What can make coin collecting better?

I was enjoying my collection today when a strange idea came to me. What tool, process, or concept could make coin collecting more fun, enjoyable, lucrative, etc. What do we coin collectors need to make this hobby better?

 

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One word - EDUCATION.

 

I second that!

Chris

 

HoBo is right. But, depending on one's pockets, it will help with the type of collecting that one will obtain. If possible, start with the hard ones first, because the others will be obtained later at about the same cost later. Enjoy the search, and or the hunt that interest you.

 

I can give you something and it doesn't cost a cent.

Share the hobby with others!!!

 

Want to have more fun? Leave out the word 'lucrative'. Things is so much mo fun when ya don't have an ax to grind......

 

A renewed sense of having a good time collecting coins we like simply because we like them.

 

An unlimited supply of money would make the hobby most enjoyable for me.

Now, to answer seriously, I think Mike hit on the holy grail of numismatics....sharing the experience with others. I mean, thats why we're all here on this forum. It adds an element of satisfaction knowing you have a community of peers that shares in the same things as yourself and you can relate those experiences and knowledge with one another. Thats really the cornerstone in any hobby.
Guy

 

Good post Guy, but if one has no education, what are you sharing?

"Gee, I like old coins, I think this 1944 cent is kinda cool"

or

"This 1944 cent is very interesting since it was made from reclaimed shells from WWII. It had to be created from them since all new copper at the time was committed to the war effort. Additionally, it came after 1943 which we disasterously tried to make cents from zinc coated steel. After that failure, the government thought of using old shells instead."

To be able to share, its best to have knowledge. As collectors, I think we owe the hobby to learn that knowledge, both for our own benefit and to make our hobby more interesting to others. Too many people think we are just infatuated with little pieces of metal.

 

That was where the part about those peers sharing the knowledge of their hobby I posted come in. We start out like the first one in "liking old coins" and mature to your later example of knowing the history behind those coins. Book knowledge is great, but you can't learn it all from a book. If this were the case I'd be saving over 70K a year by not sending my kids to college. A new collector will learn far more by conversing with experienced collectors than they will by buying every coin book ever printed.
Guy

 

Shiny. Shiny little pieces of metal. Though I dare say that many of the coins that Chris collects lack "shiny"........

 

I've found that photographing my coins can be fun/challenging and it also allows me to share my collecting interests with others.

 

You could blind fold yourself, throw them all in a field, and find them again. And don't forget, you got only 45 seconds.

 

Relate coins to History. Find out what big trends were that year, big achievements for the country, historical events, etc. I try to find out what happened in the year the coin is dated, and then print a paper on it and learn sooooo much more about US History. (It also helps me pass class)

And yes, Share the hobby! It is always fun to have a friend who collects so you can have an "intelligent" conversation about what you have.

 

I absolutely LOVE to grind my axe. =)

 

The beauty of a community is that those sharing bad or uninformed knowledge are quickly corrected. Those individuals are the ones who have the biggest potential for learning, and also the ones you WANT to teach.

 

Sounds childish to me.i pick up coins i like and not because they are expensive or i want to post pictures here and have other tell me how great they look or how much value they have.And in the end when i complete that book of coins no mater what grade i have i feel like anyone here that has done it.Its kinda like going to the bathroom the relife you feel is the same even if its not Gem BU or slabed.ill be the first to say id like to town the coins ive seem posted here but cant afford them so i am happy with the few i have ibeen able to get even in poor mint.Those coins that so many pass up as poor fill many books for those like my self and give us the same joy as those that are able to buy the best .I envy no one here and speak only for me but i do it as a hobby and read the red book from cover to cover.When you cannot afford high price coins why would you want to invest in a cam to take pictures to post here.I do thank all that give their time to ones here that need info on coins.Ibelive you all give a lot from yourselves to those like me that need the info and it makes me proud to be part of a form where you give so much to us and ask nothing in return.THANK YOU ALL

 

That is a very inspiring post. Thank YOU.

 

Second that ! If you don't feel the need to profit from every transaction, the hobby is a lot less stressful. Like every other pastime, there are expenses that are budgeted for. Treat coins the same way. IMHO

 

I would enjoy collecting business strike coins with some real value...$5, $10, and $20 coins.