Why do you collect what you collect?

I started collecting because my grandfather, gave me 25 pounds worth of wheaties, and four cull lg cents. My father bought me whitman albums to put those cents in, and it escalated from there. I fell head over heels for big silver especially morgan CCs. I would buy a morgan every chance I had. I still remember the day I bought a 79CC and a 90CC in vg8 and f12 respectively for $20 each. From there I stagnated for a while as I finished school and joined the Air Force. Then I discovered ebay, and it was easy to collect again even though I was thousands of miles from the nearest coin shop. I branched out and started collecting 20th century series, each time I finish collecting a series I start doing more research and find out which series has the most potential for some growth and I start it up, recently I've been working on barber dimes.

 

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I got in to coin collecting because of my grandfather and having a paper route in the late 60s. My grandfather had a collection of Indian Head cents that piqued my interest as I had never seen them before. The paper route provided me with old coins that people paid me with. Amazing what people put in circulation, my first commemorative coin is a 1920 Pilgrim Tricentennary half dollar someone paid me with.

Stopped collecting after high school due to lack of $ and different priorities. The State Quarter Series re-ignited my interest (plus I was in the position to have more available money).

I do have a preference for larger coins, so I'm more into the dollars and halves. The two exceptions to this is the Dansco 7070 Type Set collection I'm working on and Lincoln cents. I've come to appreciate the beauty of the various coin designs through my country's history. I started to accumulate Lincolns thinking I would take advantage of the anticipated runup in prices for the 2009 anniversary. Now, I can't pull the trigger and sell the coins. I figure it will give me something to do as I get older and have the free time to look for the various varieties in the Lincolns. My wife just shakes her head at me now.

 

I collect because I like the hunt

I have collected many kinds of coins, but I have found that the thrill of the hunt, the discovery of new information, and periods of ambiguity provide the most rewards. In Feb 1867 Am.J.Numis one writer noted: "The numismatist ... follows the scent of a rare coin as a hound does that of a rabbit, and is never satisified till he has traced it to its burrow." The best hunts, for me, have been for coins where few reliable guides are available and the coins are hard to find. Die-varieties offer this kind of adventure, like old copper. Morgan dollars by VAMs also offer some good hunting. Searching for a well matched set can also be a challenge. I have hunted these fields. But I do not find as much enjoyment in the highly commoditized numismatic marketplace wherein many coins are slabbed -- it is like hunting cows standing in a field. But don't get me wrong! I love the 1909-S VDB, but it is not that much fun seeking one out, as everyone has a specimen to sell -- hunting becomes more of a budgetary exercise (and I get enough of that just buying food and gas). I have found the ideal hunting ground for me: early coppers and Spanish colonial cobs ... as for the latter, a high tolerance for ambiguity goes along way, as each is unique, there are no mintage or survival figures, and all pricing is set in real time at the auctions ... so the hunt is a big part of it for me. Keep in mind that collecting is about acquisition -- I enjoy possession too, but that is another story. Creating a challenge beyond just figuring out how to budget and buy also saves money while keeping the fires burning.

 

i collect world rarities that delight my eyes my fav is gold and plat sometimes i buy silver and sometimes copper

 

Well, I used to collect coins as a kid but it was a more general type of collecting and I never really understood what coins I had, but that eventually gave way to my teenage years and all the dilemmas that came with it. My more recent interest in coin collecting started while studying for my paper on the first emperor of China (Qin Shi Huang Di) and how he standardised the currency. I had this sudden urge to buy some Qin coins (no idea why) and as soon as I got them I just wanted to know more, and more about the coinage of the other dynasties too. So now I collect coins once more but this time (for now) I collect only the coins of China from pre-history till 1911.

 

Why do I collect what I do ? Heck, I dunno - maybe beauty, history, nostalgia. I'm kinda like clembo - I like the older American stuff, because it connects me with the bravery, genius, idealism, and vision of our Founding Fathers.

When those men signed the Declaration of Independence, they knew they were taking their lives in their hands. Had the Revolution failed, every one of 'em would have been hunted down and executed for high treason.

I don't have large numbers of coins... one really nice one is better than 50 mediocre ones.

For beauty's sake, I love the new stuff too. PR DCAM ASEs are fabulous. I really like the trend of reproducing classic American designs and putting them on new bullion (ASE Walkers, AGE Saints, the Jefferson First Ladies series Draped Bust). Where else can one get a PR69 DCAM of those designs ?

I guess I'm a type collector because I like the unusual and quirky. 1/2c, 2c, 3c, 20c, etc.....

Great thread, stainless !

 

Lately I have been getting into world coins. World coins are incredibly interesting because of all of the culture (and history for older issues) behind them. For instance, a coin from Nazi Germany I have isn't worth hardly anything as far as numismatic value, but it is very interesting to me for other reasons. I ordered a coin off eBay (it has yet to get here) from Somaliland, which is interesting because it is not actually a country... they just declared their independence and are unrecognized. It's facisinating.

I also learn a lot about different places and time periods just reasearching what I want to buy.

 

I watched an episode of Dennis the Menace on Nickelodeon in the late 1980's that had Dennis starting a coin collection. There was a Whitman folder in the house with a few nickels in it. I learned there was a coin shop in town and I walked there the next morning to find out what there was. The dealer had a tray of Indian cents layed out and they happened to be the ones that caught my eye.

Indian cents are still my favorite. And now I collect because it's just cool. I want to have old stuff that is rare. And I like the idea that a penny can be worth more than 1¢.

 

I can't say I have a particular strategy. I know I am not a series collector since one is enough and would probably rather upgrade the example than collect every year and/or variety. As for most, my main limitation is money!!!! The longer I study and learn, the more expensive my tastes become. I dream about suddenly being wealthy and how I would go about spending the cash on new pieces. What would I buy? How would I travel? Who would I meet? What new friends would I gain? But, then I awaken and then consider that if it was that easy perhaps my passion would wane......

......then again, maybe not :goof: