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

Yeah there absolutely is some of that. I remember not long ago when the much publicized 43 copper cent went to auction, we saw quite a few pretenders to the throne show up here.

 

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Confirmation bias is a very difficult thing to fight against, because people tend to believe what they want to believe despite evidence or examples to the contrary. In these cases, people who get an idea in their head usually hate "expert opinion" that contradicts their lofty and generally unrealistic goals. That's what the majority of "get rich quick" schemes exploit. They tell you that you can find dazzling riches that few people know about from simply searching through circulated coins or pocket change. Deep down people simply want to believe it. For those who don't know any better, who wouldn't want to believe that? They may have friends or relatives who had some luck in casinos or lotteries and they think, it happened to those regular folk, so it's just a matter of time for me. The scammers also likely have a trove of stories of people who found unbelievable rarities right in front of them.

Sure, others may have failed, but people also want to believe that it will be different for them because they're smarter, more dedicated and have "better luck" than others. Schemers play on this psychology as well. For people caught in such mental traps, expert opinion won't sway them a nanometer because they're on a mental high that's hard to crack. They've been duped, in other words, and they will usually find out the hard way. Confirmation bias remains one of the toughest things to crack in all of human psychology. Playing on it works too well.

And in the end, there is always a chance, albeit a very small one, that it will happen to someone. It very likely has. Despite the microscopic odds, this makes it even harder to argue against someone caught up in some nasty scheme. Such scams will probably endure as long as humans dwell in the universe.

 

It's not really a hobby to them, Chris, only sometimes they don't even realize that. FWIW, I found a nearly perfect 1946 dime in the Coin Star the other day... it really is MS condition. It is the birth year of my departed little brother, so I give it a bit more regard than usual for a coin of this vintage.

 

I had a freind that was 110% convinced that a thousand dollars worth of Iraqi Dinar would make him very wealthy. Was supposed to revalue at some point. Fellow was a savvy guy and I did much business with him over the years. He studied and often showed me where his evidence came from. I remember thinking that it sure appeared to be a scam. Fellow went to his grave believing that stack of useless paper was his fortune. He was a coin collector too and had a very sound approach to his coins.

 

This is precisely why I don't bother with the neighbors. I don't actually care how nuts they think I am.

 

Yes, even experts and very intelligent and erudite people can fall for confirmation bias. Many simply do it to themselves.

 

I don’t click into threads like that, because they are not interesting. I like this idea of a section of CT for such newb queries, but who would ever want to go over there & answer?

I always admire the kindness & patience with which some CT gurus answer a few of these (kind of dumb) questions, and then when the questioner argues, as they sometimes do, I get salty. You can usually tell who has read some good research & who is a YouTube dope. I think those type will give up and move on to some other interest fairly quickly.

 

We get so many of those posts because common cents are, well, common -- as opposed to common sense.

We all like to harp on study -- "buy the book", "learn about how coins are made", and the like. But there's a difference between "this oddity caught my attention, I wonder if it's important" and "this oddity has given me a new passion in life, I must learn all there is to know about it."

If you really wonder why these threads keep showing up, you should probably take some time to study... psychology. @ewomack's post can help you get started.

 

They find a website, snap a cell phone pic of a coin and registered for the site. I don't really call that research; but, that's just me. Okay...maybe it is the most preliminary research possible. But it sounds like when I wandered into my Dad's office as a young person and asked him: "Dad, why .....(something or other)" He could have answered me, but he immediately directed me upstairs to the library to consult the Encyclopedia Britannica. After I did that he was available for a discussion (which usually led to more reading).

I am not saying they should not ask here. Of course they should.

I wonder if there should be a basic page of reading required of new CT registrants. like a true false quiz and once they finish that adequately, they are allowed onto the forums to ask about a coin? Would that be wrong?

 

Wow. This isn’t going to make me popular on this site but do you guys have any idea how pompous you sound? “ Maybe they should find another hobby...” Maybe you’re right but who gave ownership of this hobby to such a small group?

I’m trying to learn what you guys know and thought this was a good source for interactive instruction and information. I was a trainer for AT&T and was always happy to answer questions for my people because it reflected well on the company and on me. Today I train a number of people on metal detecting and, yes at times it’s annoying and repetitive but I volunteered to help them and so I do.

I’m probably one of the people who set you off and I apologize. But it’s hard ( for me at least) to differentiate between a coin damaged at the mint and one damaged through use. The damage looks the same. And I know a little bit about dies and the processes and I’m trying to learn more. But it seems I probably need to find another source for that information and help because I don’t want to upset you fellows.

 

I appreciate your intent, but it seems rather unrealistic to demand people attain so much knowledge before joining. I will say, however, that when we were kids, there was ONE encyclopedia. You flipped to the letter and there was a finite amount of information. You go to the library, and there’s a Dewey decimal system that directs you right to a bunch of books on a specific system. What happens when you go to the Internet? Literally ANYONE can post anything on the Internet. Now you have to not only know precise lingo of numismatics, but sift through pages of junk. Research was much easier when we were younger.

People don’t have to answer the question, they can simply provide the reading material to help the person learn about it. The problem is that there’s no single definitive listing of numismatic references, and not all of them are available.

In summation, this is exactly the place to ask questions about stuff we know nothing about. I see it as our responsibility as gatekeepers of knowledge to collect and pass it on. If people don’t want to take the time to learn the information after it’s been presented, they get ignored.

Just my two cents.

 

Don’t take it to heart. A lot of us see the exact same craziness day after day and it tends to make one a bit jaded. Empathy and perspective are great ways to combat this.

 

Thank you. Very well written. Somewhat related are many people's attitude toward luck. Many think they are luckier than other people, or they think that because they haven't had luck in the past, they have to be luckier going forward. These attitudes keep most casinos and lotteries profitable. They are also present in some aspects of coin collecting. As in some folks thinking they are more likely to find a valuable coin in circulation or rolls than other folks. Or that because they searched a 1000 coins yesterday without success, if they search a 1000 today their odds will be better.

Cal

 

It's easily fixed with proper moderation. Many internet forums have similar issues. The posts are deleted, or the thread is closed, or the user is banned.

Sorry if this is controversial or causes you to feel angry, but the moderation on this board is horrible.

 

There is a difference between someone who wants to learn and someone who is only here to find out if they became rich.
And 90% or more come for the rich part.
The folks who want to learn show there respect in their posts, and most of them stick around and become knowledgeable. They will use the search function and educate themselves. Some don't post again unless the search function isn't helping them. These folks aren't the so called thorn in the side and have nothing to do with the conversation at hand.

It is the newbies who come here and ask questions thinking they already know everything, the ones who doubt the answers that they are given, even when multiple collectors/members give the same opinion. These are the folks that we are conversing about.
How dare you tell them they are wrong.

I don't believe that any first posters are treated in an ill manner.
So a jaded answer usually comes in 2nd 3rd and further posts.
This is when the (newbie) isn't seeing the big picture, They could care less about learning. They expect the answer that they got from another source, that is when jaded sometimes comes into play.
It isn't always easy to answer these questions day in and day out.
But, I would say everyone gets a fair shake.

 

Then why do you allow these threads then (see pic)?
There is like 3 on the What its Worth forum right now that don't even make sense.
Delete them! Ban this edited!