Well I started off a few months ago with world collecting by buying bulk lots, then sorting them out and keeping the older ones. Well that was fun, until I had a bucket full of old coins, with several from all over the map. So I decided then to focus on one country at a time, and a I chose Great Britain, mainly because I already had quite a few coins from them. Well now I have a nice little collection built up, including almost every denomination. Well...except for gold that is. I have a little bit of a US collection, worth around $200. Now, if I wanted to, I could sell it and buy a half sovereign. Part of me wants to, and part of me does not. Thoughts?
I find more pleasure in 1 quality piece than a big bucket O'junk. No offense to the "stackers" out there.....I'm talking modern world coins only! Buy the Gold, it's a beautiful coin!
"Thoughts?" Half Sovereign --> Somalia Republic Legal Tender Motorcycle Coins are what you're after. That'll unstuck ya!
It really all depends... what is your goal for your collection? Are you a collector or an investor? What makes you interested in coin collecting, the history or the value? These are all questions that you will have to answer for yourself. All that I can say is that, for me, I find that I need middle ground. I would not be content with buckets of worthless coins or one very valuable coin. So if you are no longer interested in US coins, why not buy 4 or 5 coins that interest you.
I think you are stressing too much. At your age you should be collecting knowledge, and not worrying about buying gold Tim. I will bet anyone that your tastes will change in a few months. Just LEARN, especially from experienced collectors here. God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason.
I've decided to only sell part of my collection, and keeping some of the better coins. My interests change over time due to money. I like to keep about $300 worth of coins for a year or so, and then sell, and then buy something else. I've gotten to hold a lot of neat stuff this way. Once I get a full time job, that will change.
I'm going to comment on the inefficiency of Tim's collecting model very briefly: Don't buy/sell coins with a year time horizon. Now, more importantly, on the Somalia coins, is there any difference (mintages?) between the 2007 and 2009 versions of the coins?
If I had the money to do so, I would not collect that way. I've held over $3,000 worth of coins over my lifetime, and only have $200-$400 worth of coins at any time. Say whatcha want, but I've enjoyed doing it.
Tim how old are you if you don't mind me asking? I'm 26 just so you don't think I'm picking on you. Just trying to get a feel for your age and mentality. Trey
Interests change for a variety of reasons. The best advice I can give you is to never ever buy junk - ie lowgrade stuff. I learned the hard way back when I was 13-14 buying stuff because of the date or buying a Mexican two peso because it was gold. Over time I evolved to only settle for the best I can possibly find - even if like in the case of my English Noble from Edward III it took almost 18 years to find the one that was clipping free and was high grade. Of course it was in a Stacks auction and came from a well known collection and has a price tag to reflect all that. But I love the coin. I am still in awe of what a magnificent masterpiece it is now five years after I purchased it. It was worth the wait. I could have bought any one of literally dozens of nobles over the years, but I just had to find the one that was "the one". Maybe because I waited for so long to buy the piece it means more than coins I spent even more for, but waited less time in the hunt. Now I am still on the prowl for the right Massachusetts Pine Tree Shilling - been about 10 years I have really wanted one - just haven't found the one that is "the one" yet.
Show us a picture of that Noble Scottish. I'm betting its your avatar but I can't get a good look at it on my phone. I'm not familiar with this coin and would like to see yours.
No, that is my Thistle noble from Scotland from 1588 - my Anglish booty is imaged but not uploaded on my host. I don't own many Anglish coins, but when I do, I go all out.
I couldn't tell from my phone. Just a shot in the dark guess. I'd still love to see an enlarged photo of your Scottish thistle. Also if you ever get it uploaded I'd love to gander at that noble one day.
That's good.....you've enjoyed yourself, but may I make a suggestion Tim? You mention British coins as your current fancy. Why not concentrate on one particular issue that you like, rather than try and haphazardly collect all coins from the UK. Specialize in something, and by that I mean go out and get the reading material associated with the issue and educate yourself a bit before you get into collecting them. Once armed with a bit of knowledge you'll be ready to purchase what you like. And, if down the road, interest wanes, you can always sell and concentrate on another endeavor. You've been given some worthy advice in this thread Tim. I encourage you to take heed.....
You're not "stuck", nor are you looking for advice. The only thing you want is for someone to agree and/or say you're doing the right thing, so go ahead and buy... in a few weeks there will be another thread about wanting to sell this one for something else or because you're broke again. You say you've handled over $3k in coins, but how much have you lost? No fluff or nonsense claims... just ask this question to yourself. Many of us surely remember the bust and LS coins you were buying, bragging about, and selling a short time later with most going at a loss. How long did you keep the last gold coin you bought? Say you "enjoy" this all you want, but for someone in your position, this is senseless. One does not need to collect or have a constant inflow of new material to enjoy coins, so why not do the smart thing and continue to collect low value or spend your time learning? Buying (not stealing) books can be just as rewarding as buying coins, and what you can take from them can be much more valuable in the long term. Until you and your interests mature, you're likely going to stay on this buying merry-go-round, so do yourself a favor and hop off now. Detecto posts... our own little bizarro version of Groundhog Day.
I like the new commercial for XX. Girl leans over and whispers in his ear... "I have no idea what that is." Commercial ends.
