21st Century Collecting Rant

Not wanting to start a war here. Just something that’s been on my mind. And unfortunately I have a bad habit of speaking what’s on my mind.

Look, I completely get why grading has so completely consumed this hobby. I get it. But really, don’t we have collectors and investors that this hobby caters to? Does the average collector REALLY need to concern himself with full lines or full strike or MS whatever.... Unless his objective is to turn a profit on the piece? Which ultimately makes that person an “investor”?

What gets me is that the younger folks whose posts typically revolve around just these topics. I don’t know that I have yet to see a thread about the historical importance or the artistry of a given piece or even the soldiers or settlers that may have treasured the piece in a different century.

Look, I know collecting is different for everyone. But it just seems to me that when our entire focus is on the quality of each piece, we are losing what’s really important about the piece.

There.... Rant over... Tar and feather me now.

 

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I agree with you completely.

 

Quality rules the day right now. You won't see threads about historical importance and FBL or MS ect because generally speaking those coins are unafforable in MS and the FBL coins in the more modern era don't get looked at that way.

Is it a shame that so many coins have kind of been diguarded to widgets, yes it is but it is what it is and people adjust. There are also many moderns that older collectors would call trash that the younger collectors are interested in

 

@Randy Abercrombie
im with you 1000% and i will admit that im getting rather fed up with the number of people who come to this site not to discuss coins or their history but to find out how much their dang crappy zincoln is worth which is one of 100 double* dies from the single squeeze method of die production but dont have the good sense to tell the difference between a road rash and poison ivy

Chris

PS. and this is how they right and punctureate!

 

Agree 100% Randy, the collector's motivation seems to have changed a lot over the years.

 

Somewhat guilty as charged.....but not totally...but I agree as there was a time never buy a slabed coin....now I won't buy a sticker...one!
Funny that the wife pointed out to me just last night how things change...
She reminded me that when self check out's in food stores first came into play.
I refused to use them...as doing so took a job away from a real person.
And that's true! It does....
I also wouldn't use a bonus card or club card....big brother tracking your every move.
But it is true about this hobby....few and fewer want to learn how to buy a raw coin with the same confidence as one entombed in plastic.
We are very plastic ourselves....only wanting the very best ,and pass on a lesson to young and new members that really isn't what the hobby is about.....
It is about coins all coins from AG3 to MS -70 .
Those of us who show their age....will tell you of a different time.....and in defense of current trends....we lived in a golden age...not only TV but a time when collecting coins was a true hobby....not one baised on TGP's not one baised on stickers , not one baised on granny bait of late night tv.
It was baised on pocket change, mail order catalogs, coin club meetings where "You and Another Human Being " sat eye to eye ,spoke to each other and tal,ed about coins....and if you were going to sell or trade a specimen you talked it out in a civil manner.
No slabs, no stickers....just 2x2 's and envelopes full of treasures be they pocket change finds,or coin shop buys.

 

HERE HERE! Thanks for this post, It should be required reading to anyone joining this site!

 

You are very correct. And I am first to admit I am an old fashioned curmudgeon. I often say, when I die I sure hope God has a 1975 section set aside for me in heaven. Things made sense then....... But look... I enjoy a beautiful proof as much as the next guy. And I reached a place in life where I can enjoy and treasure a few finer pieces..... Yet, that’s not what holds my awe and wonder even still. It’s about the history that piece speaks when I hold it. And that’s what I believe should be getting vastly more attention in this age of sterile coin collecting.

 

Well us old farts live in the past as there's not much future left! LoL
Other then watching reruns of "That 70's Show"

 

I fell in love with the hobby partly because of the coins and partly because of the history. I've bought many books and am constantly improving my grading skills. I think I have a pretty good eye and I know what appeals to my eye. I don't really pay attention to FBL, FH or FS, primarily because I don't collect those series. Even when I have added coins from the series, I'm not really paying attention to those attributes. I'm looking at field condition, strike, luster and any distracting contact marks.

That being said, I am not ashamed that I predominantly buy my coins already graded. I'd be suspicious of a raw coin in grades I'm looking to buy. I do take the time to judge the coin in the holder and not buy blindly.

I've just recently started buying raw coins for my Dansco. I only buy raw when I can judge it in-hand. I bought 14 raw coins at the last coin show I attended. For example, one was an 1894 S Barber Half. Condition is F-12. The patina accents the features/devices well. I paid about $40 for it. It has some very faint hairlines when viewed under a loupe. It's going in the Dansco. I also bought a 1877 Seated Dime in the same condition for around $20. But when I'm buying them for my other type set, I'm spending a lot more and those coins generally reside in TPG holders.

 

I don't know about you but I still live there. I don't buy slabs, I don't care about stickers, my coins don't have to be mint state, but on the other hand I do collect mainly 18th century material.

 

I don't know about the investment part. I collect ASEs in a Dansco and buy one every year. I looked back at some receipts and saw that for one year I paid $38.50 for a single coin. Silver was high then.
When I started collecting coins I just wanted an example of this and that, not really paying attention to higher grades. I got satisfaction from just having a Walker or Mercury dime.
But as I accumulated these trinkets one day I decided; Man I have a lot of junk.
Now further along in collecting the satisfaction comes from having higher grades, FBL, FSB, full horn, etc.

 

One must realize that buying a graded coin dos not make you exempt from makings a mistake....after all we are humans. More ways then one.... where all our emotions as well greed can make a sound decision not so sound.

 

I think part of the problem is that we have run out of historical content to discuss with modern coins. I was on the ancient forum a while ago, and the majority of the talk is historical, rather than technical. Perhaps if the U.S. mint focused on meaningful, historical releases, rather than breast cancer awareness, there would be more historical chat for moderns. Even so, I will agree that the repetitive banter about large and small dates, and machine doubling is unnecessary. The only thing I slightly disagree with is some of the comments about grading. I believe that grading is instrumental to the hobby at this point, and for modern coins it guides us in terms of what to add to our collections.

 

But shouldn’t purchasing a coin be an emotional purchase? Just yesterday I gazed at the Gold shelf in my favorite dealers place. Among all the perfect slabbed St Gaudens and immaculate bullion coins was one homely, scratched classic head half eagle. It just melted me. I don’t know why. And that was not even the reason I was there. The piece had to come home with me and I’m looking at it now. Still mesmerized by it. Totally and completely an emotional purchase that I didn’t need but fully enjoy.

 

Well we all collect what we like....and sometimes it is good to walk in a different direction....2 weeks ago I purchased a groat....doesn't fit my collection but was something once I saw it ...it was a had to have.
Yeah sort of a dumb move somewhat... but it spoke to me and now I can speak about it...lol

 

It should be whatever someone wants it to be and makes them happy. Who says that nitpicking something isn't enjoyed in more ways than one anyway? Remember when you're talking about forum posts a lot of people look at a picture looking for a reason to trash the coin, some do so just to try and knock the TPGs others have their own reasons.

Don't take it so literal and assume the owners aren't liking the coins. Often times it can be the oldest "saltiest" if you will who don't really collect anymore who are the ones that suck the joy out of collectors purchases the most

 

I totally disagree as history is always in motion ,how it effects you well that depends....one quite a few reasons....be it ancient or past,or present....history is alive in each and every minuite.
As far as your commet on the breast cancer ,I believe and you should as well that the awarness is something that effects all of us Male as well Female!
Most forget cancer effects the old and young and both sexes. As well as other living animals.
Finding the cure to one type of cancer may be the link to stopping another.
One must also remember thst it is isn't the mint whom makes the call but congress. That said I say no more.....as that's can of worms.....or snakes all craw on their bellies.

 

This is kind my problem with that coin. Is curing cancer a great goal yes, but coins are supposed to be something of an escape. I really don't want a cancer subsection or a terminal illness short set to commemoratives. As bad as breast cancer is there's also much more deadly ones and diseases, I don't like the idea of saying this one is worthy of a coin but these aren't