The one thing I hear over and over again is that collectors lose money when it comes time to sell. For the vast majority of collectors that's probabply true, BUT for the ones that post here, (the knowledgeable ones anyway ) I find that very hard to believe. If you know what your buying, buy in the right places (like ebay), Know your series extremely well, and know current realized prices for similar items, then IMO you should be able to make money (on the whole lot, with some losers, some winners, and some BIG winners).
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
Probably just suffering through a midlife crisis.
Need a Barber Half with ANACS photo certificate. If you have one for sale please PM me. Current Ebay auctions
First HalfCentMan tests us earlier this week... now MidLifeCrisis... who's next?
MLC - Before you throw your coins in the river, let me know so I can put on my dive gear... or have a fire sale, so I can put on my Halloween Fireman costume!
I've wasted more money buying and then selling than I care to really think about but then............I've wasted a ton of money on going to the Movies and Amusment Parks. It's simply the price thats paid for entertainment which is what the Hobby is all about. Personal Entertainment.
Consider yourself lucky if you can buy a coin one year and recoup that cost the following year. Especially for market focused items such as Moderns and modern varieties. Classics are a different story but are still very much similar in that "popularity" rules the roost. If what you've purchased is no longer "the coin to have" then you'll have a tough time recouping your costs but then again......it's the price you pay for entertainment.
I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.
Tom Petty has a great song about coin collecting--"You Wreck Me." Or is that song about a girl? Either way, this is a fun thread and pretty much summarizes all the pros and cons of coin collecting.
I love coin collecting, but I also admit it's a crazy thing to do. What's the point in collecting ANYTHING? It's not a rational pursuit, so you just gotta accept that and go with it and enjoy it--if you do enjoy it, that is. I look at the collection I started 45 years ago and can say it's a metaphor for life. It's all there in the coin folders--the mistakes, the discoveries, the surprises, the successes, and yes, the occasional heartbreak. Then again, what else do we have to do but go along for the ride and make the most of it?
It's the same with any "hobby' where a lot of money is thrown around, art, sports memorabilia, antiques. The upside is that we at least have something to look at, that will retain most of, or a lot of, it's value, in the end. And we will continue to bore the uninitiated.
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
We could have a clinical discussion about this, but what is the point? Nothing matters anyway.
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
We could have a clinical discussion about this, but what is the point? Nothing matters anyway. >>
You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am. I'll come running to pick up your coins. Winter, spring, summer or fall. All you have to do is call. And I'll be there. You've got a friend.
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
We could have a clinical discussion about this, but what is the point? Nothing matters anyway. >>
You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am. I'll come running to pick up your coins. Winter, spring, summer or fall. All you have to do is call. And I'll be there. You've got a friend. >>
I LIKE THAT! Many depressed people handle their situation by hiding behind the mask of a clown.
MLC, I share your opinions. I have had my share of bad interactions with dealers (and, at one point, walked away from the hobby for more than a decade because of them). I have also been present in a variety of coin shops when more than a dozen other collectors brought in accumulations to sell, only to be told (truthfully I might add---I saw the coins myself) that they had seriously overgraded and/or doctored coins. In each instance, many (tens of) thousands of dollars that the owners had sunk into their coins were lost. I also am annoyed about what I consider to be overt manipulation where grading is concerned, and also about marketing influences that I view as somewhat to very destructive (including the garbage currently produced by the U.S. mint). So yes, there is a dark undercurrent associated with our hobby. This is also true where other kinds of collectibles are concerned.
However...there is a strong educational aspect that I find engrossing. Through numismatics, one can learn about the past----economics, politics, metallurgy and technology in general, what ordinary people encountered on a routine basis, wars, design aesthetics (or lack thereof), etc. This is what keeps me tied to the hobby, not preoccupation with making a 'rip,' getting a common proof spouse commemorative into a 70 slab so it can be sold to an unsophisticated buyer, or any other means of making a fast buck via coins. If collectors would put more effort into really learning about what they are collecting, I believe that they would derive far more pleasure from the hobby. I am sure that you feel likewise.
Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
just stop buying coins and participate in the hobby by living through others via this board. it is what i did. i am happier for it. i no longer wish to spend large amounts of money on coins which do not seem like a very good value for the money spent.
In the movie aliens live on earth among the humans, but you can only see them for what they are if you are wearing special sunglasses. Otherwise, they look human. They broadcast signals to humans "sleep, sleep" and put the same message on posters, newspapers, television, etc. This makes the humans fall into the dull grey pointless patterns of our lives.
I've enjoyed this hobby when I make good buying decisions. I get a great deal of satisfaction from that and what I have accomplished. I'm not in competition with anyone. The coins I have been able to find in my little niche of the world have been gratifying. I don't spend money relying on someone's opinion, hoping they got it right because too many times, I've been disappointed. So I pretty much stay away from all that. I recently had to tell a seller that if he couldn't provide pictures, we couldn't do any business. But that's the way it is now, don't buy blind, know who you're dealing with.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
I am a collector of coins vs an investor. The total value of my coin collection is probably less that the value of a handful of slabs on display at any dealer's table at any given show. I don't have or collect slabs or gold or similar, and likely never will. I only look to fill holes in the numerous blue Whitman folders I have accumulated over the years with circulated coins that I don't feel bad about possibly touching & ruining their value. For recent dates, I try to either get nice, shiny examples from change, or from rolls as they come out, just because I can, versus doing the same with older dates at great expense. I often feel out of place when I go to the local monthly coin show because of all the above. There don't seem to be the "junk boxes" anymore that I grew up searching thru.... just big-time dealers with high-valued/priced slabs and a room full of "investors" who seemingly could care less about moving in their chairs to allow me to pass by........ that part of it gets depressing...............
But then I remember why I got into the hobby in the first place....... the coins themselves & their history really interest me! It's a way to connect with the past. And, as I fill holes, it's a way to accomplish something.
I first started collecting coins when visiting my grandparents. I'm sure they couldn't have cared less about the hobby. Growing up thru tough times & emigrating from Russia & going thru the Depression, etc, I can only imagine how they felt about their grandson squirrelling-away money in holes in folders when, at times, they likely didn't have an extra dime in their pocket to spare for food or clothes, etc.
But under their caring eyes, I started with Lincoln Cents folders & worked my way up thru nickels & dimes, etc. It gave us a shared activity (and, I'm sure, gave them a welcome break from running around with me at their age, as the hobby made me sit quietly and sift thru coins, put them in folders, etc..... ),
When I started, it was post-64, and silver was SOMETIMES still found in circulation. But for me to make the leap from base metals to silver meant taking whatever spare money I had from gifts or allowance & walking several miles with my grandparents downtown to "smelters row", where they would let me search thru coffee cans full of junk silver to fill holes. Back then, 4 times face was a lot to a small kid, and I regret not getting into silver halves or dollars back then, or the SLQ & Barber varieties. But it was what it was.........
When I look back on those formative years, while there's still that bit of "If I only knew then...." regret, what I REALLY remember with great fondness and gratitude is the time spent sharing my time and hobby with my grandparents. That connection to my own personl past.
Over the years, as more Whitman folders became available, I branched out into more and more denominations & types, but never strayed from my general Whitman-style of collecting. Eventually, I added Canadian folders to the mix, since Canadian pennies especially were rather common even way down here in Philly. And, at one point, one of the larger (now defunct) downtown banks actually had a foreign exchange window where you could buy at whatever the exchange rate was (no add'l fees) not just foreign currency, but rolls of coins as well! I did some buying of Canadian coins for a time as a result, so I could search thru them. Having a Canadian collection also made for more fun & direction when we visited Canada a few times while I was growing up. So, again, I can tie many of the Canadian coins in my folders to actual life experiences & memorable trips I took with my family...... I still have the firt IHC I found in a roll of pennies, the first 'Roo large cent from Australia that my Dad gave me from his travels, etc....
At some point, I bought & started folders for Morgan & Peace dollars. I didn't actively collect them at the time (my mistake), but they gave me a place to put the few coins my parents (also not collectors) had socked away & divvied-up between myself and my brothers, with the explanation "better you should have and enjoy them now than after we die...." (they are both still alive, by the way....and now my Mom appreciates & looks forward to when I come by with the latest state Q's or Presidential $'s to fill her own folders which I gave her! :1Applause. Anyway, those large dollars and folders became that much more "real" to me when our family took a trip cross-country & stopped in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at the Silver Dollar Bar and Million Dollar Bar. For those of you familiar with them, at the time (mid-70's), they had TONS of silver dollars embedded in the bar itself, etc. UNBELIEVEABLE!!! From that point on, they MEANT the Wild west and history to me!
Over the years, my interest faded & then refocused in cycles. While off at college & starting a new job, the time just wasn't there to build on the collection, other than to try and keep up with new issues. I left everything at my parents' home as I relocated along the East Coast several times as part of my retail management job. My focus during my "retail" years was pulling silver & wheaties & silver certificates/stars from the register drawers. It was not until I landed my "final" job & bought my own home & started raising my own family that I took back physical possession of my collection & started thinking about starting my own kids in the hobby with their own collections, etc....
Of course, the BIG jump in activity with my collection started with the advent of the Internet, eBay, & this Forum. One year, while working extended hours covering strike duty & chained to the PC, I discovered this Forum & embarked on a career of making wonderful friends and trading partners from all over the world! My interest was rekindled, and my collection (still primarily via Whitman folders) exploded into Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealand, Mexico, "1-per-country", Euros, etc areas! I jumped back & forth from time to time to focus on Lightside, then Darkside, then back to Lightside, etc over the years. Recently, I tried to focus on filling a lot of Morgan/Peace holes as people helped by selling better dates at close to melt.
So WHO KNOWS where I will focus next?
And that's part of the fun/pleasure I get from coin collecting that can't be measured in strict dollars and cents.
I look forward to seeing where the hobby takes me next & rekindling old loves I forgot I had.
I look forward to sharing my interest with my wife (never gonna happen) and my kids (more into sports & girls these days, although they do show SOME interest from time to time, especially as silver prices were rising.. ). I even look forward to sharing my interest by dropping stuff off at the YN table each show I attend, so as to foster this interest among the next generation of kids.
I have NO idea of how much I've invested in my collection, nor its overall worth, nor do I anticipate ever wanting to sell it or need to know......
To me, collecting is the pure joy of filling holes & connecting with the past... both my own and in general. It's about beautiful designs. It's about having in my possession "artwork" that just isn't made or circulated anymore. It's about having a piece of me and what interested me out there to be passed on to my kids and future generations after I'm gone, hopefully to be kept intact & added to over time by each generation, although I can't contol that....).
In the grand scheme of things, I'm a tiny fish in a huge ocean. I try to focus on what brought me here, and ignore or swim away when I run into things or people who might otherwise ruin my day in the hobby, as MLC listed. I appreciate the hobby & my collection for what it is.... a most pleasing diversion and more.
Given that, there's NO WAY my collection can ever end up being worth less than I "paid" for it....
Thanks, guys (and girls)! I appreciate the feedback. I've always appreciated what this Forum has brought to me info & experience-wise, even if I'm not one of the bigger players or experts. It's nice to be able to share one's thoughts and special moments/memories with people who have similar interests and can appreciate the excitement, etc!
One thing I forgot to mention in my response above, however........
..... if anyone is STILL no longer in love with the hobby, and is contemplating just tossing everything into the river....
PLEASE let calm and common sense prevail!!...............
........ JUST box up and send everything to ME, and I will make sure they get a happy & content home environment to thrive in!
Dave, I don't think we are thinking about throwing everything into the river.
I have no doubt that my life would have been better if I never became a coin collector, but like any other addict, I cannot stop. My devotion to coin collection has damaged marriages, taken time away from my friends, family and career, and complicated my finances. In return, I have what? A collection that the average local dealer wouldn't understand (because I know more about COINS than most of them), and certainly will offer my estate two or three cents on the dollar for.
It truly is a disease. CCA (Coin Collectors Anonymous) anyone?
Most collectors lose money when it comes time to sell.
Disagree. I would modify that to say "most collectors who buy strictly based on price rather than quality, and/or let greed dictate their strategy, and/or wait until they absolutely NEED to sell, often lose money". Actually if one is a true collector it shouldn't be about the money; it should be about the joy of collecting.
Hobby organizations don’t seem to have the collector’s best interest in mind.
I suppose that would depend of your definition of what is in the collector's best interest. That definition varies greatly from one collector to another. Have you ever considered submitting ideas to said organizations, or even running for an office in a local/regional club to try to help change things?
Arrogance is pervasive in the hobby. In many ways the hobby is actually just one big popularity contest.
Welcome to numismatics.... or any other hobby for that matter. It's human nature to want to think that your item is somehow more special, nicer, etc. than the other guy's. And thus, TPGs, CAC and registry sets were created... and, major auction houses have made their names with pedigreed collections and signature sales.
Coin doctoring can’t be stopped; frequently can’t be detected until it’s too late; and can’t even be universally defined.
...and no amount of whining by any of us will change that anytime soon. To their credit, our hosts here are endeavoring to combat it, but when all's said and done, education is the best defense.
New collectors and young collectors are often treated poorly.
I honestly don't see very much of this going on personally, but if you do, then offer to help them by getting them involved with clubs, recommending books, etc to educate them... Many seem to dump this responsibility solely on the backs of dealers, most of whom do what they can within reason to encourage and help newbie collectors...but at the end of the day they are businessmen and can only do so much. Yet somehow they bear the brunt of the criticism in this area.
Collectors are often made to feel bad because their coins aren’t perfect.
This all plays into the whole competition thing and is certainly not unique to numismatics... "my (whatever)s are better/more valuable/more collectible/ more unique than yours". For many it is all a big whizzing contest. We want to think our stuff is nicer than the other guy's stuff. It's been that way since day one. If one is insecure enough to let such comments affect them, then nothing they acquire will ever be good enough ...and if a hobby is going to cause them so much consternation- then I'd ask them why they were involved in the hobby in the first place.
I was picking-up on a few posts about midway in this thread that joked about "call me before you toss all your coins in the river"....... figured I should stake my claim ASAP!!
Seriously, though, I would hope that anyone considering walking away from the hobby just do as others (and even myself) have done.... just take a break from it, go on to something else, and come back later, refreshed & renewed when the time & interest is right. It makes a huge difference!
- - Dave
(Guess that means nobody is sending me their collections anytime soon........
I was picking-up on a few posts about midway in this thread that joked about "call me before you toss all your coins in the river"....... figured I should stake my claim ASAP!!
Seriously, though, I would hope that anyone considering walking away from the hobby just do as others (and even myself) have done.... just take a break from it, go on to something else, and come back later, refreshed & renewed when the time & interest is right. It makes a huge difference!
- - Dave
(Guess that means nobody is sending me their collections anytime soon........ I have taken days off from my coin collecting, it's usually when one of my other collections beckons. If you have the collecting gene, you are destined to acquire.
I was picking-up on a few posts about midway in this thread that joked about "call me before you toss all your coins in the river"....... figured I should stake my claim ASAP!!
Seriously, though, I would hope that anyone considering walking away from the hobby just do as others (and even myself) have done.... just take a break from it, go on to something else, and come back later, refreshed & renewed when the time & interest is right. It makes a huge difference!
- - Dave
(Guess that means nobody is sending me their collections anytime soon........
>>
It's too late. I am too old, and mis-spent decades cannot be reclaimed. 'Walking away' is a great idea for those still young enough to repair the damage done. Look at the old of us as a warning of what can happen to you if you do not mend your ways. It is impossible for an addict to just stop, so I never will.
Don't love your coins. They will never love you back.
Collecting is an addiction, of sorts. I wish I had more money to throw at it!
I really enjoy the hobby. I've gained some good friends and I'm also grateful for those who've lent an educational hand. I also suspect that it's a hobby that tends to attract the introverted who may not have the best of social skills, but have the intelligence to understand and appreciate the coins they collect - the art, the history, the craftsmanship, etc. For those that know that I collect and are not hobbyists, some react with amusement or disdain, but a rare few ask a few questions and are amazed at what they learn. Either way, that's fine with me.
Collecting can bring joy and that is a wonderful thing to embrace in life. I enjoy the ownership, the learning, the hunt, and the thrill of walking onto the bourse at a huge show with some money to spend for that coin that grabs my heart!
Seated Half Society member #38
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress, running like a water color in the rain...."
Comments
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
Probably just suffering through a midlife crisis.
over time in addition to the pleasure they give in ownership. As part of my investment
strategy, I am now collecting a small grouping of jaw dropping coins, that will probably never
total more then 8-10 coins. These, together with a selection of mutual funds, gold and silver
plus cash in the bank ,will constitute my wall against what ever will becoming down the
economic road. While coins are truly not to be considered investments, they can play a small,
but important role in the every man's attempt, to protect ones wealth as a true value in the
continuing battle with inflation. The cash will protect in some measure from deflation and I guess
prayer will have to do for all the other nasty things that may happen.
Camelot
<< <i>
<< <i>Coin collecting is one of the things that has ruined my life. >>
In what way? Care to elaborate? >>
No, but thank you for asking.
MLC - Before you throw your coins in the river, let me know so I can put on my dive gear... or have a fire sale, so I can put on my Halloween Fireman costume!
<< <i>...or have a fire sale, so I can put on my Halloween Fireman costume!
llafoe - your post is worthless without pics!
I've wasted more money buying and then selling than I care to really think about but then............I've wasted a ton of money on going to the Movies and Amusment Parks. It's simply the price thats paid for entertainment which is what the Hobby is all about. Personal Entertainment.
Consider yourself lucky if you can buy a coin one year and recoup that cost the following year. Especially for market focused items such as Moderns and modern varieties. Classics are a different story but are still very much similar in that "popularity" rules the roost. If what you've purchased is no longer "the coin to have" then you'll have a tough time recouping your costs but then again......it's the price you pay for entertainment.
The name is LEE!
I love coin collecting, but I also admit it's a crazy thing to do. What's the point in collecting ANYTHING? It's not a rational pursuit, so you just gotta accept that and go with it and enjoy it--if you do enjoy it, that is. I look at the collection I started 45 years ago and can say it's a metaphor for life. It's all there in the coin folders--the mistakes, the discoveries, the surprises, the successes, and yes, the occasional heartbreak. Then again, what else do we have to do but go along for the ride and make the most of it?
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
We could have a clinical discussion about this, but what is the point? Nothing matters anyway.
<< <i>
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
We could have a clinical discussion about this, but what is the point? Nothing matters anyway. >>
You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am. I'll come running to pick up your coins. Winter, spring, summer or fall. All you have to do is call. And I'll be there. You've got a friend.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>MLC---it sounds like you may be suffering from depression and I'm being serious. One of the symptoms is when an activity that you once enjoyed is no longer enjoyable. >>
We could have a clinical discussion about this, but what is the point? Nothing matters anyway. >>
You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am. I'll come running to pick up your coins. Winter, spring, summer or fall. All you have to do is call. And I'll be there. You've got a friend.
I LIKE THAT! Many depressed people handle their situation by hiding behind the mask of a clown.
I share your opinions. I have had my share of bad interactions with dealers (and, at one point, walked away from the hobby for more than a decade because of them). I have also been present in a variety of coin shops when more than a dozen other collectors brought in accumulations to sell, only to be told (truthfully I might add---I saw the coins myself) that they had seriously overgraded and/or doctored coins. In each instance, many (tens of) thousands of dollars that the owners had sunk into their coins were lost. I also am annoyed about what I consider to be overt manipulation where grading is concerned, and also about marketing influences that I view as somewhat to very destructive (including the garbage currently produced by the U.S. mint). So yes, there is a dark undercurrent associated with our hobby. This is also true where other kinds of collectibles are concerned.
However...there is a strong educational aspect that I find engrossing. Through numismatics, one can learn about the past----economics, politics, metallurgy and technology in general, what ordinary people encountered on a routine basis, wars, design aesthetics (or lack thereof), etc. This is what keeps me tied to the hobby, not preoccupation with making a 'rip,' getting a common proof spouse commemorative into a 70 slab so it can be sold to an unsophisticated buyer, or any other means of making a fast buck via coins. If collectors would put more effort into really learning about what they are collecting, I believe that they would derive far more pleasure from the hobby. I am sure that you feel likewise.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
that he lost his shoe, until he met a man that had lost his leg.
we live in a world of ever present dangers, but we must always
seek those things of beauty, kindness and wonder. For the good
and noble things, are what make life the fantastic adventure that
it is.Live every day as if it were your last day on earth, seek joy
instead of sorrow, be thankful for what we have rather then mourn
for what we have not.
Camelot
this board. it is what i did. i am happier for it. i no longer wish to spend large
amounts of money on coins which do not seem like a very good value for the
money spent.
restaurants, even though I did not actually eat the steak with them. Enjoyment
is always best left to the person involved. There is nothing wrong with
enjoying the Forum, without buying of having a coin collection.
Camelot
<< <i>You could spend your money on a hobby like golf. How much do you get back when it's time to sell all those rounds you ponied up for?
Russ, NCNE >>
Oh Gawd!
Or maybe those clubs you spent a grand for that are now all scuffed on the heads (provided they're not on the bottom of some water hazard!).
The name is LEE!
What countries did you rent them from?
<< <i> or have a fire sale, so I can put on my Halloween Fireman costume!
We really really really wanna see you in your ex-wife costume instead...
<< <i>Here I am in my US Navy uniform (when I was stationed on the Submarine base at Groton, CT) and my Fireman costume!
>>
Here is Llafoe in her ex-wife attire:
<< <i>Here is Llafoe in her ex-wife attire: >>
OK, wow. This thread took an interesting turn.
Coin collecting is like that.
In the movie aliens live on earth among the humans, but you can only see them for what they are if you are wearing special sunglasses. Otherwise, they look human. They broadcast signals to humans "sleep, sleep" and put the same message on posters, newspapers, television, etc. This makes the humans fall into the dull grey pointless patterns of our lives.
Coin collecting is like that.
MLC has put the special glasses on. He SEES.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
But then I remember why I got into the hobby in the first place....... the coins themselves & their history really interest me! It's a way to connect with the past. And, as I fill holes, it's a way to accomplish something.
I first started collecting coins when visiting my grandparents. I'm sure they couldn't have cared less about the hobby. Growing up thru tough times & emigrating from Russia & going thru the Depression, etc, I can only imagine how they felt about their grandson squirrelling-away money in holes in folders when, at times, they likely didn't have an extra dime in their pocket to spare for food or clothes, etc.
But under their caring eyes, I started with Lincoln Cents folders & worked my way up thru nickels & dimes, etc. It gave us a shared activity (and, I'm sure, gave them a welcome break from running around with me at their age, as the hobby made me sit quietly and sift thru coins, put them in folders, etc.....
When I started, it was post-64, and silver was SOMETIMES still found in circulation. But for me to make the leap from base metals to silver meant taking whatever spare money I had from gifts or allowance & walking several miles with my grandparents downtown to "smelters row", where they would let me search thru coffee cans full of junk silver to fill holes. Back then, 4 times face was a lot to a small kid, and I regret not getting into silver halves or dollars back then, or the SLQ & Barber varieties. But it was what it was.........
When I look back on those formative years, while there's still that bit of "If I only knew then...." regret, what I REALLY remember with great fondness and gratitude is the time spent sharing my time and hobby with my grandparents. That connection to my own personl past.
Over the years, as more Whitman folders became available, I branched out into more and more denominations & types, but never strayed from my general Whitman-style of collecting. Eventually, I added Canadian folders to the mix, since Canadian pennies especially were rather common even way down here in Philly. And, at one point, one of the larger (now defunct) downtown banks actually had a foreign exchange window where you could buy at whatever the exchange rate was (no add'l fees) not just foreign currency, but rolls of coins as well! I did some buying of Canadian coins for a time as a result, so I could search thru them. Having a Canadian collection also made for more fun & direction when we visited Canada a few times while I was growing up. So, again, I can tie many of the Canadian coins in my folders to actual life experiences & memorable trips I took with my family...... I still have the firt IHC I found in a roll of pennies, the first 'Roo large cent from Australia that my Dad gave me from his travels, etc....
At some point, I bought & started folders for Morgan & Peace dollars. I didn't actively collect them at the time (my mistake), but they gave me a place to put the few coins my parents (also not collectors) had socked away & divvied-up between myself and my brothers, with the explanation "better you should have and enjoy them now than after we die...." (they are both still alive, by the way....and now my Mom appreciates & looks forward to when I come by with the latest state Q's or Presidential $'s to fill her own folders which I gave her! :1Applause
Over the years, my interest faded & then refocused in cycles. While off at college & starting a new job, the time just wasn't there to build on the collection, other than to try and keep up with new issues. I left everything at my parents' home as I relocated along the East Coast several times as part of my retail management job. My focus during my "retail" years was pulling silver & wheaties & silver certificates/stars from the register drawers. It was not until I landed my "final" job & bought my own home & started raising my own family that I took back physical possession of my collection & started thinking about starting my own kids in the hobby with their own collections, etc....
Of course, the BIG jump in activity with my collection started with the advent of the Internet, eBay, & this Forum. One year, while working extended hours covering strike duty & chained to the PC, I discovered this Forum & embarked on a career of making wonderful friends and trading partners from all over the world! My interest was rekindled, and my collection (still primarily via Whitman folders) exploded into Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealand, Mexico, "1-per-country", Euros, etc areas! I jumped back & forth from time to time to focus on Lightside, then Darkside, then back to Lightside, etc over the years. Recently, I tried to focus on filling a lot of Morgan/Peace holes as people helped by selling better dates at close to melt.
So WHO KNOWS where I will focus next?
And that's part of the fun/pleasure I get from coin collecting that can't be measured in strict dollars and cents.
I look forward to seeing where the hobby takes me next & rekindling old loves I forgot I had.
I look forward to sharing my interest with my wife (never gonna happen) and my kids (more into sports & girls these days, although they do show SOME interest from time to time, especially as silver prices were rising..
I have NO idea of how much I've invested in my collection, nor its overall worth, nor do I anticipate ever wanting to sell it or need to know......
To me, collecting is the pure joy of filling holes & connecting with the past... both my own and in general. It's about beautiful designs. It's about having in my possession "artwork" that just isn't made or circulated anymore. It's about having a piece of me and what interested me out there to be passed on to my kids and future generations after I'm gone, hopefully to be kept intact & added to over time by each generation, although I can't contol that....).
In the grand scheme of things, I'm a tiny fish in a huge ocean. I try to focus on what brought me here, and ignore or swim away when I run into things or people who might otherwise ruin my day in the hobby, as MLC listed. I appreciate the hobby & my collection for what it is.... a most pleasing diversion and more.
Given that, there's NO WAY my collection can ever end up being worth less than I "paid" for it....
- - Dave
Camelot
One thing I forgot to mention in my response above, however........
..... if anyone is STILL no longer in love with the hobby, and is contemplating just tossing everything into the river....
PLEASE let calm and common sense prevail!!...............
........ JUST box up and send everything to ME, and I will make sure they get a happy & content home environment to thrive in!
- - Dave
I have no doubt that my life would have been better if I never became a coin collector, but like any other addict, I cannot stop. My devotion to coin collection has damaged marriages, taken time away from my friends, family and career, and complicated my finances. In return, I have what? A collection that the average local dealer wouldn't understand (because I know more about COINS than most of them), and certainly will offer my estate two or three cents on the dollar for.
It truly is a disease. CCA (Coin Collectors Anonymous) anyone?
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
Disagree. I would modify that to say "most collectors who buy strictly based on price rather than quality, and/or let greed dictate their strategy, and/or wait until they absolutely NEED to sell, often lose money".
Actually if one is a true collector it shouldn't be about the money; it should be about the joy of collecting.
Hobby organizations don’t seem to have the collector’s best interest in mind.
I suppose that would depend of your definition of what is in the collector's best interest.
That definition varies greatly from one collector to another.
Have you ever considered submitting ideas to said organizations, or even running for an office in a local/regional club to try to help change things?
Arrogance is pervasive in the hobby.
In many ways the hobby is actually just one big popularity contest.
Welcome to numismatics.... or any other hobby for that matter. It's human nature to want to think that your item is somehow more special, nicer, etc. than the other guy's. And thus, TPGs, CAC and registry sets were created... and, major auction houses have made their names with pedigreed collections and signature sales.
Coin doctoring can’t be stopped; frequently can’t be detected until it’s too late; and can’t even be universally defined.
...and no amount of whining by any of us will change that anytime soon. To their credit, our hosts here are endeavoring to combat it, but when all's said and done, education is the best defense.
New collectors and young collectors are often treated poorly.
I honestly don't see very much of this going on personally, but if you do, then offer to help them by getting them involved with clubs, recommending books, etc to educate them... Many seem to dump this responsibility solely on the backs of dealers, most of whom do what they can within reason to encourage and help newbie collectors...but at the end of the day they are businessmen and can only do so much. Yet somehow they bear the brunt of the criticism in this area.
Collectors are often made to feel bad because their coins aren’t perfect.
This all plays into the whole competition thing and is certainly not unique to numismatics... "my (whatever)s are better/more valuable/more collectible/ more unique than yours". For many it is all a big whizzing contest. We want to think our stuff is nicer than the other guy's stuff. It's been that way since day one. If one is insecure enough to let such comments affect them, then nothing they acquire will ever be good enough ...and if a hobby is going to cause them so much consternation- then I'd ask them why they were involved in the hobby in the first place.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
I was picking-up on a few posts about midway in this thread that joked about "call me before you toss all your coins in the river"....... figured I should stake my claim ASAP!!
Seriously, though, I would hope that anyone considering walking away from the hobby just do as others (and even myself) have done.... just take a break from it, go on to something else, and come back later, refreshed & renewed when the time & interest is right. It makes a huge difference!
- - Dave
(Guess that means nobody is sending me their collections anytime soon........
<< <i>Frank:
I was picking-up on a few posts about midway in this thread that joked about "call me before you toss all your coins in the river"....... figured I should stake my claim ASAP!!
Seriously, though, I would hope that anyone considering walking away from the hobby just do as others (and even myself) have done.... just take a break from it, go on to something else, and come back later, refreshed & renewed when the time & interest is right. It makes a huge difference!
- - Dave
(Guess that means nobody is sending me their collections anytime soon........
I have taken days off from my coin collecting, it's usually when one of my other collections beckons. If you have the collecting gene, you are destined to acquire.
<< <i>Frank:
I was picking-up on a few posts about midway in this thread that joked about "call me before you toss all your coins in the river"....... figured I should stake my claim ASAP!!
Seriously, though, I would hope that anyone considering walking away from the hobby just do as others (and even myself) have done.... just take a break from it, go on to something else, and come back later, refreshed & renewed when the time & interest is right. It makes a huge difference!
- - Dave
(Guess that means nobody is sending me their collections anytime soon........
It's too late. I am too old, and mis-spent decades cannot be reclaimed. 'Walking away' is a great idea for those still young enough to repair the damage done. Look at the old of us as a warning of what can happen to you if you do not mend your ways. It is impossible for an addict to just stop, so I never will.
Don't love your coins. They will never love you back.
I love my coins.
<< <i>This has been depressing to read....I have thoughts of selling everything.... instead I am going to go away for awhile , bye. >>
Great. Now I'll be known as "that depressing thread guy".
<< <i>
<< <i>This has been depressing to read....I have thoughts of selling everything.... instead I am going to go away for awhile , bye. >>
Great. Now I'll be known as "that depressing thread guy".
Depression isn't bad if the world really is pointless.
I really enjoy the hobby. I've gained some good friends and I'm also grateful for those who've lent an educational hand. I also suspect that it's a hobby that tends to attract the introverted who may not have the best of social skills, but have the intelligence to understand and appreciate the coins they collect - the art, the history, the craftsmanship, etc. For those that know that I collect and are not hobbyists, some react with amusement or disdain, but a rare few ask a few questions and are amazed at what they learn. Either way, that's fine with me.
Collecting can bring joy and that is a wonderful thing to embrace in life. I enjoy the ownership, the learning, the hunt, and the thrill of walking onto the bourse at a huge show with some money to spend for that coin that grabs my heart!
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
we play an important role for the future generations of Americans. They will then learn that we
once had gold and silver coins. We once had coins of artistic excellence. We once had denominations
of two cents, three cents, 20 cents, half dime four dollar coins, 21/2 dollar coins, three dollar coins
5 dollar coins, 10 dollar coins and 20 dollar coins.
. I believe that future generations need
to know these things and we, the collectors make this all possible.
Camelot