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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;charley, post: 21317718, member: 5372&quot;]I can not state with confidence that I understand your thoughts, because differences in experience, personality, psychological reward/relaxation is different for any person.</p><p><br /></p><p>I wonder if viewing the hobby from another perspective would be of benefit: removing the overwhelming influence and damage to the hobby via removing the collecting enjoyment from a hobby, to a weighted investment, with all the attendant anxiety/self-doubt that is caused by same.</p><p><br /></p><p>The subject of fakes, counterfeits, flyspeck analysis of miniscule impact, cleaning, &quot;Coin Doctor&quot; manipulation, as general examples, have always been present, and enjoyment of the hobby was increased and encouraged via self-study and conversation with like minded enthusiasts about same.</p><p><br /></p><p>The TPG industry was built on the foundation of a supposed better mousetrap-protecting hobbyists from the evildoers, and presenting the hobbyist with (and it was touted and understood as the benefit) protection and expertise as a shield that would deny harm to the hobby.</p><p><br /></p><p>But (there is always a financial &quot;but&quot;), the presentation to the hobby was that (and remains so) such expertise has a cost, that is necessary to finance the ongoing evildoer prevention war, and the good news is the hobbyist doesn&#039;t have to spend their time learning and worrying anymore, because it will be done for you, and YOU can just concentrate on INVESTMENT AND MAKING MONEY FROM YOUR HOBBY.</p><p><br /></p><p>And here we are. I have never given weight to the gain/loss to me personally for the enjoyment of the hobby/ies. My highpoints of enjoyment are studying and researching and learning. I am not presupposed to paying an entity to do that for me. If I buy a piece already encapsulated, I have researched it, and I either want it or I don&#039;t, and if I can afford it I will purchase it and if I can&#039;t I won&#039;t.</p><p><br /></p><p>I do not usually use a member as an an example to underline my thoughts, and am doing so in this instance to emphasize the practical aspect of enjoying the hobby and not getting investment ulcers: Paddy54 and paddyman98. I do not know either member personally, and have had less than the fingers on one hand communication with either gentleman. I do pay particular attention to their Posts, because I perceive the enjoyment of being a hobbyist/collector as foremost in importance of enjoyment to them and absent any primary investment goal in their pursuit. It is clear to me that both have self-educated for enjoyment AND SHARE FOR THE SAKE OF LEARNING/TEACHING, not to impress.</p><p><br /></p><p>I admire that.</p><p><br /></p><p>What percentage of the items in your collection is impacted by counterfeit items, or coin doctor practitioners? Is it 25%, 50%, 10%? Is it necessary that a hobbyist pay for the assurance at a certain impact level, and what is that level: 5/10/20% of a collection?</p><p><br /></p><p>Hobbyists have been transformed into investment collectors. is that good or bad? I don&#039;t know the answer, because it is an individual decision. I do think the enjoyment of the hobby has been reduced and replaced by financial investment influences via TPGs.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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