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I have no free will. Tell me what to buy.

adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
There is a coin show tomorrow. I am compelled to go. But I am devoid of motivation. There is no spark. What do I do?

Any exercises I should do before the show? Perhaps I should just take a good long look at the medal shelf in my cabinet...absorb it, take it in. Maybe that will give me a direction?
Repeat the mantra "gold is good" 500 times whilst flagellating myself with a grey sheet?

I may be burned out on US Type. I may have gotten so esoteric in my tastes that I have fallen off of the face of the earth as far as the collector world has gone. Perhaps I have been working too hard and just need a break.

Tell me about something i've never heard of before.
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Comments

  • coinguy1coinguy1 Posts: 13,484 ✭✭✭
    Stay home or go somewhere other than to the show.image
  • FlatwoodsFlatwoods Posts: 4,248 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Let me look through my stuff. I'm sure I can find you an exquisite coin at a bargain basement price.
    How much ya got?? image
  • RedglobeRedglobe Posts: 715 ✭✭✭
    You can never go wrong with VF/XF Barber coinage.


    Rob
    Rob
  • mrpotatoheaddmrpotatoheadd Posts: 7,576 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I have no free will. Tell me what to buy. >>

    Go to the show. Walk up to the first table you see and ask that very question. Problem solved.

    You're welcome. image
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,898 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • tahoe98tahoe98 Posts: 11,388 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Stay home or go somewhere other than to the show.image >>



    ....image
    "government is not reason, it is not eloquence-it is a force! like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." George Washington
  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,425 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Take a flying lesson image
    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • 500Bay500Bay Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭
    Try Roman Imperials. Much less expensive than US coins, and what a history!
    Finem Respice
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
    Last time I went to a show, it was the San Jose Coin Club. I ended up getting a beautiful silver Dassier medal from the 1700s. A cityscape. (don't have the picture handy, sorry)

    I usually just walk around the show quickly, absorbing the whole thing quickly and tersely. Then I see what strikes me. Often, it's clear what calls out to me.

    I guess i'm just looking for some pre-show inspiration. I feel like "i've seen everything". I'm sure that is absolutely not true. Help!
  • BearBear Posts: 18,953 ✭✭✭
    My boy, you have a lot of study and reflective thought before you
    start spending money. This will include what series, what grade,
    what quality within the grade, slab or no slab, do you want to have
    fun with crap or do you want to collect nice coins with the possibility
    of making a bit of money. Do you want Proofs or Mint coins, error coins,
    foreign coins, modern coins, classical coins. Do you want to collect the
    whole series or a type set or do you want to collect a little of this and a
    little of that. Spend 6 months watching this Forum before you spend
    your money, then let us know what you decide to do.
    There once was a place called
    Camelotimage
  • BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 31,409 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>There is a coin show tomorrow. I am compelled to go. But I am devoid of motivation. There is no spark. What do I do?

    Any exercises I should do before the show? Perhaps I should just take a good long look at the medal shelf in my cabinet...absorb it, take it in. Maybe that will give me a direction?
    Repeat the mantra "gold is good" 500 times whilst flagellating myself with a grey sheet?

    I may be burned out on US Type. I may have gotten so esoteric in my tastes that I have fallen off of the face of the earth as far as the collector world has gone. Perhaps I have been working too hard and just need a break.

    Tell me about something i've never heard of before. >>



    Heyyyyy Adam.

    I got stuff up on the BST. You know the BST no? Buy Sum Toners.image
    theknowitalltroll;
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭


    << <i>My boy, you have a lot of study and reflective thought before you
    start spending money. This will include what series, what grade,
    what quality within the grade, slab or no slab, do you want to have
    fun with crap or do you want to collect nice coins with the possibility
    of making a bit of money. Do you want Proofs or Mint coins, error coins,
    foreign coins, modern coins, classical coins. Do you want to collect the
    whole series or a type set or do you want to collect a little of this and a
    little of that. Spend 6 months watching this Forum before you spend
    your money, then let us know what you decide to do. >>



    LOL!
  • GrumpyEdGrumpyEd Posts: 4,749 ✭✭✭
    Go to the show with an open mind and browse. Something is bound to draw you to it.

    image
    Ed
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
    Sigh. Thanks to California Tax Law, whatever it is will probably be $1500 in total or over.
  • BearBear Posts: 18,953 ✭✭✭
    Without a plan, you will never have a collection, merely a
    motley accumulation, of no particular value or sense of
    pride in.
    There once was a place called
    Camelotimage
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Without a plan, you will never have a collection, merely a
    motley accumulation, of no particular value or sense of
    pride in. >>



    Perhaps I have come to the end of my existing collections. I have no desire for any more generic gold. I'm happy with my small type set of more expensive pieces. I love my world gold collection. I marvel at the few ancients i've gotten here and there. I am satisfied with my medal display cabinet; any more would be too busy.
    My goals attained, I wonder what is next. Perhaps I set goals which were too darn realistic and fulfillable?
  • RYKRYK Posts: 35,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I recommend doing something else. No reason to force yourself to go to a coin show (any more than you would force yourself to attend a movie, baseball game, etc.).
  • zeebobzeebob Posts: 2,825
    How do you feel about high end copper?

    If you like "world" coins, there certainly is a lot of beauty and value in the older Japanese coinage.
  • MidLifeCrisisMidLifeCrisis Posts: 10,568 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Spend some quality time clicking through everything here.

    If that doesn't help, give up and go fishing.
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
    It may be the case that work has burned me out and that it is spreading. In which case a coin show will be a welcome distraction.

    Almost nobody is willing to pump their favorite series, eh? I am disappointed in the forum.

    Perhaps I will look closely at barbers.
  • RYKRYK Posts: 35,800 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>It may be the case that work has burned me out and that it is spreading. In which case a coin show will be a welcome distraction.

    Almost nobody is willing to pump their favorite series, eh? I am disappointed in the forum.

    Perhaps I will look closely at barbers. >>


    image

    Stick to the dirty G!
  • mrpotatoheaddmrpotatoheadd Posts: 7,576 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Almost nobody is willing to pump their favorite series, eh? I am disappointed in the forum. >>

    Why would anyone make a dedicated effort to attract more competition for what they collect? image

    Easy, there- it's just a joke.
  • NotSureNotSure Posts: 2,982 ✭✭✭
    SBA's (if this suggestion doesn't make you wish you DIDN'T ask, and make you think of something on your own, then take MidLifeCrisis' advice and go fishin').
    I'll come up with something.
  • LotsoLuckLotsoLuck Posts: 3,786 ✭✭✭
    Ok, Civil War or Hard Times Tokens. Fairly inexpensive and full of history. Let us know what you bought image
  • CommemDudeCommemDude Posts: 2,355 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Put together a colorful type set of 50 Commems, graded 63-64, either service, you will not go broke and you will have a challenge finding attractive colorful pieces.

    OR, just start buying anything with a bean or star or plus on it, and you will apparently be the envy all you encounter image
    Dr Mikey
    Commems and Early Type
  • bfjohnsonbfjohnson Posts: 541 ✭✭✭
    If you are serious about the barbers and have had too easy a
    time filling your want lists, then a good XF40 or better set with an original
    look would keep you going. Whatever you decide have fun.

    Edit: to change + to "or better"
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,898 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, if you go in for holeys or love tokens, I'll donate a nice piece or two to start you off.

    But I don't think you're quite ready for either of those yet. image

    Then again, they work nicely as a "casual" sideline collection, and need not tax either your wallet or your other interests.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • I also dabble in model trains, model sail boats and antiques. Any of these create a spark? I also like antique brass survey instruments; those you can polish to your hearts content.image
  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 36,189 ✭✭✭✭✭
    pump a series?

    BONGO SAY SPEND YOU MONEY ON YOU WANT, NO OTHERS WANT.


    You're not saving for the National Pucks?
    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • Aegis3Aegis3 Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭
    Books about encased postage stamps.
    --

    Ed. S.

    (EJS)
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
    I did just watch "Nine Queens", an Argentinian movie about a sheet of rare stamps. And conmen. Subtitled and wordy; you have to be ready for quick reading.


    I will keep a sharp eye out for: Wiener medals. South American Republic silver and gold. Anything that makes me feel like a kid when I see it. I feel safe in sharing this information because I will be at the show before you, whoever you are.


    I also look forward to seeing the new PCGS slab.
    I will visit the bookstore and expand my electronic Krause.

    Mr. Falcone's table is always fun.

    The dealer fellow I purchased the Dassier Medal at San Jose...the one whose name I do not remember...I promised him a posterboard-photo blowup of that medal. I need to keep that promise. First I need to look up my records and find out for sure who I purchased it from! image
  • CoinlearnerCoinlearner Posts: 2,506 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image..Since you have now,some coins that interests you, why not UPGRADE one or more of your favorite pieces.image
  • shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,447 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Drop off the map, you can get a bunch of XF CWTs or HTTs for $1500, and the Chinese haven't started on those yet.
    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
    So far, i'm happy to say that when i've seen other coins similar to some of my Real Treasures...

    I've been very happy to own what I own. Very, very happy in fact. Probably because what I am seeing at the show is true dreck.
    One does have to bite ones tongue sometimes when chatting amiably with a dealer.
    You don't just blurt out "man, that was cleaned. Bright bright hurts my eyes." You sort of smile and find a nicer coin to comment on.
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Drop off the map, you can get a bunch of XF CWTs or HTTs for $1500, and the Chinese haven't started on those yet. >>



    What's that? I am not familiar with those TLAs.
  • The Secret Of Success Law:
    Discover all unpredictable errors before they occur.


  • << <i>Ok, Civil War or Hard Times Tokens. Fairly inexpensive and full of history. Let us know what you bought image >>



    There will be a dealer at this show who has LOTS of these, and they are truly the D-word.
    There are many nice ones available, but not these ones at this show.

    Adam ... I will be there tomorrow. How will I recognize you?

    Mark
    The Secret Of Success Law:
    Discover all unpredictable errors before they occur.


  • << <i>
    Mr. Falcone's table is always fun.
    >>



    True! Not always something there for me, but he has great stories.



    << <i>
    The dealer fellow I purchased the Dassier Medal at San Jose...the one whose name I do not remember...I promised him a posterboard-photo blowup of that medal. I need to keep that promise. First I need to look up my records and find out for sure who I purchased it from!
    >>



    Might be Dave Showers ... he always has a lot of nice medals and a smile.

    Mark
    The Secret Of Success Law:
    Discover all unpredictable errors before they occur.
  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,956 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice Clean Clad. Lots of bang for the buck.

    image
  • PlacidPlacid Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭
    Greek treasury bonds image
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
    Glenn Schinke is who I owe the medal photos to...
  • melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019
    Just take a break from what you are doing and work on an alternative short set of something. I took a break once and put together a 3 year set of SMS coins in PCGS slabs. After that I started on my birth year set in PCGS slabs. Then the economy went sour and I am taking a break from everything. Seriously, neither set broke the bank and was fun.

    I am not suggesting the same sets to you just listing them as examples.

    Both sets are in the registry under R. Moss. The birth is 1948 by the way. The SMS are listed by year and as a 3 year set.


    Ron
    Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
  • BillyKingsleyBillyKingsley Posts: 2,661 ✭✭✭✭
    Adam, if you really don't know what coins to spend your money on, how about you donate the money to me? I have no such quandry; I have many, MANY things I would like to add to my collection yet simply cannot afford image

    OR, you could go to the show and pick out some sort of generic gold, and send that to me instead. As I do not have a single gold piece in my collection -none at all!- I can assure you it would find a happy home here, generic or not.

    OR, you could just walk around and see if anything jumps out at you. That's what I did at my only coin show to date, and what I plan to do in the future too. If nothing jumps out at you, then save the money and add it to the funds for the next show; then instead of having $1500 to spend, you'd have $3000 for example.

    Also, have you considered currency? I collect due to the history involved behind each item, and currency has just as much historical background as coinage, at least since it's been made, as coinage does have a longer history then currency, even though it does go back to at least the 1300s.
    Billy Kingsley ANA R-3146356 Cardboard History // Numismatic History
  • dogwooddogwood Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭✭
    There's a cactus and succulents show in Santa Clara Sat and Sun. Maybe some plants will make you happy.



    P.S. If you go to the coin show don't look at barbers. Especially Halves in VF.
    We're all born MS70. I'm about a Fine 15 right now.
  • TCoinsTCoins Posts: 567 ✭✭
    I recommend taking a break from coins and take up stamps!
  • lkeigwinlkeigwin Posts: 16,894 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bring your cathedral medals to the show, Adam. I'll buy them. image
    Lance.
  • magikbillymagikbilly Posts: 6,780
    HGi there,

    I am sorry I don't know what you collect per se, or have collected, but I would suggest the run of 1936-1942 Mercury proofs - someone mentioned bang for buck - this will give that and more as it is an undervalued series IMHO. All toned would be nice. There are a "lot" out there so be picky! And once you get to 1938/39 the prices get sane again. You can get a lovely 1941 or '42 for $200 or $250 - less I bet. They are truly lovely coins that hit a nice design balance for mid-century coinage. It aged as well as any series - worked fine in the Nouveau period up through post Streamlined Deco. I'd steer clear of anything white.

    Good hunting!

    Best wishes,
    Eric
  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How about Major Mint Errors which is a fascinating field. You can collect one-of-a-kind coins that no one else will have. You can research and learn how errors are created. There seems to be more and more interest in mint errors and the prices seem to hold up well so as an investment, mint errors usually at least retain their value and usually keep going up because of the limited supply. Good luck on whatever you decide.
  • ChrisRxChrisRx Posts: 5,619 ✭✭✭✭
    I Bonds.

    image

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