Liquidating my collection

Currently, I am in the process of selling most of my collection because it is a pile of stupidly purchased random amateurish impulsive overpriced buys so I will be waiting until I truly figure out what type of collection interests me to start again. My problem is that I like all coins. Ancients are interesting, World is interesting, Errors are interesting and I like it all so its too easy for me to just by any coin that comes my way but I would really like to actually complete a set. I need to set a focus.
I'll update when I figure out how my new collection will run

 

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"Sets" are overrated. Most people I know who complete "sets" find the last few very unsatisfying. Coin collecting is the pursuit, not the finish line. This is why dealer, if they buy a set, immediately break it up and sell the coins individually. No one wants to purchase a complete set, since that takes the pursuit enjoyment away.

Do what you like sir, but I find nothing "amateurish" by buying coins you find interesting and enjoy. I have collected that way for over 40 years now. Its YOUR hobby, pursue it the way YOU wish to enjoy. Do not let anyway, including me or anyone on here, dictate how to pursue it.

 

I'll give you $5 for it all.
Hey, I don't want to overpay either. haha .. just kidding.

I've also probably over paid for much in my collection. But it also depends where you bought stuff from. I bought a lot of my current stuff from a coin shop going out of business. I would check their price against eBay. Of course, some stuff that was popular then is worth less now. Other stuff was a bit over graded, etc. It's all a learning experience but I'm still happy with what I have for what I paid for it.

I'm smarter now, but it's still a gamble when you add time and trends to collecting.

 

I just need a focus...

 

Actually, I'd rather buy a set than spend time putting one together.

I enjoy the coins, not the pursuit. I hate the pursuit, one reason I've abandoned trying to put together any set except for maybe a draped bust set but I have to save up $$ to buy any individual coin for that so its taking a long time.

This is probably the reason my collection isn't larger .. having to buy an individual coin instead of batches and sets. Most of my collection (excluding silver/gold stuff) is when I bought out a going out of business coin shop.

Yes, odd aren't I.

 

Hey Coin Blazer.... Everybody should collect what interests THEM ONLY. Who cares what anyone else thinks. Through the years like many of us, Most of us bought somewhat expensive coin(s) and sold sometimes cheap because either we lost interest or went by someone(s) opinion(s), Or just got tired of them. Finally i found out after all these years that the 100 year commemorative coins (1916-2016) Interests me, And that's what i love to have. We've ALL been there. Good luck on your next venture.

 

Start doing gold type set's..........they are fun to do(if you have not done it already).
Start by buying a 1 dollar, then a 2 1/2 dollar, then a three dollar, then a 5 dollar, then a 10 and 20 dollar.

 

Well, the questions always becomes, are you in it to make money or enjoy the hobby. I'll assume you have some spare dough so making a profit is nice but not necessary. When you are taking your last breaths think of the fun not the frustration.

edited to fix quote tags

 

I was like that when I first started out. no focus. then about after 5 years(into coins 20 years now) I discovered I very much like thee older world coins from the 18th and 19th century. I have/bought the 17th , 18th, 19th to date Krause World coin catalogs. If you like coins as much as I do. You go page by page to see what coins are out there. There I fell in love with certain designs on some coins. designs and grade rarity get me. I agree with thee others buy what you like/love. you are the one getting the enjoyment out of the coins.

 

That's why I like type sets. You get a taste of everything without going down a path of putting together a particular series. I'd bet that you'd find one particular type interesting and may pursue adding more to the series. Sometimes putting together a complete series can be less rewarding than focusing on a subset.

 

You should collect double eagles based on your profile picture.

 

Seriously though I would start a type coin set. Then you can have a coin from every type that you want and it would fit within your guidelines of having a main focus not to mention it is really fun to build!

 

I've been trying to do that for almost 50 years, but somehow always end up with the "Hey, look at that intersting shiny thing over there" syndrome

However, being focused on a topic does have a lot of advantages. I'm sure you noticed on many posts that there are members who seem to specialize in things like VAMs, early copper, errors, bust halves, etc. There are just too many topics in numismatics to be an expert on everything (although there are some members here who think they are ). Narrowing your focus will give you the opportunity to develop a high level of expertise over time. The hardest part is figuring what topic you want to specialize in.

Also, IMO. Hang on to what you have. Chances are it may not bring much and end up being hard to find a buyer. I started collecting when I was in elementary school and still enjoy some of the low value coins I put in 2x2’s back then (like a 1968-S and 1974-S cent with the dates written in my 5th grade penmanship).

Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

 

Yeah, I hear ya! My collection is extremely eclectic. I stopped doing sets about 30 yrs ago, for the reasons that have already been submitted by others...they're overrated. My main focus now is to acquire only what I like (& the best specimen I can find). Since I already have a substantial collection, it affords me the opportunity to be very selective, as well as opportunistic (I can strike at a moments notice!)

The only difference between us is that I still ain't getting rid of what I already have!

 

@CoinBlazer, Please read what you wrote and think about what you said. You are selling your collection because and you list the reasons. Then you state you will wait until you figure it out. You list what interests you and stated you would like to complete a set, figuring it out and then we will be updated.

The MOST important thing you said was "I need to set a focus". In the 4th post, after 2 responses, you once again stated "I just need to focus...". You've already said what you need to do. FOCUS!!

It's your collection. Do with it as you will. But why do anything with it at this time? You are truly undecided. What if you focus, make a decision and then act on that decision? Have you sold coins that you now need, since you're focused?

Consider what is happening and how you feel. If that collection were mine, I'd keep everything I've bought, tuck it away and forget about it. I'd find something else to do until I know what I really want. Then I'd make it happen.

What your original post told me was you've made a mistake and you admit it. Think about what you're doing because you don't want to repeat your mistake.

This is the best advice I can give you as I can't help you decide what to collect or when to collect, nor how to collect.

Best wishes,

Collecting Nut

 

My only advice: For maximum fun, don’t collect what you think you ought to collect. Collect what you want to collect.

 

Roughly translated, CoinBlazer, You are fascinated with almost every coin that ever came into existence, so collect 1 of every coin, every date,every mint mark, every variety, every country, including tokens exonumia and ancients. That what I want to collect, but that is too broad

 

Out of curiosity, how and where are you selling (without running afoul of CT rules)? Remember that selling coins is a big learning opportunity, too. Remember your experiences as you do this, and keep them in mind as you get back to buying.

 

Rather than overpay why not make a collection for face value by CRH with copies of the Cherry Pickers Guide as your guide. After the books your major cost is the coin holders. Major finds are easy to sell and the cash you get can be used to purchase what you are missing. Minor finds can also be traded for other minor varieties. If that is not active enough to suit you add RPM to your collections.

 

I collect cash too. Go to the bank and get an uncirc, BEP strapped 100x stack of bills. Do you know how cool those are to pull out from SDB time to time and shuffle through them. Who cares about inflation and that stuff ...

You don't have to collect every coin that came into existence. You could just collect one type of a type of coin. For instance a 1917 Type 1 SLQ, and a 1918 SLQ Type 2 to represent 1917-1930 as they are all the same (to me). I don't really track varieties much nor errors.

And for instance the various variations of Shield Nickels doesn't matter to me. I liked the Type 2 Rays around the eagle version as my primary one. The rest aren't on my list to "collect" just to have them for a "set". To me they all have the same eagle on it, so I don't differentiate them.

And I buy what I can afford to satisfy my reasoning to have it. Slabbed MS whatever does not matter to me.