Okay, We're Collector's, Now What...

Well, we're all collectors, that's a given. Now what? How do you display your prize coins? How and when do we haul out our collections when visitors arrive or are they stashed away in bank-vault, safety deposit boxes? Perhaps we have personal safes which are hidden within our homes; only to be opened when midnight arrives and the witching hour is upon us... ?

Do you only talk coins online or do you have a (physical) display plan for when the odd visitor/friend asks to see what you do in your spare time?

*Granted the odd visitor who inquires about your collecting habits might make one lean towards pulling out the old COLT-45 verses the Trades Dollar but...

It is indeed a shame that our collections cannot be freely shown (within our homes) without fear of theft or vandalism by deviants who'd do such things. It really is a sad commentary on the state of society...

Well, post your thoughts...

Take Care
Ben

 

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i agree no one outside my circle of trust knows about my coins

 

There are only a few people that frequent my home that knows I collect coins. My family, parents and brother, who I trust, and my wifes family, who I dont. All of which has only seen a fraction of what I have and none know the kind of money I have put into my hobby. Certainly more than any of them have ever paid for a car, so, I'm pretty picky with who sees my collection. The way I see it, if the same people steal a $10 dollar roast from your freezer, you can count on them grabbing one of your MS Morgan Dollars, pretty sad. My collection is safely tucked inside my safe which is protected by a new $7000 dollar security system. Newly aquainted "friends" are introduced to my pool table when asked "what do you do with your spare time?"

 

I dont meet alot of folks around me interested in numismatics. Most everyone i know know i am, but very few no the extent of what i own. Most packages are shipped to my office, so my co-workers do see the pakcages come though, and occaisionaly will be shown the contained items, but thats it. 1 of my coworkers helped me move the +/- 1000 pound safe into my house, but he knows the safe as a gun safe, not so much as a coin safe.

it would be nice to keep the nicer looking sets out for viewing more, but even without the possible theft, my wife wouldnt appreciate the new 'art' as much as i do

 

I don't know too many people honestly that are interested in coins like I am too be honest. But that's cause I don't go around telling everyone. Lol. The ones that do know kind of put it off as "You collect coins? That's pretty neat" and then it kind of drops from there. Now my collection is locked safely in my safe, only to be taken out to be admired every now and then.

Phoenix

 

most people I know go into a comma-like trance when I talk or show coins so I just post them to my site and hope people wander by here and there to take a peek at what is new.

 

Only my immediate family and a few close friends know the extent of my collection. Many others simply know I collect. A very good friend of mine is the only one who I talk with personally about the hobby we both share and whom I frequent coin shows with. I'm not necesarilly affraid of being robbed, as I've said before, they'd have to lug a 1 ton safe (empty) out through a hole they'd have to make in my walls to get to my coins. It's more that nobody else I know could care less about coin collecting.
Guy~

 

I occasionally regret the fact that a few more people than I would like, know that I'm interested in coins. But only my family, and 2 or 3 freinds that are just as close as family, know how much I'm really in to collecting. Its definately not something you want to go bragging about. There are just alot of ruthlessly greedy people in the world today. Its really sad. Unfortunately though, I can't imagine any scenario of someone coming after my collection that wouldn't end with the intruder taking a bullett.
By the way, I thought the witching hour was at 3 A.M....
And I usually only do get into my safe after midnight.

 

My family and some friends know I collect coins but they don't have a clue what that really means. After getting a few responses such as "You paid HOW MUCH for that coin?!" I mostly keep my purchases to myself. The bulk of my collection is safely stored in a bank safe deposit box.

 

The wife and I have a sfe deposit box with my highenders, and I have a home safe as well. Still, many folders and a cpl dbl rows usually sit on my desk, bad habit I know.

 

Like others have said, there are quite a few that know I collect coins, but only my parents and 1 friend in particular knows the extent of my collection. - but that friend hasnt seen it all. He hasnt seen some of the "good" stuff either I showed him some common things to peak his interest.
Mostly though, for other people, its like this
them: "oh, you collect coins?"
Me: "yup"
them: "like what?"
Me: "American"
Them: "oh, cool"
and thats it...

My collection is by no means extensive. Maybe a few hundred dollars or so, but yeah.

edit: and most of my friends, except that 1, who know I collect coins, dont realize how much I know about American currency

 

Most of the people in my town know that I have *something* to do with coins. Nobody but the wife and I truly know the extent of our collection, though i have freely shown a number of beautiful coins to acquaintances around town, like a 1999 Macau silver and gold 1000 patacas, Bahamas $50 gold graded proof coins, some U.S. errors and classics. But, I am more often approached by people that were wondering what this is worth or if I could identify a coin they had found. Most of the time I don't get to see the actual coin until a later date, but they pretty much trust my knowledge on the matter.

Silver was up to $15 and a postal employee showed me a very prestine BU 1958 U.S. quarter and asked about how much the quarter would be worth. I told him that it had a spot value of about $2.70 at the time, but numismatically, it would command a few times higher than that. Of course, it seemed odd that someone would use a BU silver quarter to pay for stamps, so I pressed him a bit about where it came from

Come to find out, it was the leftover from a roll of BU quarters he had. His *better* half had spent the rest at face value!

Anyway, there are a lot of *closet collectors* out there, and that's okay. But, how can you hide a true passion for your hobby behind fear? The hobby is meant to be enjoyed. The coins are meant to be admired. There is really, in my opinion, no reason why you shouldn't be able to enjoy your coins displayed within your own home to see whenever you'd like without having them behind five inches of steal or locked inside a bank.

Unfortunately, as said before, this is the sad state of our society today.

 

Safe ?

My ,that is a hard one. If you are raising a family and sending kids to college you probably do not have a big collection. If your married with out children and no other hobby you can double up and have a hedge on investments and some nice coins. If you are single with a nice job and are "hooked" then it is like yacht racing. Drive an old car and put all your cash available into what you love to do. If you really fall for any hobby do not do it for a living ! It takes away all the fun and makes it work. Work, vacation that is why they have different names.
The fewer people that know what you have at home the better off you are. A pro can spot wealth with a quick look around your home. Good taste shows as do books and periodicals . Do not be peronoid , be careful !

 

Good the most they will see is a house that needs to be cleaned. Only my father and maybe 1 or 2 other trusted friends know about my collection.

 

I don't know a lot of people that are interested in coins, except how to spend them. But, I do keep a modest display in my home out where people can see, and the decor of my home and my bookshelf tell people that I am a coin collector. A giant safe keeps my goodies out of harms way unless I take them out for viewing, which I often do to show friends. I like sharing my collection with friends and family, and I share it here on this forum from time to time.

 

Nobody outside of my immediate family knows I collect coins or has ever seen them. The valuable coins are in a safe deposit box, and I have to go to visit them in coin-prison. It's just too dangerous to advertise the fact that you are a collector.

 

This closed thread explains why and what I did when the unexpected occured...
http://www.cointalk.org/showthread.php?t=12519

 

Some people feel safer than justified -- until they learn the hard way. Everyone should try to protect their privacy more than they probably do.

 

...now what

the big question is do you trust the mailman!!??

 

Bone very interesting thread and I did read the closed thread. As for me I don't have anything but circulated stuff in fact that's all I can afford mostly face for face. I have purchased a few coins but not many due to the $2500.00 I spend a month keeps the family dry, fed and warm if you know what I mean. I have a little safe but it's the kind made for easy transport...you know a HANDLE lol, but it is in the home office with door locked and might only keep the honest people out but wait were talking about burglers (scum)- no honesty.
I mostly keep the door locked so the kids who are more computer savvy than me don't garbage the computer up, again if you know what I mean, if the wife see's any porno on the comp. she imediately accuses me.
I have a few guns and don't hunt anymore so no need in shooting them, but I'm an AMERICAN and I'm not giving them up! but would shoot in heartbeat if anybody tried to get me or mine if they would give me time to load them.....naw one is loaded.
I have been very impressed with the notes and coins I've seen here on coin talk and a good many of you have a great collection and need to do whatever it takes to protect it!!
Whatever happened to the good neighbor policy you know the cup of sugar or the cup of milk thing, guess that stpped when the milk stopped being delivered in the glass bottles and now the neighbor's can't see that you have any milk so theres no need in being neighborly.
As it's already been said what a sad state....it's not the country we have to watch out for it's family, friends or people you are aqainted with. Several years ago while I was laying in a coma almost dead my father in-law stoled stuff out of the apartment we were living in and he is a (I will use this VERY loosley) preacher, but I stole it back lol

Very good read, thanks Bone

John