Do you have coin cred?

The only coins I know well are the Kiwi pre-decimals and thats only because there are less than 250 of them!! But that doesn't include die cracks or any other varietys of that type. So I have no cred and I seem to learn at least 25 things about coins every day.

 

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"A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds endemic to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites. Most kiwi species are endangered. The kiwi is also a national symbol of New Zealand."

So, you are an expert on birds?

(Just kidding.)

 

Howdy,

I'm pretty new to this board, but not discussion forums. I've been collecting for ~50 years, but consider myself a rookie. I read a lot, however, and continue to learn.

There are quite a few very bright folks that post here and after you've read them all for a while, you start to realize who really knows and who doesn't. It's like all discussion groups in this way - there will be lots of different opinions, but by reading the various responses, you can separate out the real facts. Besides, if anyone posts something that's clearly wrong, someone will correct it.

Learning, about coins or whatever, is a lifelong journey. Enjoy the ride.

peace,

rono

 

No Credentials here. Accumulating coins for 38 years. Picked up one or two things over the years. ALOT to learn now compared to the old days. errors, attributions, DDO's, RPM's, ABC's and all that new fangled fancy stuff. Still fun though. 0-118, 0-113, 0-109, 0-101, 0-121............. BINGO.. nope, Overton numbers for Bust Halves!... Gosh I love this ..

 

I try not to give opinions unless I can demonstrate a fair degree of confidence, and then I sometimes get it wrong anyway. I do not have any 'official' knowledge in numismatics. Sadly don't have much time to study it, wish I did. I would agree with other posters here in that you have to be on the boards for a while to know the other members, and develop your own 'confidence scale' of the opinions they give.

It is informative to read comments made by the moderators of another forum some of you visit, one that is dedicated to ancient coins. They are quite clear that a poster should not speak on a subject unless they really know what they are talking about. Threads tend to be rather succinct.

 

The thing about the Internet is that the is no credibility. Anyone can sign up for any forum and start posting. Sometimes you can tell experience from a tyro but most of time you can't. Try to take anything said on line with a grain of salt and get real advice offline.

Online you also have the pile on effect where one guy says something and the others just jump on the bandwagon without know anything about the subject. Also, it's often a popularity contest. As an online "community" you get cliques, the cool kids and the outcasts. Everyone plays a role.

Words on a page typed by a novice 12 year old often sound like an experienced collector. The more you read old posts and keep up with the new ones, you will begin to see who is a sage and who is full of it and themselves and you learn to take what they say with little merit.

 

Hello,

See my motto...
You can have credit on one subject in some place and stay a newbie on another subject and/or another place

Cucumbor

 

I know nothing and I'm still way to new at this to think that I will not continue to make mistakes. That's OK as long as I limit those mistakes and use them as a means to learn.

What I have learned is that it is OK to give an opinion if asked (at least on this forum). I think this group offers a great opportunity to new collectors because of the size of the group and the different levels of knowledge. I believe it is OK for new collectors to give opinions, as it is a learning opportunity for them. The comment that even the most knowledgeable are still learning should really be considered by the less knowledgeable collectors. With all of their knowledge, they recognize that there is still more to learn even in areas where they are considered the expert.

Everyone should conduct themselves respectfully and check their egos at the door. Those that want to insist that their view/opinion/idea of fact is correct should reread the last paragraph. This is a great place to enjoy the hobby and learn. There is no such thing as a stupid question and for me there is nothing better than learning an assumption I have made is not correct - it means I have learned something. I'll never be offended by someone correcting me and I am always looking for constructive feedback.

My point is I am happy that the moderators here do not squash the newer collectors opinions and comments. If you read enough on this forum you will understand what is likely accurate and what is suspect.

Consider this - I think your credentials are as much about how you conduct yourself, as how much you know.

I mentioned in another post that a thread I start is an opportunity for a discussion and rarely do I start a thread that I hope is short and to the point. That is like a lost opportunity to delve into areas I have not even thought to go. Join the discussion, ask questions, make comments, and enjoy the experience of learning something new...

 

Like many here I too have collected longer (35+ yrs) than I've studied (6 yrs) a particular series. Like Jim, Bust Halves have caught my eye and Overton Numbers light them up, <VBG>

Take Care
Ben

 

I read a forum that is much like the one mentioned above and after a few years there I have found that one must, like has been said here, be wary of 'experts' and know who they are and the nature of the forum.

The one I go to is run by a coin dealer and many of those who are held forth as experts, the credentials they have are merely that they are also dealers...While it is a great place if you are looking to simply identify a coin...cointalk and most coin forums will have people who have enough experience and books to ID a coin for you...when it comes to discussion...there are severe limitations as it is the forum of a dealer and as such certain things cannot be discussed, a few of these things that cannot be discussed are major omissions in my opinion.

For example..one cannot make suggestions or referrals to sellers other than the seller who runs the forum...a few other referrals are begrudgingly allowed by the other sellers who are considered experts...

Most people given the title of expert are also fellow dealers and often the expertise is lacking I have found (but in the case of a handful, they are HIGHLY knowledgable)

Discussion in some vital areas is censored...a vital area of discussion on a forum concerning ancients is forgeries. only select people (who are mostly dealers and make their money off selling ancient coins) are allowed to comment on fakes. While I would always defer to a few of these guys I truly think are experienced enough to make such judgments (I very seldom feel confident enough to comment on the authenticity of a coins, a search of my posts here and elsewhere will show that...only the most obvious ones I will comment on)...the problem is, discussion between all members regarding the general problem of forgeries is stifled...the reason given is a dishonest one in my opinion...it is that they dont want to scare people away from buying ancient coins by letting it be know how common forgeries are on the market and how easy it is to not only make a fake coin but make a good one that will cause the experts to question.

If anyone has read this forum they will see that many so called experts will be shown a coin and 3 will say its fake, 3 will say it is without doubt perfectly fine. and if anyone has seen the massive amounts of fakes...and high quality ones, ones that end up fooling half your experts, you will know this is a huge problem in collecting ancients...I know what they look for to judge a fake, and many fakers do as well...and this needs to be known...So any discussions of fakes and how prevalent they are, and how experts are often fooled by them is stifled as there is a conflict of interest between the experts (who are dealers on the whole) and the truth.

I in fact saw several experts deliberately giving out false information regarding fakes...when I questioned this I was told not question the experts...the false information was

1. That is is very difficult and expensive and requires expensive machines to create a good fake coin (this was said in an attempt to belittle the threat of fakes on the market)....

Fakes fool experts...and if a few guys in Bulgaria can make a set of fakes that fool experts...imagine what a good fakemiester in a more wealthy country with more resources can chug out and how many are out there that have fooled the experts...It a huge problem and there should be no censorship of honest discussion about the topic...just my opinion...

So in essence...my point is, know thy forums and experts. Know if there are conflicts of interest...

Dont get me wrong though, when it comes to identification of tough ancients you are having a problem with, the forum I mention is top of the line, it is good for indentification and it DOES list fakes...and that is what most coin forums are good for...help in identifying and general coin discussion...I love the forum, dont get me wrong...know the nature of the experts and the forum.





http://www.cachecoins.org/coins/4.jpg

 

There is nothing at all wrong with that, most don't. I don't.

 

I got my first coin folder when I was six years old. Until about a year ago I hadn't done anything in coin collecting other than picking out older stuff from my dad change. But about a year ago when cleaning out my closet I found my old coin folders. I was back in. Since then I have lived and breathed coins (ancient and American), in fact, my dad has even told me to back out just a little. I'm a rather bright lad (All A's and B's) with a lot of spare time, so I've had a lot of time to collect and study coins (ei. cointalk, red book, cherrypickers, photograde, handbook to Roman and Greek coins). In a years time I've have learned a TON of stuff about coins, but I have only really scratched the surface.

 

WHAT!!! I would think the first thing you learn in coin collecting is not to scratch the surface!!!

 

Not a one, but I am a good listener.

 

you can never amass all the knowledge, but you can amass enough to know that someone somewhere will be the expert you can go to for the judgement calls. Maybe someday, in some series you could be that guy. But it'll take awhile

 

ok BOOM! you're dead festus! i mean marshal.............just kidding gunsmoke. just have fun and collect what you want and sell what you want and slab what you want and...........................just have fun!

grizz

 

best advice one could give IMO.

 

I am credless ....i just lurk, learn, harass and amke random observations.

I do have an odd habit of remembering some of the oddest factoids shared in here and then regurgitating them at a later time.

I'm also a little compulsive....must have collections, more collections, and spreadsheets of said collections

 

My grandpa got me into collecting when i was 6, and i have been seriously collecting since i was nine. (im gonna be 14 in a month) I have been working part-time at our local coin shop since june 3rd. Im still new, and will be untill i fit the age steriotype for coin collectors But i spend about 12 hours a day learning as much as i can.

 

Just for the record:
Dennis Weaver ... Chester Goode (172 episodes, 1955-1964)

Chester, not festus.