Coin Collector Social Skills. How do the social skills of coin collectors stack-up against those of say other hobbyists? I've heard people call us (yes even me, LOL) gruff, rude, and crooked. You will have individuals from both ends of the spectrum in all walks of life and in every hobby I suppose. In your own thoughts what do you think? Maybe it's a defense mechanism for being called a NERD all the time. I know it is for me, LOL But in reality one constantly gets tired of someone trying to scam you one way or another. A co-worker once tried to sell me s stack of pennies he'd somehow welded together and said it was a mint error he got in change. I told him to get lost and all of a sudden there were hurt feelings and I was the bad guy??? Bone
My experience so far since returning from my 20+ year hiatus has been overwhelmingly positive. I am fortunate to live in a community that has one of America's oldest coin clubs (founded 1912, ANA Club #2, Life Club #8) and a solid set of dealers, one of which is exceptional in terms of patience, knowledge and class. And the way in which the juniors are treated is a lesson that the many of the folks in my other main hobby of model railroading could stand to learn. We have not had any really bad experiences yet, and we've had some really good experiences. I'm sure that the not so good side of the hobby exists, but we haven't been exposed to it, and we're not going out looking for it either. This board is also perhaps the most active, positive, even-handed one to which I belong across all of my interests, and that's no small compliment! I think what you may be reacting to with respect to the "nerd" label is the attempt to stereotype anyone (and that includes model railroaders) who has any kind of passion for anything that isn't part of Majority Pop Culture. I sure don't know who was last voted off the island, for example, nor do I know anything about the last American Idol other than he's already shown up in a Ford commercial. We deal with the same issues in model railroading and railfanning, and unfortunately there are enough people who fit the convenient stereotype (i.e. unwashed, non-social) to make it stick. Can I suggest that you'd find the same anywhere, from a mathematics conference to Yankee Stadium?
That sounds more like Coin Dealer Social Skills. A large percentage of coins dealers would sell crack to children if they thought the margins were better. As for collectors, you have to admit that a large amount of them are "odd".
Most people think I'm nice/outgoing/young/and will talk your leg off I never was shy and am glad for it----most people I know say that one day I'll run for office---don't know about that There are people who think I'm a nut/rude/odd and the rest of it.....so I guess its even! I think most collectors/dealers are nice and willing to help---most aren't going to take the time and talk too much but will share info if needed....there are some that are rude but the good out weigh the bad! Speedy
When I met my now wife and she found out I was into coin collecting she called me a "coin weenie". When she saw how much of this hobby is my way of life she started to get into it and now she herself is hooked. I won't tell you the nickname I have for her now Back to topic though, I think that with anything in life you have the bad with the good. And even the bad on the surface can sometimes be slid aside to see the good underneath. I once was in Fort Worth, TX and stopped at a little shop and the dealer there came off pretty gruff at first but when I sat down and talked to her for awhile we actually hit it off pretty good. I ended up walking away with a pretty nice Buffalo and the feeling that this hard on the surface gal wasn't so bad after all.
WOW---I just got my first vote!....like I said---they say I will run but I don't think any have said they would vote for me Speedy
In any human activity that involves buying and selling, there is a competition going on among the participants that pretty much forces them to keep their guard up most of the time unless and until they know you well. So coin collecting will never be an activity demonstrating advanced social skills. That said, I also believe many coin dealers are bad businessmen in the fact that they seem more interested in making a few extra bucks off of a new face in the store through deception and/or hard bargaining than they are in trying to establish a new long term relationship.
I have had very positive experiences since joining Coin Talk. Everyone is polite and helpful. But there is another forum pcgs that has been not so nice. I got a bad trade and there is a very rude person on there. I'm not saying they are all nasty because I have had good dealings there too. Those folks are into graded slabbed coins. I'm mostly collecting raw US silver. Yes Coin Talk is best, by far.
The rudest by far I have ever met are toy collectors, I would have thought just the opposite too. Gun collectors are good guys and helpful and knife collectors seem well above board. Military collectors, mostly Vets, are nice & students of military history for the most part. Fakes abound both in the high and low end in militaria and you need to have a trained eye. A friend of mine who is the head cataloger for one of the largest Military Auction Houses worldwide told me that a full half of WW2 German items are fake. Coin Collectors seem helpful but argumentative and the word crooked constantly seems to come up. Just my opinion.
Dealers for the most part are helpfull and I enjoy talking to them at shows. Collectors can be nice, however are very shrewd when it comes to doing buisness for the most part. Most collectors and dealers seem to be really happy that kids are collecting and are more than happy to answer questions and give me guidence.
