Has coin collecting got way too anal?

carzzy · May 28, 2008 10:15AM

With the advent of slabs and MS grades has collecting coins got way too anal? I think it has changed an awful lot from when my father collected coins back in the early '60's. Has some of the appeal been lost? I think it has.

Cam40 · May 28, 2008 10:18AM

coin collectors have always been anal if you ask me.
not all, but it has its members in the hobby

thestig · May 28, 2008 10:22AM

IMO the planet Uranus mostly reflects the dealers opinions.

They are capitalists, nothing more...

Hyperion · May 28, 2008 10:23AM

anal retentive is actually being misused I believe.. I think you're shooting for Neurotic, then again, whatever floats your boat. "not that there's anything wrong with that"

vplite · May 28, 2008 10:25AM

You are right, it is a much different hobby than it was 50 years ago.

I personally would not feel comfortable putting major money in a coin without a TPG opinion, although I reserve the right to my own judgement.

speedracer75 · May 28, 2008 10:29AM

My theory is there's two types of collectors... forgive me if I'm getting them mixed up, but there's left brained ones (creative, artsy types) and right brained ones (prefer logical order to things).

The left brainers prefer raw coins, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder (and not governed by what a slab says)

The right brainers prefer slabbed coins, because they present a semblance of structured order to things which have many variables (strike, luster, marks, etc).

What does this have to do with your question? Well... I'm guessing coin collecting may have been dominated by left brainers prior to the advent of TPG companies (who most certainly were right brainers trying to enter a left brained world). Once these TPG companies sprouted up, the right brainers started coming out of the woodwork and seized dominance of the coin market. So therefore, my answer is yes, collecting coins has gotten more anal than in the past... maybe not "way too anal", but that's a judgement call for left brainers.

P.S. I'm one of the right brainers...

percyb · May 28, 2008 10:31AM

Not if you've at my house--I'm at the other end of the spectrum...what is that? Type O??

RWB · May 28, 2008 10:33AM

Does that promote artificial toning? If you eat more eggs do your coins have better rainbow toning?

Shortgapbob · May 28, 2008 10:35AM

I'm probably too young to be able to tell if coin collecting has always been this anal, but I notice that many collectors are programmed to first point out the negatives about a coin when someone shows them a nice piece.

rhedden · May 28, 2008 10:41AM

to first point out the negatives about a coin when someone shows them a nice piece.

Your icon coin is a dog. I see the blue & pink toning, but where is the green? Wouldn't pay more than half Bid for something like that.

Anal retentiveness is a prerequisite for building a good coin collection without taking a financial beating.

GritsMan · May 28, 2008 10:49AM

I agree with most of these opinions. ALL collectors are anal. The slab craze just offers another thing to be anal about.

AUandAG · May 28, 2008 10:55AM

I hope none of my coins have ever seen an anal.

bob

thestig · May 28, 2008 11:11AM

<< <i>I'm probably too young to be able to tell if coin collecting has always been this anal, but I notice that many collectors are programmed to first point out the negatives about a coin when someone shows them a nice piece. >>

That true, good point..

bidask · May 28, 2008 11:13AM

In the 60's I use to keep my coins in a sock and a cigar box.

carzzy · May 28, 2008 11:14AM

<< <i>I hope none of my coins have ever seen an anal.

bob >>

May have.... if the toning is suspect on some of them

thestig · May 28, 2008 11:15AM

<< <i>In the 60's I use to keep my coins in a sock and a cigar box. >>

Reason One, why cleaned coins became market acceptable.

Has coin collecting got way too anal?

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