I’d like to get to you know you a little better…..numismatically.

I think this would be a very interesting thread. I'd be very interested to see the results.

 

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@Jack D. Young, counterfeit expert.
@JCro57, Henning Nickel expert.
@SteveInTampa, Paper Money expert.
@mlov43, South Korean coin expert.
@paddyman98, Error & Varieties expert.
@johnmilton, Classic U.S. Coins expert.
@Lehigh96, Jefferson Nickel expert.
@ddddd, Toned Coins expert.
@Denis Richard & @robec, coin photography experts.
@KBBPLL, Barber Dime expert
@dcarr, minting expert.
@messydesk, VAM & photography expert.
@Dansco_Dude, vintage coin albums & folders expert.

I'm sure I'm forgetting others that I would consider experts and I could make a much longer list of members with valuable opinions and knowledge that may not have specialized interests or have interests I'm not aware of.

 

You forgot me. I have decided I am an expert at spending too much money on coins!

 

I don't consider myself an expert at anything but Conder is an expert at varieties of large cent. I haven't seen him in a while.

 

I've been interested in coins since 1985 when my dad gave me some leftover change from a family vacation to Canada (Niagara Falls area). I was hooked. Since I was only nine at the time and had no allowance my buying power was limited so the only coins I accumulated were ones I found in change or were gifted to me, like an SBA Dollar from Sunday School and a 1921-S Wheat Penny won in a contest.

Can't remember if it was 1993 or 1994 I attended my first coin show near where I lived. I was in high school by then and had a part time job working for Dad so I took like $10 with me and bought some coins but I can't remember what I bought I think a Walking Liberty Half was one of them. Back then silver prices was like $4-$5/oz. Man I miss those days! Course minimum wage was the same amount.

College years 1994-1996 was when I really started collecting. There was a coin shop in the city where I attended college in fact it was very close to the Wendy's restaurant I worked at so I would stop in there occasionally and buy what my college student budget allowed mostly cheap foreign coins, wheat cents, mercury dimes, Buffalo nickels,etc. I also did a lot of searching in change for dates and mintmarks.

2002 collecting came to a halt when I lost my job (long sordid story). Took several months to find a permanent position but I had to sell my collection or lose my car. I sold most of it but kept a few favorite pieces. 2003 I started change and roll searching again and 2004 I started buying coins again after two year hiatus.

I collect pretty much anything, US and foreign coins and currency. No errors, and proof coins just business strikes. Since I have most of the 20th century sets complete except for the keys like 1909-S VDB, 1916-D Dime, and 1893 Dollar, I started on the 19th century series until that got pricey so I began focusing on foreign coins. Now that silver prices are out of hand I've been collecting more currency in order to scratch that collecting itch. I also like CWT and will buy souvenir tokens, medals, elongnated cents, and wooden nickels when I'm on vacation visiting a tourist area. When visiting a foreign country I like to pick up coins in circulation there one time I found a Danish 10 Kroner in Oslo.

I also like collecting foreign coin folders and albums especially out of print ones and postcards.

Do I consider myself an expert, no. If I'm an expert on anything it is the travel industry.

 

Now that's a niche that takes dedication. There are over 200 varieties of 1859 cents alone, as you pointed out here https://www.cointalk.com/threads/canada-1859-1-cent-varieties.212250/.

 

I hoard all coins silver. I collect only Morgan dollars. I'm no expert for certain, I know just enough to get my bank account in trouble.

 

I use the term “counterfeit researcher” to describe myself…

I am an Engineer by training and collector of low grade early large cents and counterfeit researcher and author on the subject of the recent deceptive struck counterfeits; founder of the Dark Side- Counterfeits and Fakes and Fun with Fakes Facebook watch groups, participating member of Early American Coppers, the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, C4, the NLG, ANA and ANS.

I actually started collecting as a youth with my grandmother filling a Lincoln "penny board" mostly out of circulation back when the dinosaurs roamed the land... She actually took me to my first coin shop in the Dayton Arcade where I saw my first large cent, and that was as they say "history"!

I joined Early American Coppers (EAC) in 2002 and continue to collect low grade early large cents by date and some varieties but became interested in the latest deceptive struck counterfeits back in the fall of 2015 with the "discovery" of a fake 1798 "S-158" large cent by a friend and EAC dealer.

I have participated on the subject of counterfeits and their effect on the Hobby in meetings in DC with Staffers of the Senate Finance Committee, a Senior Member of the Secret Service (both with the ACTF as an Expert Network volunteer) as well as conference calls with agents of both CBP and the Treasury.

Articles published on the subject include several in EAC’s “Penny-Wise”, the LSCC’s “Gobrecht Journal”, the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C-4) NL, 1 in ANA’s “Numismatist”, 80+ articles in Coin Week and 2 articles published in Coin World this spring. I have been acknowledged for the counterfeit research by Q. David Bowers in his recent Book "The Copper Coins of Vermont", in the Colonial Newsletter (CNL) and awarded the ACTF's Alan Kreuzer Award for 2019 and again 2025, as well as the PNG’s Sol Kaplan award in 2022.

 

Mostly a hoarder since about 1950... I do love to read about and see coins and then get obsessive about getting one of the ones I have seen.

 

Not an expert on any coins - I collect US circulating coins and some proof sets and have a few ASEs, AGEs and platinum from around 2000 just because. Everything I have is raw, but the better ones I bought slabbed and cracked out to complete albums.

 

I started out early. One of my aunts left me a collection consisting of old Whitman albums for IHC, Buff nicks and Mercs. Later on, while still in school I was employed by a local coin dealer to help around the shop. Considered a vest pocket dealer after that I haunted as many shops and coin stores I could reach. Of course life has a way of reminding you that you have to spend money on things you don't want to so I've 'cashed out' my collections on several occasions and taken long breaks from the hobby. As I near retirement I'm more focused on rebuilding but still get sidetracked by work, etc. No, after nearly 60 years of collecting I am in no way, shape or form an expert on anything but I know what looks good to me and if the price is right, I'm right there.

 

Yes, I've had my fingers in many of the 1859 pies. I've co-written a few Vicky articles in the Canadian Coin Journal, as well as the aforementioned Vicky variety guide in the back of the 65th Charlton. But, still, the font of knowledge is with Rob Turner and his 5 BOOKS on Vicky varieties, 3 of which I was invited to edit before publication. Tks KBBPLL