Talk to a rockhead for me, please.

I'm looking for your definitions of, " coin collector ". I've got a rockheaded friend with money to burn, and he thinks just because he has bought some high priced coins, he tells people he's a coin collector. He has zero knowledge of anything in the coin world, but he's a collector. Maybe he'll listen to someone besides me. Thanx...

 

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I say that based on his definition of "coin collector", he is one. One of the great things about this hobby is that so much of it is open to each individuals personal interpretation. Hope you and your friend both enjoy.

 

Sounds more like your friend is an accumulator.

But, if he wants to call himself a collector, so be it.

Hey, wanna buy some rare plated states quarters?


[coins available, no knowledge needed.]

 

I guess he can call himself whatever he wants. To buy some expensive coins and call yourself a collector well I guess you are but it is better to have knowledge about what you are buying or collecing.

 

Well, maybe he is a coin collector. Thats open to different definitions. If he never studies though, he can never be a numismitist. He probably doesn't care though.

 

I suppose this is true...he has accumulated some expensive coins, so if he thinks he's a coin collector than he must be.

But, if he is buying expensive coins without the proper knowledge I hope he's lucky because his collection could end up being worth a fraction of what he paid.

 

I have no problem with anyone calling themselves a coin collector, if they think they are. Lots of people buy high-end coins, but I don't afford them any more or less respect or title than someone who assembles collections in Whitman folders from pocket change.

 

Let's face it - an ignorant uneducated slob is still a slob, and an ignorant uneducated collector is still a collector.

What your friend is not is a numismatist!

 

A cynic would say that whether or not he's a collector, he's certainly an easy mark for rip-off artists!

 

Oh, he's been taken numerous times. It all started when he bought a red book just as a price guide, and boy did he start buying. You should see some of the lincoln cents that he bought from Paul Sims. Flat faced lincolns are not Premium Quality Brilliant Uncirculated I tried to tell him. They were shiny and that suites him fine. He's a good guy, but he really is a rockhead...

 

And that is exactly the truth. A collector of anything is an individual that accumulates similar items. There are no laws saying a collector has to have any idea of an items value, history, product material, etc. I suspect that even the term Numismatist is vague when it comes to that.
If you think about it there are little kids that collect coins. There are really old people that collect coins. Possibly even some animals like Ravens collect coins. So be it that they are all coin collectors.
Don't let it get to you. There are lots of people like that where they once collected Beanie Babies and some have massive collections of those too.
Thinking about what you said reminds me of someone I go to breakfast with. A group of us old people meet at a restaurant in the mornings. I've made it clear I collect coins. One of the individuals owns a company and has money to burn. So now he too hits a pawn shop every day and buys anything they have. He then asks me if it is worth anything. He too considers himself now a coin collector. So be it.

 

wikipedia's answer for whatever it's worth.

click here

 

Wow! Tough crowd. I'm not sure why anybody here would react with anything but satisfaction that another person has joined the hobby. Can everyone here say with absolute honesty that they never, NEVER purchased a coin before they accumulated enough numismatic knowledge to completely understand the value, scarcity, and condition?

I say, welcome to coin collecting!

 

There is no minimum amount of knowledge and/or brains required for someone to be a coin collector.

 

I agree they can call themselves a coin collector - it does not bother me. And what about people who only collect pocket change? I consider them collectors also - and I considered myself a collector when all I bought from was the mint. And to the original poster - what do you consider a collector? How much knowledge do they have to gain before they can be a collector? I hate it when my sister in law tried comparing what I collect to her other brother in law - she has done this a couple of times. Actually I almost prefer not to talk about my collection specifically - but the hobby in general. Different strokes for different folks.

Now - what can you do to help become more interested in learning about the hobby and collecting? Why not buy some coin worlds and share them with him? Maybe talk him into looking at a registry set and doing a complete set? Different things like that.

 

True, but I think that knowledge can enhance your enjoyment of the hobby.

 

Absolutely. But at a certain point, depending upon what you learn and become aware of, it can also make the hobby a lot less fun.

 

Especially when your trying to help someone that is a total rockhead. I've tried many different approaches with him, many of your suggestions, I just can't get thru thick skull. Maybe he's just playing games with me. Not!

 

At a certain point, you need to let it go. You can't make people listen and learn.

 

Your absolutely right, maybe I'll just ignore the subject with him, or help him spend his money.