What's "the dark side"?

Is it world coins? Pardon the newbie question, but I'm just not sure what people are referring to.

Thanks!

 

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Yeah Darkside = World coins (world being interpreted as non-US), although equally so it might be argued that the Darkside are coins issued from countries other than your native one. The book is still open on that one and it's debatable. But generally it's taken to mean non-US coins.

Greyside = Canadian coins

Farside = Medals and that term beginning exnu... that i can never remember, which basically means things loosely related to coins, such as tokens, imitation coins, bullion rounds, touchpieces etc.

 

In a forum not too far away on the internet, and not too many years ago, someone coined the terms "Dark Side" (world coins) and "Light/Lite Side" (U.S. coins). Later someone else added "Grey Side" for Canadian coins.

I don't recall seeing the term outside of that particular forum until the last year or two, when it has started popping up all over the coin forum world.

Consistent with their broader approach to things, Darksiders on other forums are often as polite and friendly as everyone is here, even though Litesiders on those forums frequently get into flame wars.

 

Sylvester and Satootoko, thank you for your replies.

Grey side = Canadian, eh? I've just started toying with the idea of collecting grey side purely from circulation, just as a game. It would be cheap and somewhat amusing to see how many years I can get purely from happening across them in circulation in the U.S.

 

And another question:

Does anyone feel that there are certain traits that separate light siders from dark siders, or at least tend to characterise one and not the other?

I like all coins, but I'm continually drawn to and delighted by the immense, colorful variety of the dark side. I wonder what it is about me that makes me different from someone who only wants to collect, say, Morgans.

 

Lemme just say the big difference i've found.

Liteside - Exclusive

Darkside - Inclusive

 

Another question for you, Mr. Sylvester: Does that guy in front on your avatar have a broken nose?

 

Exonumia.

basically coin-like stuff as you say.

I have never heard the terms dark side, light side, grey side, or far side, but my collecting habits encompass all four. If I had to pick which one it would probably be lightside as that is where I spend most of my coin collecting money. I go through phases where I am really into exonumia and world coins but I am not willing, for some reason to spend as much cash on those aspects of the hobby.

 

Many U.S. collectors, like myself, turned to the darkside to get away from looking a the same dead Presidents year in and year out. I have found history, culture and collecting friends all over the world and tons and tons of history that was never taught in school. Come to the darkside my friend! Join us as the force is strong! (not to mention demand is high)

 

To me,the term 'Dark Side' reminds me very much of Darth Vader in 'Return of the Jedi'.

Aidan.

 

"Luke... you should buy that Gothic Crown"

 

What William III?

Probably more interbreeding than anything else, although it's possible he may have broken it at some point or other and hence why it's as abruptly angled as it is, i have often wondered this myself. The irony was that even if he did suffer a nose break at some stage it was not that much of a problem, now when he broke his shoulder in 1702 that was a little more problematic... mole hills and horses do not mix.

 

I saw it as a Star Wars reference, but also a reference to "the dark side of the globe." Kind of a double meaning.

 

Dark vs. Light

When I first heard the term Darksider, I took offense,
Now I have come to enjoy it.

Remember when it is light in America It is DARK in Australia and visa versa.

But our coins (Australia) have much more variety and beauty than "Dead Presidents"

So who are really the darksiders looking at all those dead folk.

"I find your lack of faith disturing" - Darth Vader

 

Sylvester, YOU know Luke Skywalker? I'll be darned! We have a big joke going around here right now concerning Princess Amadala (spelling may be wrong) in the new movie! Kind of sounds like "I'm a dollar" the way it is pronounced so we don't know if its a sound bite for the new golden dollar or if she was just cheap? Guess time will tell!

 

Did i say Skywalker?

Another reason why it became know as the darkside is because alot of US collector's were very US-centric and were in the dark about coins beyond their shores... coins from before 1793, murky, dark, unheard of realms indeed.

The reason why it's caught on so well is because it's so ambivalent.

 

Guess you don't know Chewbacca? Heard he collected Lincoln cents and fur balls!

 

Hmm, I don't find the term particularly ambivalent or terribly offensive ... just dumb or thoughtless ;-)

Christian