Coin collecting, it should be a fun learning experience. Many people that are just starting need to understand so much. Especially if they are searching for Mint Errors or Varieties. Now I must admit that sometimes I'm a bit harsh or don't explain things in totality but I put in a lot of time on this forum.. But you know what? I enjoy it! Now a few times I've been told that I have hurt someone's feelings or got them upset at me enough for me to get called unnecessary names or references... But I thought about this.. There's no crying in coin collecting! I remember this scene from the famous Tom Hanks movie A League of Their Own any time I'm treated in a negative way.. Well.. I will have to remember that some people are way too sensitive and will need to be more careful in my statements.. Oh boy
Oh NO! Does that mean that I have to be nice also? Rats! I guess I'll have to go elsewhere. I have a sign in my office:
I always use a different phrase. Mine is derived from Star Wars: What I tell everyone is, "there is always another coin". Its true. For every heartbreaking auction loss, there is another coin to fill your heart's desire just around the corner. Look at auctions and dealer inventory, buy what you can when you can, but always know one coin lost is not going to ruin your life.
That's a great sign! As many of you know.. I am an Evangelical Christian. I always tell this joke aboit when I got baptized about 30 years ago that when the pastor dunked me in the baptistry waters I kept my right hand held in a fist above the water. The pastor asked me after the service why I did that? I stated "With my body, spirit and soul I will serve the Lord.. But with my right fist I will knock out whoever tries to hurt me or bring me down!" ..
Many people are simply not cut out for message boards where their opinions can be easily challenged by others.
Is it OK to cry when I look at the all of the annual Proof sets, mint sets, and modern Commems that I bought in the 80's and 90's, and think about how much I paid vs what they are worth now?
I do try to treat everyone with the respect I would want them to show me. But if they can't be bothered, then you get what you give. I more often seek to hold my tongue but there have been times I slip.
For instance, take the OP of this thread: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/dan-carr-1964-d-ms70.360555/ Freaking hilarious (sorry... I had to go into that thread and stir that up again lol)
I disagree... I can recall several stories that merit tears..... One of our regular posters threw away a four dollar Stella with the garbage...... And another story that was posted here by @C-B-D as I recall about a proof double eagle valued in the many tens of thousands of dollars. The current owner wanted to "improve" the appearance and took a buffing wheel to it...... The biggest, hairiest man of a man coin collector would shed tears over either of these! Heck, I almost did and they weren't my coins!!!
That was a video blog that CoinWorld did, I think. It was Julian Liedman's story... his client. Turned a $50k coin into maybe a $5k coin. And that Stella still lies in a landfill in California.
I made $50 a week — $42.50 after withholdings — running a golf range. I was rich! Saved it to help pay for college.
I actually posted that video recently on another forum. It was actually a $250k double gold eagle cleaned to a more 'modest' valuation of $10k. Worthy of a tear or ten!