It takes our money. It takes our time. Some even loose a lady over it. Our pets hate the hobby because they can't join in. The kids see it as a tank of gas. If you share what you paid for something with a close friend, they look at you thinking, man you are stupid. Are we all crazy? My answer is yes and I love it.
Great!! I was thinking the same thing this AM... I had a post the other day re: Wife and Coins.. She called us ..All of us Names.. (see my post ) I was going to start a Post today on how Many of us have a wife that does NOT think we are nuts.... Mine Think we are crazy and hates my hoarding but KNOWS that I am saving $$$ away so can't say much.. well shouldn't say much.. BUT DOES!! Cheers to all the "Coin Nerds" (Wife)
How many hobbies don't take your time and money? And with most any hobby you are going to be viewed as "odd" by those who do not feel the same desire, and we feel the same way about other peoples interests. I know people whose burning desire is to play golf. Pay high fees to wander around outdoors and try to hit a one inch ball with a three foot club, into a three inch hole, three hundred yards away? And only hit the ball three times. OK, yeah right. And you pay how much money to do this? (And they actually TELEVISE people doing this! And other people WATCH IT!) As for the pets not being able to join in, I had a cat that collected coins. She preferred large cents and colonials. When I would get back from a show and put my newps on the desk she would jump up and examine them. Those she didn't want she would knock off onto the floor and if I didn't keep and eye one her she would pick up and carry off the large cents and colonials. Sometime I wasn't attentive enough and she did get away with them. I never did know where she kept them, but usually a couple weeks later I'd spot her trotting across the room carrying one of them and I'd go get it back from her. She didn't like Lincoln cents at all though. Lincolns she would pick up, take to the kitchen and bury in the houseplants. Other coins she just ignored.
Your only looking at one type of hobby you know. There are numerous hobbies that cost more, take up more time, are a lot more dangerous, take up more room than silly, liitle pieces of metal. If you were into guns for instances as a hobby you could have reloading machinery that requires stock piles of explosive materials in your home. And too many guns cost a real lot of money and require constant care, cleaning, oiling and then shooting and starting the cleaning and oiling all over again. I've known people that fly model planes. One guy I know spends thousands of dollars on them and then they crash. POOF, there goes some money. Now look at the people that spend thousands on a paint job for an old car. Now afraid to take it out in the rain. I know a guy that collects swords and knives. His house looks like a museum of cutlery and he is afraid to let people see this due to a possible robbery. And we think coin collectors are nutty?
Yeah, I gotta agree. As far as collecting hobbies go, coins is pretty mild as things go. Like with Carl's example of the house of cutlery. I've seen people who's homes look like Cabellas, with stuffed animal heads on every inch of wallspace. You never walk into a coin collectors home and see display cases holding their coin collections spaced out throughout the house like a museum. Though, that would be cool. Guy~
Haha they say you're crazy till you tell them what you sold it for 10 years later and then they shut up real quick as they sigh thinking about their 30% remaining in their 401k rofl.
My wife thought I was crazy until she saw my 1982 DDR in Numismatic News and Coin World, and numbers thrown around like $1000-$2000. now she doesn't think I'm quite so crazy. Richard
Nah - we are normal, the ones that don't like to collect are crazy. Trust me some of the other stuff people collect are too funny in my opinion. I don't make fun of them, but examples are cow cups, logo golf balls,salt and pepper shakers, buttons of fshirts(not old, just any), pet rocks(yes they would by these),etc.
For me it is the sheer scarcity of some of the finest security engraving known on the planet...to truly own a rare note or coin is a pleasure, honor, and responsibility . Can you ever really hold onto it, no!!! It is a temporary situation as we are just guardians until the following generation comes along. My God, I hope my son is smart with my collection!! RickieB
I'm ignorant, dumb, and stupid for collecting coins, but having 109 pair of shoes and 56 pocket books is A.OK ???
I'm still amazed when I see a mint state Morgan and realize that somehow it's made it to this point in time after a hundred years plus without any noticeable damage. I'm also amazed when I hold a very well worn Morgan and wonder how many hands it passed through, where it travelled and how many transactions it was involved in. Coins are a piece of history.
This is the coolest and most educational hobby. What I like best about it is the range it offers. How you can have modern coins in your collection like the ones from the Mint. Then you can turn around and get coins that are a thousand years old added to your collection also!I love it!
Sometimes I think I'm only creating a burden for those who will inherit this "stuff" when I die. Someone needs to do a scientific study of why collectors collect when the collection only ends up on the auction block, in an estate sale, or in a garage sale after the collector is gone.
You know I used to collect beer steins...those things can cost me hundreds of dollars..now I see the same ones at yard sales and swap meets with .50 cent price tags...no thanks....I'll stick to my coins..at least I know worst case scenario..bottom falls out.... I got a pocket full of change...