Which collector type are you?

So in reading around here and talking with various people about coins, I've come to the conclusion that there are four basic collector types.

Type 1. The Hoarder - This person puts away anything they find that they perceive as different. They have no idea what value anything they have may hold nor do they have any real determination to find out. They simply hold on to it because it might be worth something. They would never dream of actually buying a coin.

Type 2. The Collector - This person knows his stuff. He has read the books and can practically tell you what page of what book by what author you can find information about a particular coin. He buys his coins with no real thought of what they may be worth later. Having the coin, completing the set, studying, learning and appreciating are his primary drives. He would not hesitate to pay a high price to get that one missing piece, but could never dream of selling his collection.... that's what heirs are for.

Type 3. The Investor - This one has no interest in the history or design of a coin. He'll pay any price for a coin so long as he believes that he can very quickly turn it over for a profit. Buying low/selling high is his motive. If he never actually sees or holds the coin it's all the same.

Type 4. The Investor/Collector - This guy has a reasonable appreciation for the study of coins. He enjoys learning and building his collection. He buys coins and searches for them in circulation. He has built a considerable knowledge of his areas of interest and knows what he is looking for. He loves watching his collection grow, but is thinking about the possibility of profiting from it one day, and if he runs across a really great bargain, he would hesitantly turn around and sell it.

So, I thought it would be an interesting study to see where how we rank ourselves and which is the majority here. I imagine that Type 1's are the majority in the world. I meet them all the time, but I doubt that there are many that would spend time here.

Myself, I'm certainly a Type 4. Maybe I will, maybe I won't ever make anything of value from my collection, but it's always a consideration when I make a purchase, and if I had an opportunity to turn a coin over for a substantial gain, I cannot reason holding on to it. I would be very reluctant to let it go, but I just don't got it like all of that.

 

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I am very much a Type 2!

 

I am a type 2,as it is my interest in British Commonwealth numismatics that keeps me going in the trade.I realised that I had to specialise,so I have begun the process of offloading my non-British Commonwealth coins & banknotes.

Aidan.

 

I want to be a Type 4, but I hate to let anything go!

 

I'm a ty4 I guess but if I find a good deal and can make some money on it I have no problem in turning around and selling it.

Speedy

 

I checked 4, and usually consider myself about 2/3 investor and 1/3 collector. Maybe I should have just checked off investor, but I have a problem with the way investing was described. I am extremely price conscious, and constantly search for bargains among the series I look at. But I have absolutely no interest in selling, even at a profit. This is based on the fairly high probability [at least in my analysis] that gold and silver prices will be much higher in the future than in the past or even the present. Maybe that's just a longer term view than the poll considers.

 

I check type 4, although I am much more a collector. However, if the right offer or a need were to come along, I may sell. However, my plan would be to leave my collection to my son.

 

I clicked TY2. I could never let one of my coins go. They are like a piece of me that no matter the value they are priceless to me.

 

I would consider your description to place you in type 4 if you like to learn about your coins as well. The investor (in my poll) doesn't care a lick if the coin is old, new, beautiful, historic... just simply the question... what can I get it for and how much can I sell it for. A type 4 would certainly always consider price and potential for appreciation but enjoys having the coins as well.

 

I would rank you as a Type 2. Great need and irresistable offers notwithstanding, you sound like you would never give your coins up willingly, and don't really concern yourself too much with what a purchase may be worth down the road.

 

I guess saying "hesitantly turn around and sell it" was a bad choice of words. What I meant to imply was that he would be happy to sell and make some money, but would appreciate it enough to be a little sad to let it go.

 

Im definitely a typ. 2. I love to collect the coins that interest me and I love to read about the coins I've collected and the ones I would like to collect. I would certainly never sell any of my coins, all of mine are getting passed down and hopefully added to.

 

I belive im a type 4 thats what i want to be anyway. I always try to buy 2 of everything. so i will always have one. The problem is when I have extra its still hard for me to sell them. I keep thinking they will go up more. One things for sure though I love my coins and am sure I will die and have lots of them.

 

All Of The Above

I would say I am a little of all of them. I am a pack rat that saves everything, but I am a collector or I would not be here trying to learn whatever I can from the collective wisdom on this forum. I also read books and magazines on coins, and really injoy the history and artwork involved. I also look for a way to profit from the hobby, in the short and long term. (Mabey more of a savings plan for the longterm than an investment!)
I know I get a lot of joy from coins and I produce a little aggravation in my wife, (she thinks I'm a little crazy!)
I always figured I could spend money on a lot worse things and have nothing to show for it.

 

I'm a type 4 to a point but if I find a good deal I will not haste to sell if I can made a good profit.

 

Right now I'm a type 2, but I have traces of the type 4 in that I will prioritize purchases of coins that I could at some point in the near or far future offload for a sizable profit. Plus, it greatly reduces the speed at which I go through my collecting budget, which is a huge plus.

Fish

 

I'm too poor to be anything but a type 2. Otherwise, I'd be an investor/hoarder/collector.

 

Sorry to say that I am not in any of your catagories, I collect coins for the look, the history, the feel I love to learn about coins and dont realy care about the value, but I dont just grab anything that looks different. All the coins I own I like.

De Orc

 

50% Type 1, 50% type 4.

I've never sold on any of the coins I've bought...but i've sure thought about it.

 

collector... describes me exactly. Like De Orc though, I collect because of history and aesthetics