Many of us introduced ourselves in the introduction pages, for many that introduction may be outdated. For that reason, I offer this thread for you to speak about your focus, specialization and interests. This will help the general novice population learn who is who. Feel free to tell all you want.
OK, I'll play..... I will freely admit I am likely the least numismatically educated member here on CT. I started my collecting in 1969 and for thirty-five years enjoyed the rich history in a worn slick V-nickel and the like. The good Lord has been kind to me and I can now enjoy quality examples of my coins. I truly get lost in the history. Much like when reading a book can transport you to another place. That is almost exactly what holding an old coin does to me...... I will never find an interest in errors or varieties. Only the history.... I think I could best sum myself up as being one of those guys that knows a little about everything but knows a lot about nothing. And that suits me just fine.
i collect pretty much anything, but my focus right now is on cents. i am really just getting into collecting and cents are where my money can stay right now. flea markets are the only place i expand my search
I'm the opposite..I love Mint Errors! As you know I specialize in Mint Errors but not so much in varieties. (Collecting 34 years now) There is a difference and the varieties don't interest me as much. You will never see me with a loop seeking RPM's, DDO's, WAM's or CAM's.. But if I see a nice Broadstrike, Misaligned Die Strike, Die Breaks then those are my keepers! I also like paper currency and foreign coins. Ancients? I now have 6 in my collection!
I started collecting 30ish years ago when I was a teenager. My Grandfather gave me a couple of Whitman Lincoln and Indian Head Cent folders (missing key dates of course) and it was off to the races. My parents would take me to the LCS on Friday’s where I’d pick up worn Cents to fill in the holes. We even had local coin shows back in the 80s (nothing now). I still have all of those coins, as imperfect as they are, and I will never get rid of them. Life has a way of distracting you and when I came back to the hobby, in earnest a few years ago, I went to the dark side and now focus on ancients. Every once in a while I’ll fill a Lincoln, IHC, or type hole but most of my time and money is spent on ancients.
And that is exactly why this is the greatest hobby in the world. There is truly something for everybody.
Pure US. Morgan and Peace dollars. Type coins. Full set of Indian quarter eagles sans the 1911-D. Other old gold. And a special place in my little pea-picking heart for old proofs.
I'm not sure I have a numismatic specialization anymore. I've been through many phases since I began (like Randy, back in 1969). I suppose that, lacking focus as I now do, one could very accurately call me scatterbrained.
My areas of specialization are the following: Hungarian banknotes, medals, patterns, and coinage 1848-Present. Hungarian Artex restrikes. Austrian coinage 1848-1916. Hungarian coronation medals and jetons. US Quarters through 1998, including capped bust varieties.
I have never met a coin I didn't like. Focusing on one area has been difficult for me. In the past I have focused mainly on U.S. obsolete coinage, but still collected a bit of everything. Like many others, I started young, at age 8 or 9. I still feel lucky when I receive the occasional wheat cent back in change, or feel like I scored big when I hear the unmistakable sound of silver in the group of coins being returned to me by the cashier or change machine. I am trying now to concentrate on ancients, but still have an eye out for just about anything.
I started collecting 31 years ago when I was 9 years old, after selling the vast majority of my collection following my divorce in 2008, i started building it again a few years ago. My focus right now is half dollars, i'm missing the 1807 and the unobtainable (for me, anyway) 1815/2 from my date set of bust halves, and recently started a set of walkers.
"coins with insects", "coins with hands", "coins with certain stars", "coins with odd shapes sided coins", "coins with small coins on the coins as the design itself", Large World coin collection. Toned coins. Toned Canadian caribou quarters 1937-1967, Toned Canadian 50 cent pieces from 1937-1967. German States Baden. 19th century coins. I will eventually buy some ancients coins with bees, beetles and grasshoppers. Been collecting for about 20 years and I am liking 19th century coins more and more. The designs are much more interesting.
I bought my first bust half dollar in 1971. Expecting my latest one to arrive in today's mail. Something tells me I'm hooked.
Almost exclusively Roman imperial and Roman provincial coins. I like the history and mythology behind it all. And is there anything cooler than Cybele riding around in a quadriga pulled by lions?