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<p>[QUOTE="ewomack, post: 8461276, member: 15588"]<b>Yes!</b> That time, years ago now, when I bought a coin at a show, brought it home, and soon realized that I already had a nearly identical coin in my collection was the moment I paused and took a <i>long look</i> at why I collect. Am I collecting or just hoarding? Has this so-called "collecting" actually become an addiction? Why was I even <i>doing</i> it?</p><p><br /></p><p>At the time, buying coins felt more impulsive than enjoyable, as if I should examine every single coin that I ever came across as though it might be a previously unknown 1913 Liberty Nickel or some other insane rarity. After some reflection, I really pulled back and became a lot more picky and deliberative in what I brought home. For one, I allowed myself to leave coin shows empty-handed, something that had literally caused me bouts of mild depression previously. Also, I stopped collecting pocket change and I threw all of the (mostly) quarters I had accumulated back into circulation. <i>Billions</i> of those get minted and, though I enjoy looking at them in circulation, I don't need piles of them sitting in my closet just taking up space. I stopped collecting mint sets because they too just took up space and I rarely, if ever, took them out to look at them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Looking back, I think coin "collecting" for me became a slightly unhealthy obsession. Many of those past purchases I now deeply regret, because I wanted more to buy them <i>at the time</i> rather than actually possess them <i>over time</i>. Now, I try to take a long view: do I really want this coin for some substantial reason? Or do I just want to add to an indiscriminate pile? I haven't attended an in-person show in a while because, like auctions, in that environment I fall prey to the "heat of the moment" impulse that, 80% of the time, I later regret.</p><p><br /></p><p>Internet buying has its downsides, but it does allow me to sit back and <i>really think</i> about whether I want a particular coin. More than once, I've deliberated for <i>days</i>. More than once, I've not bought something because it felt more like a need to merely buy <i>something</i> rather than the need to buy that particular thing for a <i>good and solid</i> reason.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now I buy a lot less a lot less often. When I do buy something, it tends to be a higher quality piece at a generally higher price. Where I used to buy many $10 - $50 dollar coins in rapid succession within a month, I now buy maybe a few $200 - $1000 coins over many months or a year. I'm <i>far</i> more satisfied with the things that I've purchased since I started taking the time to <i>think</i> about what I'm buying. I also focus more on what <i>I do have</i> rather than what <i>I don't have</i>. There will always be far more things you <i>don't have</i> and it's a futile pursuit to try to get them <i>all</i>. Overall, I enjoy the hobby <i>a lot </i>more and I no longer have to look on things that I bought out of a mere impulse to accumulate.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="ewomack, post: 8461276, member: 15588"][B]Yes![/B] That time, years ago now, when I bought a coin at a show, brought it home, and soon realized that I already had a nearly identical coin in my collection was the moment I paused and took a [I]long look[/I] at why I collect. Am I collecting or just hoarding? Has this so-called "collecting" actually become an addiction? Why was I even [I]doing[/I] it? At the time, buying coins felt more impulsive than enjoyable, as if I should examine every single coin that I ever came across as though it might be a previously unknown 1913 Liberty Nickel or some other insane rarity. After some reflection, I really pulled back and became a lot more picky and deliberative in what I brought home. For one, I allowed myself to leave coin shows empty-handed, something that had literally caused me bouts of mild depression previously. Also, I stopped collecting pocket change and I threw all of the (mostly) quarters I had accumulated back into circulation. [I]Billions[/I] of those get minted and, though I enjoy looking at them in circulation, I don't need piles of them sitting in my closet just taking up space. I stopped collecting mint sets because they too just took up space and I rarely, if ever, took them out to look at them. Looking back, I think coin "collecting" for me became a slightly unhealthy obsession. Many of those past purchases I now deeply regret, because I wanted more to buy them [I]at the time[/I] rather than actually possess them [I]over time[/I]. Now, I try to take a long view: do I really want this coin for some substantial reason? Or do I just want to add to an indiscriminate pile? I haven't attended an in-person show in a while because, like auctions, in that environment I fall prey to the "heat of the moment" impulse that, 80% of the time, I later regret. Internet buying has its downsides, but it does allow me to sit back and [I]really think[/I] about whether I want a particular coin. More than once, I've deliberated for [I]days[/I]. More than once, I've not bought something because it felt more like a need to merely buy [I]something[/I] rather than the need to buy that particular thing for a [I]good and solid[/I] reason. Now I buy a lot less a lot less often. When I do buy something, it tends to be a higher quality piece at a generally higher price. Where I used to buy many $10 - $50 dollar coins in rapid succession within a month, I now buy maybe a few $200 - $1000 coins over many months or a year. I'm [I]far[/I] more satisfied with the things that I've purchased since I started taking the time to [I]think[/I] about what I'm buying. I also focus more on what [I]I do have[/I] rather than what [I]I don't have[/I]. There will always be far more things you [I]don't have[/I] and it's a futile pursuit to try to get them [I]all[/I]. Overall, I enjoy the hobby [I]a lot [/I]more and I no longer have to look on things that I bought out of a mere impulse to accumulate.[/QUOTE]
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