent it to PCGS for grading. The coin later came back as a 64. Holding the coin in my hand for many many weeks before I decided to lock it away in a safe box, I still could not believe that I finally was able to purchase a mint state double eagle for not too long ago, the same coin was out of my reach.

MrEureka · October 13, 2006 9:28PM

For me, it was the 1981 ANA auction. I had already been an avid collector for well over a decade but this was the moment when I got serious about a specific, significant challenge. (My childhood sets of Lincolns, Jefferson, etc don't count.) At this auction, I bought the first three coins for my set 1877 silver pattern half dollars. I gave up eight years later, perhaps 50% complete. I still regret selling, especially when I see a piece I needed come to market.

See my sig line for my current project. I'm fourteen years into it and 25% complete. I will finish this set or die trying.

itsnotjustme · October 13, 2006 10:12PM

When I bought 60 2001 Buffalo Dollars!

MFH · October 13, 2006 10:30PM

I guess it was when I restarted collecting back in 1994. Being out of the market for 20 years, I completed my Indian Head Cent collection with an 1877 IHC in NGC 55 ... I was taken aback by the price, but now that price would seem a bargain. Wish I still owned that piece now...I guess I'd also offer Tyler's children into slavery to get it back ...

09sVDB · October 13, 2006 10:38PM

The natural progression of staying in the hobby for over 30 years.

FatMan · October 13, 2006 10:49PM

I'm still a small time collector, but became a bit more serious with this purchase. With this purchase I knew I was serious about completing a Dahlonega Type Set.

BillJones · October 13, 2006 10:56PM

My big switch came in December 1962 when I bought coins from a coin dealer for the first time. Prior to that I picked coins from circulation for my Whitman folders and bought a few coins from my mother’s cleaning lady.

I remember my biggest purchase that day was 1908-S Indian cent in VG-Fine. I also bought the three Flying Eagle cents (1857 and 1858 SL & LL) and a 20 cent piece. From then on my interests centered on obsolete U.S. coinage, and I didn’t pay that much attention to pocket change.

fastrudy · October 13, 2006 11:17PM

My friend and I were small time collectors as kids. We used to go to the bank and look for hours (at the bank) in an effort to fill in all of the holes in our Whitman books. Used to find barbers in those rolls (1962). When attending the Henry Hudson & Americana hotel shows in NYC, we determined that the 32D &32S quarters were very undervalued at that time, so we saved our money and wanted to buy one of each at the next show. When we got there we couldn't buy them because the price had gone up over our available cash. I bought a Red IH cent in Unc. for $12. instead. Vinny thought I had been ripped off, but I still have that cent today.
Two kids trying to predict a scarce coin....we got it right, just a little to late. Those were the best of times and I couldn't even keep up with what I SHOULD have kept from those rolls because I always ran out of money (even though we picked up our 'rarities' at Face value) 1921 p & d dimes. 1926 s dimes, Most of the SL quarters, Buffalo nickels and Walkers. In two years all silver coins rapidly disappeared, regardless of date when the speculators (damn adults) took them out of circulation (and the banks threw us and them out of there). It was wonderful...while it lasted. I put collecting on the back burner, because now I had to BUY the coins I needed....a reprehensible state of affairs!

roadrunner · October 14, 2006 12:23AM

Probably in 1982 when I bought my first finest known gem MS seated coin. It was an 1858-0 dime. I paid a sort of silly price at auction by getting caught up in the "have to have it" mentality.
I had been a serious student of seated material for 8-9 years prior to this, but this was a new step altogether.
After buying that I started buying some serious seated pieces at auction rather than whatever vanilla flavor appeared on the local scene. I didn't buy anything from 1980 through 1981 as the coin market corrected heavily. 1982 was the renaissance and prices overall were dirt cheap.

The dime was also the 2nd coin towards completing an 1858-0 year silver mint set. I loved this year as to me it had 2 highly underrated coins and 2 others that were harder than generally perceived. I had the half already but it was just a MS63. The dime got me thinking of going for the finest of each denomination. From then on MS63 was not cutting it. Only the dime and quarter would be stoppers. By luck, I found the finest known quarter in 1983 and thought I was home free. While I did find a decent half dime, both it and the half dollar proved to be elusive in superb gem. I never found either one in the 1980's for a price that I felt was reasonable. Like Andy, I gave up the chase in 1990 when I sold off my quarter. I've since seen a number of gem half dimes and halves filter by. Oddly, I found the 2 toughest coins very early. And in the ensuing 24 years I've yet to see a finer dime or quarter.....and don't ever expect to.

roadrunner

Barndog · October 14, 2006 12:25AM

same as Cladiator. I changed my focus from a date set of capped bust half dimes to a set by Logan-McCloskey defined die marriages and remarriages.

MrBreeze · October 14, 2006 12:58AM

That did it. After hours of deliberation, and saying, "Can I see that again?," fifty times, I changed the definition of my collecting from serious, to serious, with a goal.

RoelSports · October 14, 2006 1:04AM

When I returned to the hobby after a 30 yr hiatus and became obsessed with SLQ's and purchased a 1916 MS67FH. Ouch!

RichieURich · October 14, 2006 3:07AM

Great thread and some great coins in it, especially like the 1904-S half and the 1860-S quarter.

I think my defining moment was the first time I paid over $1,000 for a coin. A 1793 half cent in VG with a perfect planchet. Currently slabbed as a VG-8 (don't recall which service).

mgoodm3 · October 14, 2006 3:18AM

My big moment was buying my first proof indian cent. I cost several times above anything I had bought prior to then.

GoldenEyeNumismatics · October 14, 2006 3:21AM

<< I'm still a small time collector, but became a bit more serious with this purchase. With this purchase I knew I was serious about completing a Dahlonega Type Set. >>

I don't think you are allowed to be a small time collector if you are collecting Dahlonega

VTCoins · October 14, 2006 3:25AM

I had only been working in the biz for a few months and my father and I were due to set up at a three day coin show. My father was admitted to the hospital the day before the show, so I had to manage the table by myself.

I wasn't very knowledgeable about coins or prices at the time, and the dealers hit me like ravenous dogs. I sold a ton of material, but I must have been selling it cheap.

After the show, I realized I had a lot to learn!

TwoSides2aCoin · October 14, 2006 3:38AM

My moment is yet, undefined.
I'm a small time collector because I don't have millions or even thousands to toss around for coins. I struggle pulling the trigger on what some of the SERIOUS collectors call "widgets", and these are coins that cost hundreds

.

Joe

Leiana · October 14, 2006 3:40AM

What makes someone a serious collector? A lot of money and expensive coins, or a commitment to learning about the hobby and trying to help others learn too?

I am not saying that these two traits cannot coincide, but just remarking on the number of responses saying that their movement to 'serious' collecting was marked by a big purchase.

-Amanda

MikeKing · October 14, 2006 3:50AM

<< What makes someone a serious collector? A lot of money and expensive coins, or a commitment to learning about the hobby and trying to help others learn too?

I am not saying that these two traits cannot coincide, but just remarking on the number of responses saying that their movement to 'serious' collecting was marked by a big purchase.

-Amanda >>

Being a serious collector requires thought, reading, patience, tenacity, and brains, but very little money.

TwoSides2aCoin · October 14, 2006 3:55AM

<< 

<< What makes someone a serious collector? A lot of money and expensive coins, or a commitment to learning about the hobby and trying to help others learn too?

I am not saying that these two traits cannot coincide, but just remarking on the number of responses saying that their movement to 'serious' collecting was marked by a big purchase.

-Amanda >>

Being a serious collector requires thought, reading, patience, tenacity, and brains, but very little money. >>

Okay, I got serious thirty nine years ago.

I needed a definition for my defining moment

Nysoto · October 14, 2006 4:01AM

Along with Amanda's comments, a "serious collector" can be the amount of time you put in to the hobby learning, research, volunteering for local clubs etc - not just the amount you spend on coins.

I became a "serious" collector when the amount of time I spent in the hobby dramatically increased in 1995 when I became interested in bust coins. Learning first, big purchases came 6 or 7 years ago. I hope to be a net seller the next few years, but will remain a "serious" collector.

Coinosaurus · October 14, 2006 4:01AM

Probably the day I beat a competing dealer to a very rare and choice seated quarter which had just been deeply discounted by a certain auction house. It was by far the most expensive purchase I had ever made (and still one my favorites).

Isn't MrBreeze's 60-S awesome?? Without doubt one of the very nicest at that grade level.

mirabela · October 14, 2006 4:19AM

I am far from serious.

LindeDad · October 14, 2006 4:45AM

johnsim03 · October 14, 2006 5:36AM

I guess what got me serious was when I saw some of my friends get serious. Like in the early 70's some
friends and I had a store route that we drew up, hitting up all of the gas stations, convenience stores,
Mom and Pops, etc., bugging them to let us look through their change every day. There was still a lot of
neat stuff circulating at that time. My friends (brothers) had lots of clad money to exchange for silver money.
Me, not so much. In one summer alone, the brothers had enough silver rolls to fill an army foot locker. It was
fun looking up the stuff and putting aside the better pieces. I do wonder, from time to time, when they decided
to cash in that foot locker. Today I would imagine that it would be quite valuable. Most of the store owners were
happy to get rid of their extra change, and getting paper money in return.

There's gold in them thar hills...

John

Baley · October 14, 2006 5:53AM

Probably when I decided to purchase the Overton and Browning books.

66Tbird · October 14, 2006 7:08AM

The gift of a red cent was mine.

edit 4 simple spellin

MikeKing · October 14, 2006 7:14AM

I have to say that most probably, the time of my 'awakening' must have been around the time I put most of my collection up for auction.
I asked Michael to look at the coins. His critiques scared me. It was not easy to swallow. That was one of the best learning experiences I ever had.

Since, I hope my eyes have opened somewhat, but I think only time and experience will open them even further.

BBQnBLUES · October 14, 2006 8:00AM

The day I choose to buy a coin instead of paying the utility bill

100proof1957 · October 14, 2006 8:08AM

bout the time i paid 1200 for a Jeff !

bidask · October 14, 2006 3:52PM

1970 ANA. I bought an 1804 quarter graded Fine for $300. Over the top.

rec78 · October 14, 2006 4:33PM

<< What makes someone a serious collector? A lot of money and expensive coins, or a commitment to learning about the hobby and trying to help others learn too? >>

small time collectors can still be considered serious.

I think for me it was when i started to buy coins that cost more than $200.00 each and going to major coins shows and B&M auctions in the mid 1990's to find what i needed to complete my Seated liberty half dollar set. (WELL almost complete - don't have the 1878-S). Bob

what do you feel was your defining moment from small time collector to serious collector?

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