How are things changing for you ? What is different about your coin collecting today compared with one month ago ? Six months ago ? Two years ago ? For me there's several things : Edu-ma-cation : I've been very curious for a while now. I've purchased several books about early US coins (half cents, large cents, half dimes, early 25c, 50c, and $1). Most of those text has micro-detail about attribution, which is interesting. But far more interesting is the discussion about practices and techniques in the early days of the Mint, explaining why there are so many varieties. I also ask a lot of questions of a lot of people. Early American Coppers : I am convinced this is the most challenging area of US coins. This is one of the main reasons I'm studying up these days. I joined EAC and attended the convention in Dallas last Spring. WHOA !!! What an eye-opener. If you get a chance, don't miss these. :thumb: The next one is in Cincinnati 2009 . Coinage : I've gotten more choosy. I don't care how long I wait for the right coin. One great coin is better than thousands of beatdowns. I've almost completed my type set of Large Cents and Half Cents - Only one left !!! Care to guess which one that is ??? So howza 'bout you ? What's new ? What's your evolution ?
My collecting habits have changed drastically - like the Cambrian to the Pleistocene. Quite a while back I was hamstering together an American type collection. I bought everything I could slobber on - then my life changed (I'll spare you the details) and I unfortunately had to sell everything. I was extremely disappointed with the return on my investment. I don't remember the exact numbers but I remember paying loads more for my collection than what I was able to receive (of course I went to more than 1 dealer). But I did keep some things: I didn't sell any gold, nor the 1900 type set I put together, nor some miscellany. I soured on the hobby for a number of years and what I had sat in a box untouched and unseen. No coin magazines, no coin shows, nothing for a number of years. Then, just this year, the price of gold skyrocketed (for better or worse). I dug out my old gold hoard and realized that the current value, even a conservative estimate, was 2 - 3 times what I had paid for it. This reinvigorated my interest and I started buying bullion in coin form again. Maple Leaves, Kookaburras, Eagles, gold, silver, etc. I also realized that I had to lock up my collection so it's now in a big chunky safe in a secure location as opposed to a plastic bin in my closet. You could say I'm a bullion investor now. I still haven't purchased a real "numismatic" coin for years, but I still count the round bullion as coins. Nonetheless, I do maintain an interest in coins as history. To make a more than long enough story short, I started out with apprehension over bullion coins and evolved into a lifeform that's now apprehensive of numismatic coins. Strange but true!
An excellent question. I do need to start buying more books actually but money is an issue and have access to tons at work. Don't think it will last forever though as the boss is 65 and we have NO clue what he'll do when he decides to hang it up. I do tend to buy better coins when buying. Better grade, better dates for a better resell price should I need it. Of course better is a relative term for all of us here. I still buy cheap stuff too but only because I work in a shop. Been messing with quarters a lot as of late. I'll buy Standing Liberties in full F12 or better, Barbers for the set I'm "toying" with and better grade earlier Washingtoins. These, except the Barbers, I generally try to turn fast and get the Barbers for free basically. I've also picked up 2 really nice Lincoln Cents in the past week. 1935 and 42-D. Not rare dates but REAL blazers. Would love to keep them but have a local buyer so probably going to get rid of them and make a few bucks. Yes, a trend developing here. I"m currently not in a position to be buying the stuff I REALLY want but if I can add to my collection for "free" I'll keep pecking away. EVen "cheap" coins are good if you can get them for free. As for copper. Sounds like you have a heck of a collection. Not easy to put together and there is a lot of under rated stuff in that category. Anyone that has ever dealt with it knows. We all have different interests. Keep on plugging and buy it if it suits you. Having coins you can actually make a buck or two on when you need it is an added bonus.
Very good question. :thumb: I've changed quite a bit over the past year, LOL. Last year I was basically buying anything and everything that I thought was neat (made a few booboo's with that, but luckily I didn't have too much money too blow.) Then a little later I became more organized, I got into Jefferson Nickels for a little while, and then after that I got into Lincoln's. That's where I started learning more, and decided to learn the series. Then, recently a few days ago, I got into Ancients, lol. So, I'm still changing, day by day, who knows about tomorrow? Phoenix
Since I started collecting......lets just say ALOT has changed. In the past few years some major, and minor things have happened in my life and each of those mean less time, and money, for coins, but I still find time to read about, look at alot, buy a few, and get on COINTALK each and everyday! Not a day goes by that I don't pull a book out to read, and most (99.9999....%) of the time its about coin grading, or varieties--- I think one major thing that has changed in my collecting is that it is more about ONE good coin, than 100 ok coins. Give me 1 1909-S IHC in VF anyday over 100 Silver Dollars. Things will keep on changing, but one thing that I'm keeping the same, is my daily....I mean hourly, visits to CoinTalk!!! Speedy
for me nothing has changed except i am retired. when i bought coins i always bought what i liked and the best i could buy and i have always had a lot of fun
I have gotten alot more picky about what I buy to resell these days. As a collector, I have completed my Lincoln set in AU, and have been spending the collection money in key dates to other series, and putting them up in my retirement fund. I think in the future, my Lincoln collection will be broken up in early '09, then I will move to the " box of 20 " collection. Just 20 for the blue box, so it will be a continual upgrade process.
My coin collecting evolution is at a MUCH slower pace. Takes me 5-10 years to reach a point where my current interest is pretty much satisfied and I start something new.
My collecting has evolved from how much can I sell these for to what can I add to the collection. Cointalk has aided me so much on what to look for and what to steer clear of. I have read a lot of books and try to learn before I leap. I have also learned to look for the best example I can afford at the time. Shorterm, my collecting has stalled somewhat with rising fuel and utility cost taking large bites out of my collecting budget.
Since I started about 9 months ago now, I have "evolved" greatly. I started off with no knowledge, but thankfully I got help from many different forum members. I recieved my first redbook from Hobo, along with some other goodies from the ANA. I was very geeked. I also bought some books during that time. I started off by liking morgans and ancients, but I soon found morgans dollars to be expensive. So I then switched to ASE's. I saw that this wasn't a good hobby to invest in, so I left. I only made two threads on CT in the three weeks I was gone. So at this point, I was a month into the hobby and was already done. About a week after I left the hobby, I recieved an unexpected package from Arditarion. It was three ancient Roman coins....One was of Hadrian, the other of Constantine II, and the last from Constantine the Great. I was very excited. And that got the ball rolling again. Now, I was into ancients, and I was into Wheaties. I wasn't worried about investing anymore, I suddenly became a collector. After the wheaties, I sort of stoped with them, and narrowed down anceints to mainly ancient romans (along with the exception of a few coin that I liked). I also started a Franklin half dollar set. I was going to just so a "set", but at the same time I started, I met jaceravone (who is one of my best freinds of CT ), he gave me the idea to get all my frankies in MS-60 or better. Sooo, after I was almost half way (had 11 out of 35 frankies at my peek), I soon realized that I found to find it boring. I didn't like collecting a set where the only thing changing was the MM and the date. So I decided to stop and go for something else. To this day though, frankies are still the area where I am most knowledgable in for US coins (and I am still not to good with those..lol). Then I was back to stage one, I was collecting anything and everything. Thankfully, I took the advice from all at CT and slowed down. I even went into ancient India coins...that did not last too long. I was still collecting ancients at this time, but didn't really have a plan with those as I was i the learning stage. This is about when I seriously started to get into them (this was about early June, aroung my 6 months into the hobby). I learned how to attribute them, and I loved it. Around this time, I decided to do a small cent type set for US coins. that eventually went away and I just started buying US small cents, not really worrying whether or not I completed the set. I am still very new and don't have much knowledge for small cents though...lol. So, now we are in September, I am currently trying to become more knowledgeable at small cents (which is harder than I thought..lol). I now also have created a path for my ancient collection too, and that is to create a very nice Ancient Roman Imperial set. So, in summary: US COINS: In 9 months, I went from a investor into a collector, became fairly well known in frankies. And am now working on small cents (with the exception of buying coins for my PC). I am aslo working on a 20th century type set. I am not rushing (as of now..lol) and am taking this time to learn. ANCIENTS: In 9 months, I went from "ohhh, pretty, I am going to buy that", to ancient romans, to an ancient roman Imperial set (with the exception of still hunting down Gorgon). I am having much more fun now that I know what I am doing for the most part. I still have a long ways to go though. Ancients are my favorite coins, and my longest interest has been set here. WORLD COINS: 9 months, and still have no clue..lol Of course, I am only this far because of the many forum members who have helped me out. Thank you for helping me become what I have become. I couldn't have done this alone. I hope to continue to learn and get advice from you guys, as everyone here is more knowledgeable than myself.. I have made many freinds since I have been here, some I have become pretty good freinds with. stainless
It all started with those darn coins I had been storing in a very nice tin for I do not remember how long. Cents, nickels, dimes, quarters, halves and dollars. There were enough cents that I thought they deserved a simple coin folder to be stored within. In my case 'thinking' is a dangerous thing. Once I started on the cents I realized I needed many more to complete the book. You can imagine what happened then... rolls and rolls and more rolls of Lincolns.. then nickels, then quarters and so on and so forth, until I learned how to be focused and very choosey. What began as a 'hobby' very quickly turned into an obsession and a somewhat expensive journey. When I think I have spent too much money on a coin then I remember, this is the only way I will ever be able to travel, unless we get an RV, and that is not likely to happen. Intentional or not, I became hooked on coins and until I give up trying to find ones I like, the quest will continue. jeankay
I started buying everything I could get my hands on until I found certain things I really enjoyed. Then, I slowly sold off stuff and used the money to upgrade. Now, my collection is on the right track.
How have I evolved over the past year? Good question. I read a lot more about coins, and am always on the hunt for good books about the coins, the Mint, history, ect. I have a few more connections in the coin selling business, which really helps out when trying to find particular pieces at honest prices. And I have had a lot more disposable income the past few years and have been able to use that to further my collections. I suppose if I could evolve as a collector in any way I chose, I would go the educational route, learning as much as I could. Funny, I used to hate learning as a child....now I can't get enough of it! Guy~
Hi, I'm TheNoost and I'm addicted to CT. At first it was just checking once or twice a week, but then it got worse. I became a member. Now I'm on alot/all the time. I didn't even realize I was so far involved and how quickly it happened. LOL Well, I have gained knowledge. From none at all to a little in the last 6 months. Example: I used to think that because silver three cents were supposed to be hard to get I would buy all of them that I could. Holed, bent, culls, etc. Now I understand that they are hard to get without problems and I look for those instead. I have become a roll searcher and that has helped me with grading and learning how to tell the difference between machine doubled and doubled dies. Got into world coins a little. Learned about how coins are made and some coin and mint history as well. Also learning more about our economy and bullion vs oil vs the dollar. All of this seems fine and good except that my standards for quality now surpass my income. I have realized that I need to become more focused and set goals or none of my sets will ever be completed. I have more value in books than in coins (not spent more on books, just got them for really cheap). THe more you know the more you can grow.
I don't think anything has changed about my collecting habits. But in the past 6 months I've sold a few coins for the first time -- partly because so many of the things I like to buy are just too expensive. I think this has given me a better perspective on what things are really worth compared to the retail price. If you've never sold a coin, I'd recommend giving it a try.
My wife tells me that I have evolved into a frickin nerd! She's not quite sure what to make of my coin obsession that has bitten hard in the last year. She is wondering why I am so excited to visit the coin boards, read the industry periodicals, order books, and visit coin shows. For me, my evolution has been from minnow to a small frog in the development chain of this hobby. I had to decide to sell my low end stuff for melt so that I could have money for some nicer coins. While I have never been a series collector, I am trying to be very selective in what I buy even if there isn't a particular theme I'm following. This is challenging because I'm impatient and must save money to get what I want. My biggest test was my decision to put my Fugio on lay away and pay for it over time. Man, was that tough for me. Anyway, now I want to buy higher end stuff, but I realize I can't do it without saving money and being patient. Probably not a bad thing to do in this high priced market. I'm really thinking about 18th century English Conder tokens now so as to be able to buy uncirc for a lower price than early type U.S. coins. Plus, there is always a story behind each token. That's where I am now on my particular evolutionary path! Guess I'm just like stainless in being all over the place in our collecting history.
My collecting habits have evolved alot over the past years. When I first got back into collecting 18 years ago I kept with what I knew, Lincoln Cents, Jeffersons, Roosies, Washingtons and Kennedy. Of course, back then my funds were much more limited than now so when I decided to get back into it I decided to branch out and learn & collect more. Now, I have a whole different outlook on the hobby. I can finally complete some sets that I never thought I would and complete some sets I never thought I'd even start. I also know alot more about collecting coins than ever, mostly due to the posts here in CoinTalk and books that I've bought. I will always continue to evolve and branch out into different areas of the hobby.
What has change is my appreciation for how little I know even after all I have learned! This has been a survival crash course that has taught me many lessons about the/what items I am interested in the how to go about building a collection. It's all work in progress and not one that can ever truly be completed. The most significant change for me has been to try to buy the best I can afford. These are the items that will have the greatest chance of appreciating the most over time. It doesn't matter weather or not you plan to sell as it has more to do with what your collection will look like over time. Really work to understand what the best is and then work to understand from there what you can get for your money. For me if that doesn't get what I want I would rather save until I can afford the better quality. Yes - sometimes that means I cannot buy much for a while and that is a hard impulse for me to control - but I'm getting better at it. Build relationships with trusted dealers as those are the ones that can pay off in spades down the road. When you don't have the money to buy something that comes your way - be honest to those contacts and let it go - other opportunities will come along - just let it go and know it will work out... Even when you are not buying - keep learning, it happens sometimes when I least expect it and generally it will have a significant impact on my understanding of a particular series. Actively seek out knowledge where ever you can find it. Make sure you leave time for other things in life as there are things that deserve that time more than this wonderful hobby. The hobby isn't going anywhere so be sure to enjoy your life and family/friends along the way! Be honest with yourself and those that enquire about the hobby - you will feel better about yourself if you do and that will keep you energized! Understand you are going to make bad buying decisions - learn from them and try not to repeat them. Great thread - hope I didn't go on too long! Best Regards Darryl
