Quality, or Quantity?

Another point, when I either kick the bucket or have to sell due to financial needs, it will be a lot easier on my family or myself. As it stands now, my family would have no idea what to do with all my coins. It's far too complicated for them to deal with. Chances are none of them would have any interest in collecting (they don't now) and I don't want them simply taking my coins to a dealer and unloading them at some obsurd price. With just a few key dates I could leave instructions to only sell them when in need and to only sell them via a place like ha.com, Stacks, etc.

I guess the older I get, the easier I want things to be.

 

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I'll just leave em a goodbye note and some lighter fluid.

 

Yes! BOYS AND GIRLS, IT IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE BABY!
You can't live life with one coin...But you can't live life, with 20 AG3 coins either! (Unless it is 20 AG3 1893 S morgans or something!) LOL
I have a nice balance, 4 MS63 Morgans, 1 DPL Morgan, 1 AU55 gold $2.5 and one AU58 gold $2.5 both indians...
And then the rest are my AG-VF stuff.. LOL Mostly AG liberty nicks, VG-F buff nicks, and a bunch of wheaties
And I can agree with the investment part, you can buy what you can afford, so maybe one day you can sell, and it will help you get to that coin you always wanted!

 

Very well said a balance is a must 100%!

 

Some new additions to my "balanced" collection!
Can't wait till' they come in... I'll post pics for all to see

 

Can't wait to see still trying to balance my collection!

 

It's okay, you'll get there
You've learned a lot already by being here, and I think little by little, you'll even it out, and become the collector you wanna become

 

QUALITY hands down.

 

Still looking for a great morgan at an even greater price (Under 200)

 

I'm truly sorry you have to let go to of some of your coins due to financial reasons! I hope you get top dollar for all of them, and when the economy turns maybe some of them will find there way pack to your collection

 

I did not read all of the replies, so please excuse me if this viewpoint was already brought out. I think the OP's questions leans towards asking if someone would choose to be a collector or an investor. IMO, a true collector would not be satisfied owning a single valuable coin, where as an investor certainly could be.

I don't feel enjoyment from collecting is necessarily tied to the dollar value of the collection. I don't think I ever enjoyed the hobby more than when I first started collecting as a young lad, pulling all of my coins from circulation (even coins from the latter 1800s could be found). Those coins were not high grade, and I made my own "folders" from cutting up cardboard boxes. I have much more interest in the related history and background of each piece than I do in owning something based primarily on its value. But, to each their own and what ever would make them happy. While I can certainly appreciate quality, my vote goes to quantity.

 

As someone who has saved every coin that I've ever received and never sold one, I vote for quantity. Nothing wrong with quality but often that is in the eye of the beholder. For instance, I do not like toned coins but some people love them.

 

I like errors.So I like to try to put collections together that create a large variety that go together to make the whole collection more valuable.Like many different Presidential errors that go together.If I have one I feel like it isn't complete unless I have other that compliment the one I started with.For instance :Many different smooth edges or partial edges or struck through or die clashes or waffled coins.I have most of them .And I'm always looking to add to them.

 

I forgot to add that I do look for the higher grades.But I'm from the old school and think that the 70 grade should be abolished.I think that there is no such thing as a perfect coin.

 

"to each, his own"

For me, as a type collector, I prefer the highest graded, most eye appealing coin I can afford. I do this because I want to see the design in all its intended glory. I don't want many examples of the same thing because I usually only want one. It would bore me collect a series since I would be seeing the same design over and over, but with a different date or mint mark.

As people have mentioned, this approach exacts a price in terms of time. My purchases are few and far between and I don't get a regular pleasant stimulus. This is very difficult and requires more patience than what I really have.

Secondarily, I believe buying higher grade examples will be easier to sell should I want a better example or to just buy something different. I don't know this to be true, but it is my suspicion.

I feel my small collection is nothing special when compared to others, but it is special to me. I guess that is all that matters.