Numismatist vs Collector

I research the provenance, history, and catalogue listings of all the coins I acquire. I'm not sure where this places me, but I love doing it!

 

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Ain't that the truth!

 

I aspire to be a numismatist. I've acquired books and catalogs but before I get around to reading them I get distracted by something shiny.

 

I believe most people are a mix of the two except perhaps a few numismatists who study coins but own none because they work in a museum or run a service like David Sear.

Signs of a Numismatist are:

1. Having an interest in coins that are not likely to ever be in your collection
2. Being able to ask several questions about a coin other than how much it is worth
3. Discovering that every answered question generates two more questions
4. Retaining interest in a coin when the price/value drops

Signs of a Collector are:

1. Trying to figure out how to label coins so it takes minimum space
2. Wanting a catalog number but not caring how that number was derived or what would have to change on the coin to change the number
3. Knowing how many coins you own and how much they are worth but not what they are
4. Having pride in owning something the other guy does not

Like I said: Most of us are a mix of the two.

 

I love history and art. Ancient coins put both in my hands. I make sacrifices in order to do that. That is all I know.

 

1st set:
1. yes
2. yes
3. yes
4. I'll get a lil' disappointed, but yes

2nd set:
1. no
2. no
3. I'd like to know how much my coins are worth for the future, and yes
4. who wouldn't?

What does that make me?

 

I enjoy learning about coins - (a la reading Magnus Maximus' enlightening dissertations). Does that make me a 'Numismatist'?

I collect coins that are in my price range (and some that are not). Does that make me a 'Collector'?

I have bought over 1000 coins, (but I have NEVER sold a single one). Does that make me a 'Hoarder'?

I think that putting a label on me just makes me confused.
That is what I am - 'Confused'.

 

Numismalector Hoarder?

 

Normal

 

Yah, I guess I have a few numismatic-tendencies, but I'm certainly not hardcore
... my favourite part of the hobby is definitely hunting for my next target (I love when a new bunch of auction-coins come out => I love pouring through them and identifying the top 20 or 30 potential targets ... and then reducing that lot down to the top 3 or 5 potentials ... and then finally settling on my primary target ... and then obsessing about it for the next week or so ..... gawd, it's a sickness!)

=> I'm an addict!! (oh well ... like I didn't know that, eh?)



Oh, and my other favourite part is obviously "posting" my precious lil' babies once I've adopted them (yah, I love all of my coins ... even the nasty early ones ... they'll always have a place in collection/hoard) ....

I'm a collector => boxes of vinyl, towers of cds, piles of VCRs & DVDs ... books, hockey cards ... I love putting stuff in order (OCD) ... gawd, I'm definitely a collector

... is that wrong? (as long as I keep my spending within a healthy-enough budget, right? ... budget is the key, because merely amassing debt is not a fun hobby)

 

I am confused no longer.
Now, how do I say that?

 

i was thinking about this the other day, i'm not sure what my answer is ...but i've enjoyed reading the posts here.

i would say i'm a beginner amateur numismatist/ coin collector. ..30/70 split.

i could tell you a coin is a roman provincial of probus and a year 2 tet from alexandria with a glace, have no idea how many obverse dies there are, wouldn't catch a minor legend error, and wouldn't know if it was strange if the eagle on the reverse faced the one direction instead of the other (would know it strange if something like a horse was on there instead of an eagle)... and i it don't own emmet or milne.

but i do i want that coin for the right price!

 

I think this describes where I am at the point, too. I reckon that the percentages for some of us may change, heading more towards the numismatic aspect, the longer we stay in the hobby.