About Yesterdays Rant-An Apology

Yes, I did go over the top yesterday in the rant that insued from that members post. I was on the defensive and too much so. It started with someone outside of here telling me that my precious "Popeye" was just a dog and I needed to "get over it". I'm sorry but that is just not coming to me yet. So, @V. Kurt Bellman I am sorry I picked you out to rant against, it was not personal on any level. You were correct in that I was too accommodating, especially in this case, as the OP went way astray and I found out too late I was defending that person needlessly as the thread progressed. @eddiespin You too, I meant no harm and was wrong for singling you out in my response. I just had a very bad day and it all came out here with my frustration. If anyone ever meets me in person, you would find out that I'm hardly sanctimonious. I have no over blown ego, not vain, but that I am a humble person for the most part and willing to admit when I am wrong, and I was. I could not post on that thread for some reason but there it is. I am sorry, truly. Tom

 

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I had some of it coming, Tommy, I did lose my cool a little. I was showing a little more irritation than I usually do. Just the same, thanks for this followup. I'd like to take this opportunity to set the record a little straighter, if I could. I do get irritated when they come on here like I'm some kind of commodities broker. What you do, and what quite a few other modern error collectors, here, do, you're students of it. These others could care less about studying. To wit, how many of their coins are obvious damage, and yet, they're so hysterical, they're picking up parking lot flaws at 20X and beyond and getting offended when we're not agreeing the coins are unique mint errors? I could write the script for probably better than half of these, by now, they're so predictable. I should lay off these threads, I know, especially when I'm feeling a little fractious in the starting gate, or, as the racing comment goes. Ah, but sometimes it's easier said than done.

 

I completely agree, way too many posts of these and way too little research beforehand. Many times none at all, just someone looking for instant answers. It took some time for me to realize how far out in left field the poster was and by then I had done the damage to myself. But I thank you for your response. I was just in a very bad place emotionally yesterday, and with her coming birthday tomorrow. She would have been nine. I should have waited awhile for the post to unfold as it did but I jumped the gun. Take care and have a great Easter.

 

Can't we all just get along ...


speaking of which, I found this penny on the ground ......

Happy Easter weekend.

 

This sums up my problem, as well. What especially troubled me about this particular poster was that he admits USING one scam to perpetuate a DIFFERENT scam. Non-errors to get deeper into silver because the dollar is going to collapse. And the Chinese Yuan???? Backed by gold????? Please. The yuan is a politically manipulated currency NOT EVEN backed by what market forces back the rest of the world's currencies. It's a ridiculous claim.

I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry that SOMEBODY or even MANY somebodies are out there teaching the gullible that there is cash to be made hunting coins for minuscule errors, and it has gotten to the point where it's bordering on a sickness. It threatens to ruin the reputation of our entire hobby.

 

No need to apologize for this. With what I do for a living, I am used to being pointedly questioned. I don't have a "thin skin". My two rough days this past week were Tuesday and Wednesday, when it appeared a judge was trying to steal our courtroom win from us. We won anyway, despite a gratuitously hostile judge.

 

I didn’t see the rant yesterday. However I have seen during my short time here how insistent these one-time posters are about there “one of a kind” mint error. I have also seen how these same one time posters will often be bull headed and rude in the face of common sense and knowledgeable replies. Is the lack of courtesy a sign of the times? I don’t know. That’s for a social forum site I reckon.

I do try to put myself in my nine year old mind when I see these posts. That was when this hobby consumed me and I was sure every coin I held was special. I once found a toy copy of a Spanish Reale on a playground that I knew sure as the sun would come up was dead real. I also remember thinking everyone that tried gently to tell me it was a toy was slightly crazy.... So I try to set my mind appropriately when I see these posts. We could be grooming a future numismatic great. Who knows?

The other side of this is the obvious misleading information these people are getting from YouTube and the like. Perhaps there is something proactive we can do to stem some of that? Maybe a sticky thread titled “Please Read This First If You Watched YouTube Video So and So”.... A place where those of us in the know can dispel some of the bogus info being spewed forth by these liars.... I don’t know. Just seems there’s something proactive that a vibrant group of knowledgeable folks could do.

 

People just don't want to read " Read this first" messages, mainly due to modern society I would believe. Over 90% of people who get a new prescription doesn't read the tiny print fold up warnings, when not to..., when to do...., percent of deleterious side effects, etc. so if it isn't a twit, tweet, like, or fake news, they don't seem to care. Save your mental state, skip to the next post or just say "welcome"

 

"Just seems there’s something proactive that a vibrant group of knowledgeable folks could do." Great Idea!!

How about if we start a campaign informing Numismatic Neophytes that only 2 TPG have standards upon which they can expect a guaranteed consistency of uniformity in grading, and a secure investment. We could tell them that the premier Numismatic organizations only support or recommend these organizations.

With a stated limited guarantee of authenticity from the elite 2 TPG, this seemingly would alleviate any concerns about security/quality. Their uniform complete published standards for collecting would assure grading accuracy and authenticity. Collectors would know that any graded specimens from these 2 TPG would represent Paramount grading standards. Sales venues could state guaranteed grading practices/value, while all other practices/practitioners would be deemed, are inferior.

JMHO

 

It's April! Let's go fishin'!

 

Agreed. Posts by noob-ish coin roll hunters searching for modern micro-errors have reached epidemic proportions. It would be great if mods would bump all of those over to the errors forum (a place I never visit ).

 

I get that experienced collectors are sick of seeing new posts all the time asking the same darn questions from people who are new, don't understand this hobby well, and want to know if they struck it rich. Many new members don't understand the difference between errors and varieties, what is and is not PMD, or the difference between mechanical doubling or a true doubled die. I also agree that things are getting ridiculous where people are searching for miniscule errors with a 20x loupe and trying to be on the front page of Numismatic News with their new discovery. Some people post specifically to start trouble. Oh well!

However, some people on this forum are very happy to come off as condescending jerks and downright rude even if a member asks an innocent question in a polite and respectful manner. Like it or not, some people are easily offended when you tell them their new discovery is common, or junk, or worthless even if you are polite. Ignore them! You don't always have to respond.

And keep this in mind: When you find yourself arguing with an idiot, it soon becomes difficult to tell the difference.

 

They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience?

 

You're certainly right in that this happens far too often, but it's also only fair to remember there may be more to the story than what can be seen in a single thread. In many cases, a quick search through the new member's posting history, paying particular attention to if and/or how they've previously interacted with the offending member, can be an enlightening experience.

Also, while simply ignoring someone may seem the obvious answer, the fact is that threads live on in searchable form long after we're done with them, and for this reason alone it is absolutely worth countering what very well could be misleading or dangerous misinformation. Just think of how many times per week we see old threads bumped by someone new to the forum, in some cases genuinely trying to educate themselves. I'm sorry if you disagree, but in my most humble opinion, such people are much more important than someone here for no other reason than to be told they've just struck it rich with their pocket change and go off the deep end when told otherwise. Respect begetting respect is really a very simple concept, and more often than not, those giving it get the same in return.

Agreed, but I'll happily play the idiot if doing so may possibly save an innocent someone from being misled and/or making a potentially costly mistake.

 

When it comes to dealing with others, there are a few things that everyone needs to understand. Don't screw with another man's children, mother, or his "dog". Do so and it's game on, period, and with no apologies necessary.

My best friend passed twelve and a half years ago now, and not day passes without thinking about and missing him. You don't have to "get over it", ever, and I would argue that not doing so says much more about your character than simply moving on ever could.

 

Very true. I do not pretend that I am an expert in any part of numismatics but I know that I've searched for information and the most egregious false information has come up in a search and some of it is older and some of it is recent. If you know it's not true and you are knowledgeable in the subject, you need to let people know!

 

As a Vietnam veteran/medic of 50 years past, your final sentence brought me to tears, as I'll never forget the feeling of brotherly love for those dead young men, or for my canines who've provided so much solace in my long life, by their short lived devotion/companionship. Surely others of todays world having such a great degree of believed senseless killing can't understand. It's thought "civilization" would be better if we could think as others before judgement/statement.

Empathy expressed for those not being understood, and hope for future understanding by those harshly judging.

Rich

 

@BooksB4Coins Well said!

@tommyc03 You’re a class act. You apologized when an apology wasn’t necessary, IMHO.

 

VOID