What Are Your Coin & Coin Collecting Pet Peeves?

I don't think that "whole world" coins would ever be used, since it sounds redundant to insert the adjective "whole". I like how Krause's Standard Catalog of World Coins includes the US. Whereas, sites like eBay seem to use "world coins" to refer to other countries' coins, possibly emulating what the major authorities for coins use (specifically of those authorities whose products appear on eBay, since consistency of terms may be better for sales; e.g. NGC and PCGS).

I agree for the most part that the term "world coins" gets used liberally, and a more specific term can be used to describe one's collection. "World coins" has taken on another meaning among collectors - "non-domestic coins".

That said, I can see "world coins" to mean what it is literally at face value. Similarly and for instance, I generally collect silver "world coins" (with other criteria and some exceptions). This means coins from all over the world including the US where I am from, which are composed of silver beyond mere silver plating (again, with some exceptions such as the 1923 Westphalia 1 billion Mark coin that's on my wish list).

But yes, I agree with you that we don't necessarily know what a "world coin" collector means without elaboration or confirmation that they literally collect coins from all over the world, domestic and foreign.

 

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US coins are foreign coins to most people on this planet ;-)

my PP: fingerprints on coins

 

Besides, as I wrote, where I live, "world coins" is certainly not the same as "coins not from this country".

Christian

 

I think the whole thing to some people bothered with it being called world coins is that and I am guessing they want you to specifically call each country you collect rather than just saying I collect "world coins".

 

My pet peeves?

1) Too many scapegoaters in numismatics. Nothing is ever because "I" was wrong; somebody else manipulated a market or cheated me.

2) Too many claim to be numismatists, but are not. If you can only want a coin if it's silver or gold, you're not a numismatist, you're a commodity speculator.

3) Too much opinion is presented as fact, too much fact is dismissed as mere opinion. CT itself is not immune from this, nor are its moderators. Maybe even especially so.

4) The articles "a" and "the" are not interchangeable. Things like VAM's and "toners" and "moderns" and cameo proofs are, each and every one, "a" market, but none are The Market. There is no "coin market", there are many. This is why one must match dealer to material or vice versa.

5) Numismatics, like much of life, has too many people with an inflated sense of entitlement. Dispute that? Wait for the next ultra-quick Mint sellout and grab some popcorn.

6) (Should have been number 1) The "flipper" culture. They provide nothing of value to numismatics that wouldn't work just as well or better without them. 'Nuff said.

7) Specific case of #3 above that is too important to leave unsaid - there are perfectly valid purposes for both technical and market grading. Ignore either one at your own peril. "Eye appeal doesn't matter"??? Please.

8) The "web denizens" feel they are The Real Coin Market. So do the show circuit dealers. They're both wrong. The Real Coin Market is so much bigger than both put together. It also includes in-person-only bidding auctions, major auction houses, and club transactions, among probably many others.

9) I know this one goes against two of CT's reasons for being, but it grinds MY personal gears - I have little to no use for "coin porn" or GTG threads.

10) The intermingling of numismatics and some pretty "out there on the fringe" political ideologies and discredited economic theory.

 

Nice rant, Kurt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I "liked" post 45 because it was interesting, not because I agree with every point!

 

Since I'm a "crotchety old man" of 61, collecting since 1963, with a partial disability, "interesting" is as good as it gets some days. I also give lots of time, and money (Have you seen the price of this year's banquet ticket?!?) to the ANA. See you in Anaheim?

Oh, I blasted "coin porn" threads because I have learned that I need 3 dimensions to appreciate the nuances of coins, and 2 is insufficient, at least for me.

 

Welcome back Kurt!

 

Thanks, another health mini-crisis beaten back. I'm getting good at it.

 

#1 Back in the day, people actually using currency for money instead of storing everything away for future generations so all can enjoy AU/BU+ coins

 

1. Having a dealer response that they need to sell the coin at retail to keep their business going and that they never base coin prices on the gray sheet.

2. Asking a dealer at a coin show if they have a specific coin, and their response is "No, but they provide a long story that they had one a month or two ago"

 

1. coin shop guys who don't give a kid the time of day. Even when they had money in their pocket. Their loss
2. coin album makers who put things like 1955 double die slot in the page. Really? Ok if you want that in the "including proofs" album. but consider the kid that got his or her first cent album. Are they ever gonna fill that slot? I mean really. Have an album that is realistic for a new, young collector. (OK I'm in my 60's and still griping about that one )
3. Generally, not nice people. but that's my pet peeve everywhere. Be nice, love your neighbor. It will be a much better world.

 

^ This. All of this. I can't LIKE it more than once, unfortunately.

8. Also, I don't like cleaned, DIPPED (GRRR!!), polished, whizzed, problem coins. With or without the slab.

 

That, and because I'm happy to see Kurt back, too.

 

Numismatic experts thinking that you need to regularly spend 4 or 5 figures on coins to be numismatist (e.g., Bowers, Sperber).

 

You're absolutely right! Being a numismatist is in the study of, and the interest in, and the desire to understand the circumstances, and not about owning those lofty pieces. I even go into auction lot examination rooms and examine big number pieces, in the hand. And yes, it's hard to get more "gotta spend big upscale" than Laura. Such a beloved person she is.

 

1. People marking their coins with black sharpies when Coin Roll Hunting
2. People selling coins for excessive prices on places such as eBay
3. Snarky posters here and other coin forums (thank God for the ignore feature!)

 

Well, at least you have a wife to do this for you.

 

A couple of others, tied to the bullion business: Calling gold a "store of value" and buying silver because of its "intrinsic value." Neither has either.

Gold and silver prices go up and down according to market demand and their worth is in terms of the bad old fiat currency. Pure and simple.