Until you refuse to sell a coin for 20 times the price you paid when you cherry picked it just because you would prefer to have the rare coin than the cash.
Until the only money you have left you can not spend, because it is part of your collection. Until you have so many coins laying around your house, people think that it is just your weird decorating style. Until you dream about coins Until you check the take a penny leave a penny bins everywhere you go. Until you have stopped all activity at a bank showing off your newest acquisition.
you're not a real coin collector until... you plan "an educational" summer vacation... drive to Colorado, see Pike's Peak, the Air Force Academy in Co. Springs, and oh yeah... a quick stop in Denver to see the US Mint!!! You know... while you're in the neighborhood!!!
.. or start to tell your wife that the kids would learn tons about our government from a trip to Philadelphia!!!!
....or when you offer to help your wife find a second job so you can afford more coins. This can be VERY dangerous though.
Until you master the art of convincing your wife that some coins bearing a date after 1899 really are collectibles, really. And if you should fail, then finding places to squirrel them away before she sees them and adds them to the food budget. It does add a bit of spice to collecting. ..JD
you know clem, maybe that's MY problem... I always got the extra job!!! ::: making notes::: ... number 1... need to get wife another job... number 2... buy more coins...
You're not a Real Coin Collector .... if your wife or husband REALLY knows how much money you have spent on your collection :secret:
My wife just came up with a third note. Increase your medical and perhaps life insurance policies. She seems to think you might need them.
LOL....oh, oh; the spouses are getting involved. Watch out when it's suggested that you increase your life insurance and medical.
So True. How about ... you know you're a real coin collector when you realize the true extent of your collection is unknown as you know better than to keep all of your coins in the safes. Yes.. safes. Three safes and they still don't hold 'all' the coins.. just the ones you have had to confess to owning. The rest are stuffed in various other places throughout the house and country and will likely be auction in an unclaimed property sale in the event of your unplanned death....
You are not a real coin collector until you realize you do not have to tear apart 2X2s and leave the sharp edges of the staples exposed to ruin a coin. All you need to do is get a firm grip on the cardboard, put your thumb nail next to the coin on the cellophane and with the other hand hold the coin firmly, then pull down on both sides and the coin will likely break the seal of the cellophane and you can get it out without actually opening 2x2. You can also use a sharp exacto knife and slit the cellophane so it will open easily so remove the coin. Of course with both of these methods you will need to be very careful. jeankay
Until you've spent too much at the coin show and now have to figure out how you're going to put gas in your car for the week.
....or when you offer to help your wife find a second job so you can afford more coins. If your wife doesn't have the second job, that doesn't leave you anytime to collect coins and read up on them. Vegas Vic
1. When you hold up the only vending machine at work since some of the coins you are going to use just doesn't look right 2. All the bank tellers head for the back when they see you because they know you are going to want them to look for something 3. In my part of the country, when you show someone a presidential dollar coin their response is something along the lines of "I have heard of those" 4. When you sister , who know you have a modest collection, keeps reminding you that her grandson has begun collecting.
Got to love that one. ahahahahahaha! Lmao! This one I truly identify with! Given I get good deals (most) of the time and occasionally pull a gem out of my ear to show her, I never reveal 'all' the goodies from any particular purchase all at once. Spread out the 'ooo's and ahhhh's' every so many months so instead of 1 purchase it seems more like half a dozen small purchases. Meanwhile, after that big purchase and what you are willing to show and discuss, you are still plugging away at many more smaller purchases and stashing them before she gets home from work!