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

So True! ...but some, even here, defend the ¢ with a passion.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

When I was a kid in the '50's my father ran a neighborhood grocery store. We delivered free to the old people in the area, and I was the delivery boy. Many times old ladies would let me reach in their huge glass jars for small change as a tip. I picked out quite a few indian head cents over the next 5 years. My mistake was giving them to my father for change in shiny new pennies (his idea, not mine). Years later, he sold those old indian head pennies for a good chunk of change, none of which I saw. But I still think back to those days when old ladies had no idea of the value of old coins and just threw them in those huge old glass jars. Ah, the memories!

 

Honestly, CT should have permanent threads at the top of the Error page (like it does for 2 headed coins) with different categories of damage and very minor die varieties and errors. Coins deemed to be damaged should be removed and placed in those threads. It should also do the same for very minor errors and die varieties.

One for Environmental Damage.

Another for Minor Grease Filled Dies.

Another for Repunched Mintmarks.

Another for Close/Wide AM cents and no FG coins.

Another for Die Cracks.

Another for Large/Small Dates.

This would help unclog the error section and other sections littered with damaged coins and worthless die varieties. Coins with multiple errors/varieties would stay in the regular listings.

The only problem I guess is sometimes people are wrong when stating what is wrong with a coin. Even us experts misattribute things once in a while. But then they could be placed back in the regular error thread, right? But there could still be disagreement.

For example, look at this coin. Is this an error? If so, what is it? A rolled thin planet? A weak/die adjustment strike? A split planchet before strike? Grease filled die? Circulation wear? Damage?


Anyway, it's just a thought....

 

This idea is along the lines of what I was thinking when I suggested that new CTers who wish to show us their errors or ask the value of coins they think are error coins must first successfully identify certain types of damage and types of 'doubling' before being able to begin a new thread in the error section.

It could be presented as a fun challenge and they could earn some sort of badge or acknowledgement. That way, experts would know that they have attained a minimum level of ability and have showed interest in learning about identifying errors. Heck, I wonder how I would do on such a quiz! We could take it until we 'pass' it.

I still come up against areas of CoinTalk where I am not allowed to respond to certain threads. That never caused me to leave CT. Maybe if we expected more of our newcomers it would help them.

Just another thought.

 

Chris- I don't blame you for being annoyed (if that's the correct choice of words to use..) at the New coin collectors who post dumb questions for common coins that are too worn and are not true error coins ect...the list goes on. I am one of the New collectors out there and I definitely have a lot to understand and learn in regards to it. I"ve read up on what DD ,DDO or clad or error coins and so forth and every time I think I'm truly starting to understand what i'm looking at within my own coins..... I am wrong. Hence- that's why I still continue to ask the simple dumb questions so down the road I don't go and spend money to have worthless coin graded. I thought that this site was for people who want to learn from others ...getting insight from those who at least know better then a new collector. Of course there's many other things this site offers to all, and I look forward to one day being able to just read up on new articles ect instead of just learning the beginning crap of looking though coins. I do hope (although I get its a Long shot to find a valuable coin to sell or auction...but I really want to put together something cool for each of my kids as my grandparents had done for me.

So... if you have read my reply up to this point, i'm sorry I will continue to be one of those people who will ask the questions you want to just skip over. ( I do not check You Tube either for info on coins). Not mad at your statement or others, im laughing cuz I will be posting another dumb question after I finish this reply. Enjoy your week : ) …………. oh- and I don't usually proof read what I write before posting replies. im sure some sentences didn't quite come out right.

 

I like that idea on how to break up the categories... I don't always know which thread to post my questions ect to and who not to annoy with them. lol.

 

Please don't eliminate the 'What's it Worth' forum. Granted, there are several posts by new members looking to make a quick buck, at least one nearly every day it seems. But, that forum is of tremendous value to new members who are geniunely interested in collecting and preserving the coin(s) they have discovered and simply lack the expertise to make a decision.
The title of the forum allures the fast buck seeker; maybe a more subtle replacement for the word 'worth' is in order if you wish to discourage those particular posts.
I am a new member and old geek who has rekindled an old passing interest in collectible coins, and I find the 'What's it Worth' forum invaluable. It is far superior to Photograde, as not only can you see greater magnification and thus more detail, but you also get a real life expert's opinion of the many aspects of your coin...grade, errors, rarity, numismatic and monetary value, etc.
Thank you to all the members who take their own valuable time to reply to and to educate those of us who wish to learn. It is sincerely appreciated.

 

Hiya @Cat27 - I know you were not speaking to me specifically, but, if you don't mind, I have a few observations about your response to Chris.

1. You may not yet know it, but on CoinTalk those who ask about their coins almost always get responses from experts - (real experts who would easily qualify, for instance, to testify as expert witnesses in a court of law about their areas of emphasis)- not merely others who have at least better knowledge than a new collector. I believe that people asking questions here do not appreciate that they will and do receive responses from some of the most important collectors and numismatists around. They are not just a little more knowledgeable than newbies. (I am a brand newbie numismatist).

2. I am dismayed by your stated goal - to not need to have to continue learning the "beginning crap" required when looking at/through coins. I believe it takes many years of consistent practice and study to get to the place where you hope to arrive. I hope that as you dive into the material, you will grow to love the study part of coin collecting for its own sake.

3. If you are planning to make the valuable coins you may find the gifts you leave to your grandchildren, then you may do better for them by purchasing coins that have already been certified actual 'errors' or by setting a modest sum of moolah aside for them so that they can acquire something to their own liking.

Just my two cents offered with good intent and welcome to CoinTalk.

 

Best Answer nominee.

 

First, welcome to the neighborhood, Cat!

The newcomer to the hobby is not expected to know the correct terminology, and that is what makes it so difficult. Most of the experienced collectors don't have a problem with helping those who really want to learn. Unfortunately, a lot of the newcomers seem to think that they have been given enough information from other sites (usually BoobTube) to form their conclusions so that when they do come here, they resent that our opinions differ (sometimes drastically) from their own.

By the way, the only proofreading that I do is for my own text. I'm a lousy typist, but when it comes to spelling and the use of proper grammar, I'm OCD! Rarely do I put someone down for their "abuse" of the English language unless they have done something ridiculously wrong to deserve it. Some of the "youngsters" were born with a cellphone in their hand, and their methods of texting are sometimes foreign to me. So, if I don't understand what they are saying, I will ask.

Chris

 

First, welcome to the neighborhood to one of our Down Under collectors. I must have missed your first posts back in December.

To be honest, if it were up to me, I might rename the "What's it Worth" forum to something like "It's only worth what someone is willing to pay for it." Unfortunately, that title is a bit too long.

Chris

 

But back in those days, those old coins had very little premium value.

Doug beat me to this one.

 

Is it me, or does it seem like every month or two there's a "bash the newbies" thread that pops up. Thus rehashing everything over and over again. LOL

 

Make a sticky.

 

I’m more amused by the Lincoln error threads than I am annoyed. But also a little disappointed that new collectors seem largely oblivious to all of the other great things this hobby has to offer.

 

Ironic isn't it .. shoe = CT .... sticky = newbie

 

Have you not noticed that over a period of a month or two pretty much EVERYTHING pops up again and gets rehashed over and over again?

 

And what if said people were not attracted to such threads? Remove a half dozen or so regulars and this place wouldn’t be much better than YouTube with the garbage spewed.

Instead of belittling them for often reasonable frustration, maybe, just maybe they should be appreciated for lifting the load the vast majority here refuse to.

And with few exceptions it’s almost always those who rarely ever show up to actually try to help the folks they claim to so deeply care about who also make the biggest stink over the behavior of those that do.