The Human Condition and your Contribution to Numismatics!

Why it is only "Human Nature" to want to be knowledgeable about areas of interest to people with similar interest, and to advocate expertise in that chosen area, it seems we all share an opinion of what we know and what we judge to be our realistic interpretation of that said entity.

With that said, all of you are here for a reason and share that interest mutually.
If the opportunity arose to direct the growth of your personal interest in collecting Paper Money (or coins for that fact) what would you consider to be the area in which you would contribute not only to your own knowledge, but yet to the collecting community?
Most of us receive some form of Numismatic material in the form of Magazines, Internet (on-line subscriptions) access to TPG CO info and read every word published by those who take the lead in the field. Those that command a presence, we uphold them and place them on pedestals.
Why not you? What prevents you from accomplishing what others have done before you?
What would be your ultimate contribution to the accumulation of a vast collection, perhaps even a curator for a Paper Money Museum?

I have had the privilege of learning about a man who at one time made all these thing his reality, seeing and archiving unknown Banknotes from collectors like Amon Carter (for one) and Foreign Dignitaries.

It made me stop and think...what prevents us/you from following a dream?

Tell us about what you would like to do, your dream and how you might make that possible. Does it take buying a huge amount of banknotes to become a self made legend in your on right? It sure has made me stop and think about it.
Perhaps for me it is to accumulate the notes I seek and to be able to possibly provide a link to past history for those who might never really know what that history was!

Sorry to be so profound, however, this person that has stopped me in my tracks and made me think of something different than the norm.

Best regards,

RickieB

 

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One question. what is mumismatics?

 

Mumismatics?

Sorry. I couldn't help myself. :hail:

 

Yes..I know...my fingers hit both keys at the same time...by the time I proof read it, it was too late!!

Chalk one up to the Human Condition (with keyboards...the NM keys are side by side by side):crying: :crying:

Ok..im going watch both you guys and if you ever make a tiny mistake...payback is well...sweet revenge!! LOL :hug: :smile

RickieB

 

My goal in numismatics...
To be the very best collector, and teacher, and learner that I can be
And nothing is stopping me, or holding me back from this goal
I learn from everyone here, and have a great time, and have learned from many others along the way, and still have much learning to do, as we all do
Teaching, I like to think of myself as a teacher, as should everyone, we all help others, and beginners in this hobby, and I've helped many collectors along the way, and I know I have made just as much as an impact, as others have to me
Collecting, and having the very best collection I can have, is all possible, once I put my mind to something, it will be done. I will collect forever, and will get the nicest coins I can, to try and complete my morgans, gold indians, and my overall tribe (gold buffalos, silver buffalos, buffalo nickels).
Nothing holding me back, and nothing going to stop me...
I love MUMISMATICS!!!

 

I have thought about this many times, here are my short answers:
-what would you consider to be the area in which you would contribute not only to your own knowledge, but yet to the collecting community?
Icelandic coinage (and history) as well as $2 bills mainly touching on precious metals and foreign as well. At this time I am only able to answer some of the more simple questions on cointalk, but it is a start. I would also like to have a discovery piece or two.
--Why not you? What prevents you from accomplishing what others have done before you?
I want to take the easy way out and say money, but it really wouldn't require money. It would require connections that trust me and knowledge. I'm working on that at the moment. Just met 4 or 5 papermoney collectors and 3 foreign coin collectors at the local coin club.
THere is a church building within walking distance to my house on 3 acres. I have thought of ways to finance it to make a "church" about money. The whole family could come and learn about our monetary history and be better prepared to make moves when history repeats itself as it does. Learn about silver and gold as well as our nations government. Examples of our money would serve as strong memory links in young minds as to different times in history. It could also help keep people from making some bad mistakes like subprime mortgages.
--Tell us about what you would like to do, your dream and how you might make that possible. Does it take buying a huge amount of banknotes to become a self made legend in your on right?
Taking the money "church" to another level, I would like to get others doing it. Kind of like multi level marketing. Special guest speakers could come in and give presentations and show off some pieces. The collection plate would accept foreign, silver, gold and everyday money. The donated coins would become part of the community collection and doubles would be auctioned off. Sales of coins and PM would also be an option. Extra cashflow would be diversified over many styles decided upon by majority vote. These investments couldbe used to help others when they are in a time of need.

 

I just like to collect i have no dreams of being famous. I know due to my place in life that i will never have most any note that might carry a pedigree or be super rare, be a high denomination (mostly US), or in any way cost thosands of dollars. Im fine with that, things are as they are. I love the history, i love the artwork, i love how it gives me somethign to do.

As i learn from those who know so much more then i do, i do like being able to share with those who may not know somethign about a certain subject. Its not a goal of mine, to teach others, more of a byproduct. I like to help folks, but i am no techer! I am more of a tutor

 

This is a hobby for me...I am not trying to be a star or to be remembered as a 'leader' in the field in the big scheme of things. I have no idea who IS a leader in this field but I wouldn't mind sitting down and having a chat with this guy to tell him what I think about the job he has done on this hobby because since I have been collecting I have seen a lot of 'trends' I just do not care for. But in the end, I do as I please with little worry as to what the so called powers that be think this hobby should be about. Because its all about what I think it should be...because its MY hobby.

I think the best things that could happen to me in this hobby is to have someone say they think I have good taste in the coins I collect. That when I die people say 'what a great and interesting collecting he had...' that someone learned something from the information I provided. That someone thinks my collection is interesting enough to keep and build on.

I find this hobby to be separated by a line. Those people who are looking to make it more than a hobby, and those who are content with just enjoying the hobby. As it is a hobby...I tend to be wary of people who are looking to extract more money out of it (like TPGs). To me, as hobby is a DIY as you can possibly make it...in coins, IMO, it all can be DIY save providing the coins as resonable price...buying ONLY the coin and a flip.

I couldn't care less if new collectors are attracted to the hobby, it not my concern if people choose this hobby...in fact less people the better, less I have to compete for coins. I dont want to compete for coins...I just want the coins I want. In fact my advice would be a series of warnings about those who see the hobby as a way to extract money from you...trying to make an already expensive hobby, that much more expensive. The predators out for your pocket book who will try to paint this hobby as a certain way and that way often means you have to spend far more than just the price of the coin and a 2x2. These people are often seen as people who set trends or uphold them...but they harm the hobby, not help it.

I applaud all the collectors out there who just have a love for the coin and a love for the hobby and are more than willing to be a 'knowledgeable collector' (in all their various forms) and nothing else. To me it the greatest hobby in the world and you can be a knowledgeable collector, in fact you can be the most knowledgeable in your area of collecting, you can know more than the TPGs (and many I know DO) and never have to suck a penny out of the pockets of your fellow collector. Its a labor of love...that's what I love about this hobby. Knowledgeable collectors who do all this work, provide so much information, amass wonderful collections out of just the love of the hobby and for nothing else.

This hobby is expensive enough, I am not going to just march in a row and follow the leader and do things how others expect me to do it because, as I have found, there are a lot of people who say they know how it is and in truth...they don't know quite as much as they let on as they are often just regurgitating what they have been told and when put to it, they often cant even explain why.

So in short...its a hobby, its just one thing I like to do in my spare time and I don't think I will ever be known as some leader in this 'field', nor do I know exactly what that would entail in a hobby, save for simply being knowledgeable in your field.

Without any kind of Numismatics degree, we all just take and give to the hobby as we see fit and conduct our own independent study...I like it that way....people doing it for the pure passion, not because their paycheck depended on it. I make my living elsewhere...coins are my hobby and passion, not my income.

 

From the few of you that have replied, I am not surprised by the diversity of the answers thus far!
I am really not asking if you want to be famous, or a legend in the making, but more of what you would do to promote or contribute to the "Industry" or Commerce of the Collecting Community?

When I mention the leaders in the field, I am speaking of people who have made a name for themselves in the "Community" as an example, Mr. Bowers, Mr. Huntoon, Mr. Krause, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Hessler, Mr. Carter, Mr. Flynn, and the list goes on and on of people who have taken not only their personal collections to a level many of us will likey not realize. People who have written books like Dr. Bart, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Haxby, Mr. Schwartz, Mr. Lindquist, Mr. Friedburg and the many others who have contributed to the advent of the collecting community.

The people that have influenced you, me and others that inspire us to look at what they have done and to spark the interest to carry forward.
The people who have profited from their work, I feel deserve to do so. Just consider the thousands of hours of research each of you have given thus far to the study of your own interest.
Our Capitalist economy strives on small business and those who make them work efficiently.

Numismatics is no different that most any other business, people are in it to profit, whether it be from investment, book writing, auctions, personal collections, museum donations, ect ect....it is an opportunity to gain reward whether it be monetary or personal satisfaction. It has escalated into a competitive entity and the "Human Element" is stronger than ever.

Twenty (20) years from now, what will it be? What will you have accomplished by that time frame, what is your destiny in a "hobby" as most of us call it, what legacy will you leave behind?

These are the things that each of us can not possibly know...after all, no one can predict the future!
For me, since I am not such a social animal and tend to stick to myself..(some may call it being a loner) I loathe the thought of being immersed into a status where you no longer have privacy and everything you do is closely watched and remarked about!
God please save us from that ever happening!

I think most of you will agree that what fuels the fire in our own personal collecting experience is as we gain knowledge in the area of interest to the point where we feel that all of our targets can be obtained, we can fulfill our quest to be the best we can be for ourselves....how others see us is something we can never control! I can only hope that what I am doing has an impact on my family and preserves some history of this Nations Economic Machine!


Thanks for the replies so far...I hope this entry was worded better for you?

Regards,

RickieB

 

Rickie, 20 years from now, I want a complete indian quarter eagle set
I'm 13% done, with 2 coins! hee hee!
Also looking to just get the best tribe I can... My kokapowa tribe, consists of my silver buffalo, MS69, my two quarter eagles, 1911 AU58, and 1912 AU55, and soon to be, my $5 gold buffalo...
I want to improve my collection as much as I can, in the next 20 years, and hopefully, it will be great!
I love Mumismatics

 

What a great goal!
What is your plan to achieve this?
Have you considered the potential changes in your collecting goals?
(What I mean by this is, what if halfway through you change your mind?)

What if you are destined to become the next Great collector on Ancient Coins and you just do not know it yet?
What if you were asked by an eccentric individual to establish and run a Money Museum?
What if you became the next person to write a comprehensive book on Quarter Eagles? What if a collector of these coins contacted you because of your expertise and asked you to exhibit the collection?

You see what I am getting at? How can any of know what may happen to the direction we currently take? How would all this change your "hobby" what would you contribute to the Numismatic Community?

Best regards,

RickieB

 

This has not always been the case from my experience but these type people have become more and more plentifull and seem to be expecting money for their efforts...I guess if they get people to pay them to do it, more power to em as long as it doesnt effect my ability to collect how I please or the money I must spend. I dont think it IS a business like any other...if you are in it to make money, IMO, you are in it for the wrong reasons...then again...its all personal...all what you want so if you see numismatics as a possible way to make money...good luck I guess but I will be far less interested and dubious about anything you try to introduce to the hobby if money is the driving factor in how you see this hobby or if you think you should make money with the knowledge you gain and impart and I will always look to go around and keep from having MY money go into your pocket

As for the people you mention, most I have no clue about and no other people save those true collectors who are just passionate about the art and history of what they collect inspire me. Those who compile catalogs and references, certainly what they produce they do so as a money making venture...but what many produce is invaluable as recources. You dont have to care about coins to produce a catalog...you just need a staff that can make a catalog. I make catalogs for customers...I dont need to care about what I am cataloging. Then again...like anything about this hobby, for me...if I can get it for cheap or free...I will go that route. I have a grand total of maybe 5 numismatic books and they are ONLY catalogs...I spend my money on coins...not slabs...not a thousand books...not for someone to do what I can do myself. In the end...I want as much money as possible that I expend on this hobby to go to coins...If I must spend to buy something...I always see it as a lost chance for another coin.

I see myself being seen as a collector until I die...maybe I helped people ID stuff, maybe people like my site and use it as a reference...maybe people will find my collection interesting...beyond that...I am just a base coin fondler and probably will remain that way.

 

Well, I don't think I'd ever touch ancient coins... Sorry to all ancient collections, but IMO, they are weirdly designed stamped pieces of dirt, or at least that is what they look like. Some are nice, but I don't like ancient coins...But some people do, and that is okay
If I could run a museum, or write a book on quarter eagles, that would be great!
But nobody can see into the future... God has a plan, and I'm sure if I take the right path, I can do anything
Well, I am collecting morgan dollars along with my quarter eagles, only have 5 of those, all 63's
I want to just try to finish the morgans, slowly but surely, but my main set are those quarter eagles... (I'm just hoping I don't change my mind!!!)

 

Hey Rickie B it is jmo that humans do not intentionally set out for greatness or tremendous respect in a field. Some are more blessed than others and do nothing while the one that seems destined to fail meets tremendous success and surpasses all expectations. I have heard many people say that success is chance meeting opportunity and one taking action. This is the stuff that keeps life interesting.

In the numismatic world in order to become well known and an authority on the subject well that person would need to be thick skinned as often people are critical when asked to change their perspective. We are more callous as we do not like being duped, even when the outcome will not directly affect our lives.

As for me and the goals I have for my collection, suffice it to say that I will continue to do what I have all along and get the best coin I can afford and pursue the coins that provide me pleasure.

 

my 1 and only true goal is to continue having fun. I have no prosepcts of completeing anything. I have a large collection of graded franklins. Most FBL. will i finish that set? dont know, dont care. i have a large collection of rar indians cents. doubt i will ever finish that set either. why? dont care. I have large collections of Pandas, ASE's Commemoratives, currency notes both stars, webs and otherwise going back decades, and a plain cornucopia of anything and everything else. will i ever 'complete' anything to satisfy a goal? no. why? because i dont care. The only thing i care about is having fun. As soon as this stops being fun for me, i will cash out. I dont care about making a bazillabillion dollars when i cash out. Do i hope my collection will sell for more then i bought it for once accounted for inflation - heck yes, sure, why would anyone want it sell for less. Will i be deeply disapointed if i break even, even after collection for several decades? Nope. My rewards will be the satisfaction of enjoying a hobby for that long.

Everyong colects different things, in different ways, for different reasons. The only correct thing to collect, way to collect and reason to collect is my reason for me, your reason for you, his reason for him and her reason for her. There is no wrong reason. No wrong way, no wrong collection, and no wrong goal. IMHo the only thing that matters is the ability to have fun, to enjoy what you do. I sit at a desk most of the day in my office bahind 4 computer screens .. mostly counting down the time until i get out of work and get to go home. That is my short and long term goal... to go home. Once at home, i play with my daughter ... sometimes we search rolls of cents together.. more like i help her since i have little interest in it lol. I will play with my son, who does more drolling on me and the carpet then anything else. Once the day is over, kids in bed ect, i can sit at my desk in my office at home, and start enjoying my hobby. Take out some lock boxes, take out some sleeves, open the scanner, open half a dozen applications.... if i am doing the same thing in 20 years - GREAT! that only means i have been enjoying what i am doing for another 20 years.

This is my short term goal for tonight, and my long term goal for the next 20 years.

 

One guy who inspired me would be Dave Surber (who passed away recently) who created and maintained wildwinds. This is a website that is a great resource (probably one of the best on the web for ancients) and it is used by many many collectors...in fact many rely on the website to help attribute coins.

He has a few ads on the website but it is highly doubtful he made any real money off that website...the time alone to compile it was probably worth far more than any revenue he received...if it even paid for the site itself. This guy worked a job in another field but compiled wildwinds in his spare time. This is a guy who was obviously passionate about coins...he is now quite well known in ancients as the founder of wildwinds which is still up and, with hope, will remain so for good.

I couldn't think of a better legacy than to be a person who offered a useful resource to collectors for free. So they do not have to go out and spend the large amounts of money it takes to buy catalogs with all the information he offers for free to all.

I would say wildwinds is Daves legacy to collectors...and its the best kind of legacy because he did it without trying to line his pockets. So if there is any coin related legacy I would like to be remembered for, I would hope it would be along the same vein.

nuff said from me.

 

spirochetal bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum?:secret:

 

Well said Drusus.
Thank you for your post's.

Best regrds,

RickieB

 

So are you implicating that this thread is a disease?
Or are you releating the gross influence associated with infliction of this species as related to the thread topic?

Sure would help me to understand why you posted this here.

Currenty and in the past I have worked with a number of Companies whom culture the species in hopes of generating a defense against them!

RickieB

 

Right on! If my Great Grampa ever finds out that I can no longer get a good Mule (4 footed kind) with the Gold Eagle passed through the family to me....well....I look at the coin, ponder how he got it, how it came to me and if my progeny would know how to be independent enough to plant a garden good enough to get us through the next winter.