How open are you about your collecting?

I am open with my family, most of my friends think its silly so I don't talk to them about it , my coworkers thought I was crazy when I was buying junk silver from a friend of my bosses for 9xface....but as far as neighbors and strangers....most of them really don't want to know what the 6'5 tattoo'd guy collects. I'm fine with that.

 

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im kinda open about it. its something i know most people dont care about but i like looking at others collections while having them look at mine.

 

In addition to coin collecting, I have a number of other "interests" such as knives, antique guns, target shooting, photography, ham radio, flashlights, electronic gadgets, Civil War history, Miata sports cars, creating business web sites, and my grandchildren -- but almost nobody else gives a 8#@##% but me. Even my wife rolls her eyes at most of it (except the grandchildren part).

So, long ago, I gave up trying to interest other people in what I do, or even to tell them about it. It's like trying to teach a pig to sing, it is a waste of time and it annoys the pig. :hammer:

 

Sounds like you will never be bored dear fellow.....

 

Certainly not bored, but it would be nice to be able to share my enthusiam and interests with people other than those on the end of a computer Internet connection. No offense, because I'm grateful for having at least this way. :hug:

 

Exactly, I think thats another reason why I lost interest in 1994. The coin shop I went to closed and took the coin club with it, life of being a teen then and most of all, no one around me who was interested in coins.

If it wasnt for a e-friend brining it up and finding out I "used" to collect at the time, who knows if my interest would have been rejuvenated.

I tease her now though cause I am back to collecting full force and free money for dvds, going out, & so on is now tossed to coins.:goofer:

 

I live in the sticks and have never had anything stolen since my youth around here. I am not planning on being the 1st tho and have been considering a safe for my colection although it isnt to valuable as of yet. I love talking coins and talk to just about anyone but most just smile and nodd while I jabber away LOL. The nearest dealer is 45 minutes away so I never leave empty handed as it is like Christmas for me when I visit.

 

9000 plus people know I collect coins and am a die variety specialist. If your going to be in the buisness you can do it no other way. "what are you gonna do?" But you know I'm one of those wild and crazy guys, "I don't hide from nothing or no one". If I were just a collector and really had that much of value here I would probably take stronger steps. All coins that I find that are very valuble (and I do find them pretty often) are sold in a day or two. "You pay your penny and take your ride" I guess but I pity the guy's family who tries to come in here when I'm here! That plus where I live there are 4 older people who actually write down the plate numbers of those that drive in this dead end road all day long. Combine that with safes, double deadbolts, iron bars on all windows and doors, well,,, if they want it bad enough and make it through all that and me, well, "they can have it". After all "it's only money"! There are much more important things in life!!!

 

I don't hide it but I don't go talking about it anybody and everybody, either. For instance, I am a fan of several numismatic things on Facebook (Including CoinTalk)....but in my year plus on there only three status updates has been about numismatics...and one one of them was very specific.

I even use my real name as my username on all the boards I post on.

I'm a generally pretty open person, I don't like hiding and sneaking stuff around. I can keep secrets for decades (in theory, I'm only 25) but I am not the kind of person who likes to do that.

Luckily (?), I am pretty anti-social and don't really talk to anybody that often.

My direct family knows, my best friend knows, and my friends from these forums know. If anybody else knows about it, it means they were paying closer attention to what I do then they normally do...which is not too likely.

Besides, I have nothing worth stealing. Just barely getting by, you know?

I've shared the best I've got, and it's the kind of stuff that most on the forums consider to be not worth collecting, or at least it seems that way. I don't mind, though, because I enjoy it.

I sometimes wonder if I should be a little more guarded then I have been and continue to be. But I figure, I've gone this far, why turn back now? I've been using my real name on message boards since the year 2000, when I was 15. But on any of the other message boards I've ever posted on, no one has ever been concerned like they are on this forum, and they are usually ALWAYS more open and stuff like that (I've been invited into people's homes without really knowing them more then once, but I don't really take them up on it because that's not the kind of guy I am) Also, on the other forums, it's abnormal for people to NOT use their real name, or at least sign it on posts/emails, whereas on these forums it's rare to see a real name as a username, and some people protect it like it's a national secret...guess it's the mindset.

 

Im very tight lipped about it all. Just immediate family. Judging by their continious lack of response it seems they're not interested it in the least so thats fine by me.... however some days I do miss some type of comradery with someone. Im thinking about joining a local club at some point. Im very much on my own when it comes to my immediate or other family members, so any cool coins I grab I dont even bother sharing it with anyone.
Coworkers or neighbours? forget it...its my business.
Tho my collection is replaceable, I just wouldnt have the time or most importantly the drive to start from scratch.
My coin mags are brought by Canada Post but they are delivered to a super-mail box set up that needs a key. Kind of like a condo/apartment type set up but they are located outside on the boulevard.
I remove the address labels from anything numismatic before I put them in the recycle box, or shread if its manageable.
I don't have the desire to put some of my stuff in a saftey deposit box, as they are all in 2x2's and albums, or airtights and drawers, or a large suitcase full of Royal Canadian Mint collector stuff so I'm thinking it would be kind of expensive.
Its always in the back of my mind so Im always cognisant about who or where I discuss coins.

 

I am open and I share a little bit of what I collect when I am on here and on another gold and silver forum but outside of those two forums, Nobody knows that I collect silver art bars except my parents. I do not discuss my silver art bar collecting hobby to anyone outside of the two gold and silver forums that I post on.

 

I suppose I'm fairly open about it.... to certian people. Some I just say, "Oh, yeah... I collect coins. Some have interesting history.... blah blah blah", while others I have discused certian coins. I don't really feel like one of the people I've told will break in and steal them because, if I'm even on a talking basis with anyone (in real life)... I pretty much trust them. (I'm highly intreverted)

 

I would say I am fairly open, my coworkers all know about it as I read my mags during my breaks and sometimes they ask questions. I don't tell random strangers but who does.

 

I don't question the integrity of your contacts, its just if they ever unknowingly mention it to anyone who would do the research and find out where you live, is what you've got to worry about.

 

The older I get the more open I get, but that's only because I feel good with the security level I set for myself and family. We all have different needs based on where we live, the risk of what is kept in the house and many other factors.
Each of us have to set our own comfort level based on the risk we face.

 

I am often open about what and why I collect. I don't think that marks me as a target or a SOFT target. It doesn't mean that you can follow me home and find nice coins or that coins would even be kept at my house or even unsecured if they were. Coins are easy to hide and protect. I don't usually brag about any exceptional coins I own with fellow club members because many of them can't afford much and I don't need to do that to validate myself. If the opportunity to share arrives I usually do because I'm enthusiastic about collecting and I don't like feeling sneeky and secretive about it. If I am worried about anything it is a good idea to carry pictures of a coin instead of the actual coin itself. Although it is mainly a personal enjoyment, I don't worry about losing it through conversation. My collection is substantially smaller than say a dealer that traveles with an inventory and I don't think they worry much if they take the right precausions. Just my opinion.

 

I do share my collection with immediate family, but I make a point of not mentioning anything to neighbors or anyone in my community. When I have repairmen or trades working at my house, I'll cover my displays and computer with a tarp and set a can of paint out. It's easy to remove when they are gone. I don't think I am paranoid :rolling:, just cautious with strangers. You still have to hope your mailman is honest and tight lipped. Others sharing my interests are my coin dealer and those on the internet.

 

Thats the best policy

 

Please don't tell me this is a geeky hobby!!