Learning to Collect

Back in the stone ages, say the early to mid-1960's I started to collect coins.

Back then you only collected from your pocket change.

So, how did you learn what was valuable? No internet?

You learned to read.

You got a copy of the Red Book, for varieties: Frank Spadone's book on varieties.

You asked at the local coin shop.

You gathered, as friends do.


But, most of all you read.


Today, no one bothers to read.
Hey what is this?
Gee, I'll just post it to the forum on Coin Talk?

In summary, if you at least tried to find out the answer, I give you credit.

If this is your first source for info?

Then, I'll pass.

Heck, rather than say, hey, what is with this wierd penny (while I do not collect English coins, I'll occassionally look anyway) try, please look at the words: (for example) Loberty or In God do they look (again, for example) doubled?
Could this be a doubleD die? Or is it Strike doubling.
Then, we 1) know that you at least tried, by knowing some terms, and 2) hey, surprise! we know what you are looking at.

Or my grandmother left me a roll of 1916 D mercs are they worth anything? Well, since that one was already used, try $4 gold stellas! That would be more interesting.

Don't ask hey any good deals on eBay? If the deals were good I would buy them myself.


Sorry for the tirade, but..........


Hey, I try.

 

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You may find this difficult to believe, but the way new collectors learn has changed in the 40+ years since you've begun collecting. Since the internet is available to most people, asking questions is a new way to learn. The only stupid question is the one not asked.

 

Engaging other people of similar interests through forums is the way that folks learn today. I'd be willing to bet that most have spent more on their computers that us old farts did on our books. What do you want to bet?

There is so much attitude these days. I really don't know what to make of it.

The spelling police, the semantics police. Go learn the answer yourself lest you bother me...what's next?

Nightowl

 

AAHHHH, yes the internet. Read a book? Are you mad? Where are you anyway? Why just ask any kid how many books they read. Ask any kid if they want something, anything, what do they do? Why they run to a computer and type in a question. But you say don't they still use books in school? Almost NO. Check out how many schools have computers today. How many Libraries have computers. Go to a library and you'll see more people on the computers than reading or looking at a ......., now what was that thing again? :hail:
All kidding aside if you stop and think about it those that do that are actually better off I suspect. If you have 25 books on coins, for instance, your possibly relying on 25 people to tell you your 1943 Copper Cent is not real. However, that same question on the internet could draw ideas, suggestions, answers, explanations, etc. from thousands or even more individuals. And many may know what they are talking about. If not, many more will jump in and say so which will get you eventually some kind of answer.
I'm from a time way back before computers, the internet, even no TV. No CD's, no DVD's, no 16 gig flash drives and not everyone could even read anyway. To find out anything about coins, you just didn't.
Not to many years ago I was telling a neighbor kid about that and the response was "So what did you hook up your Atari machine to?"

 

Theres nothing wrong with asking questions sometimes. But you shouldn't have to ask every time you don't know something. A very small amount of research will answer alot of the most frequently asked questions. I don't know what they're teaching kids these days, but when I was a kid (Very recently) and we asked a question like how to spell a word, the teacher told us to grab the dictionary and find out. This subject also reminds me of a recent conversation I had with my friend's dad who is a doctor. He works with med students alot, and asks them questions just to see if they know the answers. He says that in recent years they usually don't know the answers. They rely on google, lol. If I ever catch a stray bullet in the chest, I hope the doctor doesn't have to do a google search to find out how to save me

 

In case you have not noticed, in today's society, the rules go;

1: Let someone else do it
2: If not, it is someone else's fault
3: If rules #1 & #2 don't work, the government will give it to you

 

As a new collector myself, I tend to learn by reading online. If there is a question I simply cannot find an answer for, I will ask it. That said, you'll notice I haven't posted a question yet. When I do eventually get stumped and reading fails me, I will be posting that question. There are many knowledgeable, seasoned collectors here, and I value that experience greatly. :hail:

-Shaun

 

Last summer a lady down the road ask a teenage boy if he would cut her grass and do some weed eating for $50, he laughed and said, " if I want $50 all I have to do is ask my folks". I can't understand why America is so far behind other industialised nations and some 3rd world countries. Its sad, very sad...

 

Because a good portion of this generation have been handed everything without earning it.

-Shaun

 

I love this!

As far as how one should learn I don't think there are any hard and fast rules. Do I think some people are lazy and only interested in quick answers - Sure. But hopefully these are the exception, not the rule.

 

There is logic in the post. I need to catch up on all these numismatic books you all keep talking about. But I do appreciate the help I get from the people on this site. You people are awesome! :high5:

 

My wife is an elementary school librarian. She pushes books....books to learn, books to read for enjoyment, books to generally experiance life as we live it. She is at odds with the administation which feels that books are "old school" and the internet and electronic age is the way to go. All ya gotta do is go Google. It's really sad because sometimes the stuff you pull up on the internet hasn't been verified in any way....total mis-information. Whatever happened to good old fashioned research? I admit that the internet is a wonderful tool but it should be used in conjunction with "hard copy" published material. Too many people rely on "Google" and Google alone and they are missing so many wonderful reference sources in the form of books and periodicals.

 

I don't think that I would have such a big problem with it, if we were really having people who cared about collecting and were interested about learning more come here.
It seems as though every week we get somebody who comes here, asks for info about their coin (which is worth less than $20) and we never hear back from them again.
I think it is all wonderful to help others and all, but for simple stuff that they want to know...Why can't they stop being lazy, and go to eBay's completed listings, or go to a coin shop?

 

I had Elaine's mintage thread BOOKmarked for a few months before I joined.

 

I wonder how many youngsters can find their info. thru the
Dewey Decimal System.. Or is it obsolete?

 

Dewey Decimal System? Is that some kind of new search engine? When it comes to pricing, what book is better than The Completed Listings of eBay?

 

When people join here we tell people to ask questions to get help they need. Are we now saying we don't want them to?

I think most members here are very happy to share the knowledge they have. If you don't want to share your knowledge then don't. I know at times it must get frustrating for Doug because I have seen him get asked the same questions over an over. But, he is nice enough to continue answering over an over.

If one has a question about a particular coin or series is it practical to go out and buy a book to get an answer or two?

Some people the expense involved with buying books makes it very difficult for them.

If you buy one book say for an example Buffalo Nickels you are depending on one person's opinion to be totally accurate and contain all the information. On the internet one can find numerous sites that contain collectively a lot of information. I would also venture to say on occasion an author of a book is wrong or incomplete at times.

I don't think people are necessarily lazy because they don't want to sit down and read books about a coin. It is much quicker to try to find the information on the internet, I think we can all agree free time is at a premium these days. Whether we like it or not the internet is where people go today for information whether it be about medications, diseases, today's news, or coins. It still requires research to do it to form an adequate opinion or to find specific information they want.

 

I don't think anyone here has addressed what Frank was getting at. He wasn't saying using computers is inferior to using books when researching coins, or any information. What he was saying was most people don't even use the infinite amount of information contained online to do any actual research, but rather rely on others to answer their questions and take it as fact. I mean, there are literally thousands of coin reference books for free online but instead of taking the time to read them many just come to places like this and expect a readymade answer in five minutes. Thats not research, thats plain laziness.
Guy~

 

truer words have never been spoken.....that being said, sometimes the opinion of several knowledgable people is more accurate than prices or pictures in a book....take prices for example numismedia, coin values, redbook...all considered inflated by most of the users here.....