Adult collectors: Are you living out the coin dreams of your youth?

RYK · February 24, 2008 9:22AM

I know that I am living the dream where I can. As a youth, I was enamored with the Stella. Unless my wife gets that huge promotion or a big inheritance comes my way, I am probably out of luck on that front. My boyhood coin dreams included a draped bust right gold coin and a Chain cent, both of which were realized as an adult. In 1801 "3 errors" large cent slipped away from me when I was about twelve, and I did pick one up several years ago. Some "key" dates like a 16-D merc dime and 32-D and 32-S quarters were obtained without much fanfare, but I lost interest in the 09-S VDB, and the 1916 quarter has always seemed too expensive.

Are you living out the coin dreams of your youth?

ricko · February 24, 2008 9:25AM

Absolutely... some of my 'dreams' I have elected not to go after (without the lottery windfall)... however, others have been obtained. And I enjoy them. I do keep a list... which is now quite short. Cheers, RickO

coinkat · February 24, 2008 9:26AM

Not really... mainly because what I look for now I did not dream of owning as a kid...

OffMetal · February 24, 2008 9:29AM

I'll let you know in a few years

dwssws · February 24, 2008 9:31AM

when I was younger ( and eyesight better) I collected smaller silver coins. now have to stick with Morgans

so would have to say no

Connecticoin · February 24, 2008 9:31AM

One of my dreams was to own a Saint. I have now realized that many times over.

percyb · February 24, 2008 9:34AM

I've thrown my dreams over the moon, so that as big as they are they're still insight and I'm heading towards them now.

STONE · February 24, 2008 9:38AM

I will also let you know in about a decade, but with my career path it isn't likely. BUT who knows!!!

mommam17 · February 24, 2008 9:40AM

Yes, my dream was to complete a 50 piece classic commem set. I did it about 1983 but sold it in 1990. I came back to collecting in 1998 and completed the set, my dream, again in 2006. This time I`m NOT selling it and I`ve been buying doubles and triples and upgrading. PCGS, NGC and CAC has made it alot easier than the 70`s and 80`s to find nice pieces.

RYK · February 24, 2008 9:44AM

<< One of my dreams was to own a Saint. I have now realized that many times over. >>

Me, too!

I was also obsessed with Trade dollars, and I now have two! (I am living large

)

rgCoinGuy · February 24, 2008 9:45AM

I was never into coins as a kid, I did have a small baseball card collection in my youth. I like coins plenty now though!

Russ · February 24, 2008 9:48AM

I was a stamp collector, so I was dreaming about upside down Jenny's and Graf Zeppelins.

Russ, NCNE

TomB · February 24, 2008 9:48AM

Not at all.

ColonialCoinUnion · February 24, 2008 9:52AM

Pretty much.

Swampboy · February 24, 2008 9:52AM

Yes.

Baley · February 24, 2008 9:55AM

I'm getting there, with the type set, although my biggest dreams were the 1796 quarter, 1797 half dollar, and 1795 eagle, all still unfullfilled

Zoins · February 24, 2008 9:58AM

I picked up some coins in my youth but didn't get into it enough to have coin dreams.

I had RC car and RC plane day dreams which are no longer important and have been replaced by dreams of real ones, e.g. a P51

BBN · February 24, 2008 10:02AM

absolutely! I collected from age 8-12 in the late 70s to early 80s. My dad gave me a Frankie and a merc. My great aunt hoarded wheaties and when she came to my mom's beauty shop she'd bring me one every other week when she came and I'd live for those days that she'd come to get her hair done. When I was in HS in the mid 80s I got a buffalo nickel back in change and was intrigued(my first ever),but my love for coins did not reignite until I was 30. I remember my brother had a coin book as a kid and I was blown away by pics of Saints, Morgans, Bust halves, Large cents, etc and thought those coins would only be owned in my dreams.

I had an epiphany in 2000 at age 30. I just got the internet and heard about ebay so I just started browsing ebay in every category to see what was on there. I made the decision to click on "US Coins" and the rest was history. I remember dreaming about owning the above mentioned coins and it hit me. I can now afford those coins!!!! Now I own multiples of each mentioned.

tightbudget · February 24, 2008 10:02AM

My current dreams (I'm still a youth

) are to get a nice S-VDB, a High Relief Saint, and/or an 1895 Morgan or a Round Pan Pac. So far I've only accomplished the second. All the S-VDBs I've owned sucked.

21Walker · February 24, 2008 10:12AM

You Bet!!!!!!!!!!!!..........Rick

cladking · February 24, 2008 10:16AM

Oh yeah.

droopyd · February 24, 2008 10:40AM

i did finally complete my lincoln collection, now i need to upgrade...

tjkillian · February 24, 2008 11:12AM

My wildest dream as a boy when I started collecting at age 9 was an indian cent where I could read LIBERTY on the head band. Also, I longed for the day I could finally SEE a buffalo nickel that had a horn visible. Today, I have nearly a complete collection of Indian Cents in uncirculated and a MS-65 1937-D buffalo nickel.

I also really wanted a coin from the 1800s, and I realized that dream by the time I was 12!

My first coin in the 1800s was a 1899 indian cent in G-4

TwoSides2aCoin · February 24, 2008 11:17AM

I am not living out a dream. I'm stressing out on life. But coin geeks make me laugh so I hang out here.

MrEureka · February 24, 2008 11:17AM

Not only am I exceeding my childhood dreams, but I haven't even begun to grow up.

BBN · February 24, 2008 11:55AM

<< coin geeks make me laugh so I hang out here. >>

Lakesammman · February 24, 2008 12:04PM

Don't know if it's a dream or a curse - I want what I don't have.

BlindedByEgo · February 24, 2008 12:08PM

Yes... As a youngster, even obtaining a single proof IHC was unimaginable. I may finish the set sometime in the next decade, but I will.

A Dahlonega gold was on my childhood dream list along with a Stella. Oh well, one down and one to go

Mercfan · February 24, 2008 1:06PM

Absolutely!

I've fulfilled many of the numismatic dreams of my youth, as well as some of the newer numismatic dreams of middle age. Funny thing is: I keep waking up with new numismatic dreams to chase.

Now if I could just get my three children to dream a few numismatic dreams . . .

RYK · February 24, 2008 1:20PM

Funny thing is: I keep waking up with new numismatic dreams to chase.

Tell me about it.

1955doubledie · February 24, 2008 1:29PM

Oh Yes! I still have my 1977 Redbook with all the keys marked. Funny thing is they did not have the Numbered Grading Scale. Only g,vg,f,vf,xf,au,unc., brilliant unc. and choice brilliant unc. I have managed to buy some key dates that I only dreamed of as a kid with a $5.00 a week allowance. Still have many to go, but it is fun and all worth it!

MidLifeCrisis · February 24, 2008 1:33PM

I sure am! And, along with a bright red Mustang convertible, my coin collection is a big part of why I chose my nickname on these boards.

PrivateCoinCollector · February 24, 2008 1:38PM

I still have the Lincoln set I started 35 years ago. It no longer has a single hole, and MUCH upgraded.

RYK · February 24, 2008 1:41PM

<< I sure am! And, along with a bright red Mustang convertible, my coin collection is a big part of why I chose my nickname on these boards.

>>

It's funny you bring up the car thing. As a youth, I was enamored with the Mercedes SL. Well, I finally bought one several years ago, the last year of the classic body style, a 1989 560 SL. I had the car for two years, rarely drove it, hated it, and was thrilled to get rid of it. Some dreams are better not trying to live out.

MidLifeCrisis · February 24, 2008 1:51PM

<< 

<< I sure am! And, along with a bright red Mustang convertible, my coin collection is a big part of why I chose my nickname on these boards.

>>

It's funny you bring up the car thing. As a youth, I was enamored with the Mercedes SL. Well, I finally bought one several years ago, the last year of the classic body style, a 1989 560 SL. I had the car for two years, rarely drove it, hated it, and was thrilled to get rid of it. Some dreams are better not trying to live out.

>>

Yeah, but at least you can say you owned one. My Mustang is not the most practical car in the world, but it sure is fun to drive!

I could say something similar about many of my coins too.

BECOKA · February 24, 2008 2:02PM

My boyhood dream was having a room filled with gold treasure.

I like that big photo of all the old Gold bars that shows up from time to time.

Well, I have gold but it will never be a room full.

BlindedByEgo · February 24, 2008 2:08PM

<< 

<< I sure am! And, along with a bright red Mustang convertible, my coin collection is a big part of why I chose my nickname on these boards.

>>

It's funny you bring up the car thing. As a youth, I was enamored with the Mercedes SL. Well, I finally bought one several years ago, the last year of the classic body style, a 1989 560 SL. I had the car for two years, rarely drove it, hated it, and was thrilled to get rid of it. Some dreams are better not trying to live out.

>>

My dream car was a BMW. Finally got one several years ago and hated its many trips to the shop. Another dream crushed

Nysoto · February 24, 2008 2:31PM

Yes. When I was a boy, I had a Redbook and used to go through circulation looking for the semi-key Lincolns and Mercs you could still find in circulation, but I would always dream of collecting draped bust coinage.

lordmarcovan · February 24, 2008 4:26PM

Good question.

Y'know, in many ways, I think I am indeed living my youthful dreams. On a modest scale, of course, but I'm doin' it. I now have a respectable collection of ancient Roman coins, which always interested me when I was a lad, and I'm a coin dealer, albeit a small, part-time one. That's something else I dreamt about doing. And I have fulfilled several of my metal detecting ambitions like finding Seated Liberty coins, Spanish silver, King George coppers, and large cents.

Of course there are many other dreams I have yet to fulfill. But that's the way it should be, I suppose. Heaven forbid one should run out of dreams to chase. A man without dreams and ambitions surely cannot be a happy man.

(My problem is having TOO MANY dreams.)

Adult collectors: Are you living out the coin dreams of your youth?

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