Why do we get some many non and new collectors posting common cents on our boards?

I'm new and I can tell you for a fact that one of the main reasons why "any error" is starting to become something is due to the lack of errors now available. I've been looking for a dd, ANY dd on ANY denomination. Mainly pennies, but I've probably gone though penny by penny one by one about $500 or more worth and can't say that I have found anything that's even on the PCGS list.

 

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Simple, UTube and get Rick quick schemes.

 

who's Rick?
and why would we want him ? LOL .... R..I..C..H

I don't understand the "search for errors" generation.

 

Another typo. Yes, rich

 

That’s why I encourage people new to this hobby to get a Red Book and read it, pick out an issue or two that appeals to them and actually COLLECT coins. Don’t start out with this largely fruitless search for errors.

 

I don't even know what a Red Book is. I do have a simple collection of pennies, mostly from circulation but all red or red brown. The objective being to collect all major varieties of Lincoln cents 1909 to 2019 in as brilliant as possible. I'm not willing to pay for a penny anything more than a penny. It kinda stops being a penny when you do that. So most of coins come from circulation but none the less I've been able to find lots of very clean still pristine condition. I haven't gotten to the way early years yet, and I'm sure those will be a real challenge finding in good condition circulated, but I'm in no hurry to finish that collection since I'm not having much luck with the minor varieties. Some of the minors are error, true, but there are lots that aren't and, really, I'm not really looking at so much that it's a minting error or not. Truth be told I am looking for valuable coins, the value of those coins goes hand in hand with the rarity and popularity of the coin. I do know that there's many other coins out there, such as just simply hunting for MS69 & 70 coins that will also make for some good finds, but those require a good amount of learning before I can effectively search and find that kind of coin. Errors are easy and popular and have the most value. That's where everyone's going to want to start.

 

Hmmm, I've always called that place "A bag of hammers."

 

I hazard to say that whoever believes that nonsense doesn't understand the hobby, or is in it for the wrong reason.

 

Treasure hunters, maybe. But not coin collectors.

 

Studying errors is a wonderful way to understand how things can occur in the minting process ....and also, how things can not happen.

 

If one truly understands the minting process, which most don't.

 

Yes @Clawcoins,

I had a general understanding that there were two dies and a collar and one die slams down against a piece of metal with a great deal of pressure and makes a coin. I knew there were years when mint marks were put on by hand and years when coins were made of different metals or alloys than the year before. Stuff like that.I had no idea, until I began to look at many coins carefully, read and ask questions here on CT, and then read some more, about all the possible things that can go wrong with dies and planchettes and how those things could translate to the coin surface.

It is useful when an experienced error expert shares their knowledge (this was pliers, that was a dryer or train wheel or spooning). But then we should be off to read more about what we have just been taught. I do get the impression that many times people are asking about their coins, not to increase their numismatic knowledge, but only to find out whether a coin in their hand is valuable or not.

 

50,000 coins and you haven’t found anything. Doesn’t that tell you something? I venture to say you could go through another 100,000 and still be right where you are.

 

Every collector is concerned with the value of a coin. If nothing else, it represents the barrier one has to cross to add the items you want for your collection. The trouble is if looking to make money or get rich from coins is your only concern, chances are you are not going get very far in this hobby on any level, including the profit motive. If you want to make money, you need to have an idea as to how collectors think.

 

Food for thought: when we were kids we had THE encyclopedia. If it wasn’t there, it practically didn’t exist until you could get to a public library, if there was one nearby. Nowadays, there’s so much information. I bet a lot of people typed in their coin and found CoinTalk. They actually went through the effort to register, start a message and upload a file. Many here might think that lazy, but it sounds like a form of research to me.

 

I use search engines on a regular basis, and I also have a numismatic library that has at least 500 to 600 books in it. The Web is great for fining information quickly, but you need to augment that with further studies to make sure that what you are reading is true.

 

Sure, but that’s an unrealistic expectation for newcomers.

 

It seems like new folks that are looking for error coins show up here in groups. It's like they all watched the same video and started looking for more information. It's cool we have so many here that try to help.

 

I have gone through many hundreds of thousands of cents. I have found 2 1995 DDOs in that time. It helps to know what to look for, but they are likely getting scarcer as they get found and removed from circulation.

 

No, the pieces in circulation are getting scracer and harder to find. The pieces in collectors' and dealers' hands are increasing which make them more common with respect to the numismatic market.

Back in the day, I knew a dealer who put together a couple of rolls (50 pieces to a roll) of those coins. They are not scarce, and I would not place much stock in those who claim that they are "an investment coin."