Why are American coins so overated?

I assume you dont include yourself in this vast majority...thats what I find funny about broad generalizations that have no truth to them or basis in reality, the speaker of such irrelevant, elitist drivel always seems to place themselves apart from the statement...just remember that every person you label uninformed or ignorant...they dont think they are, and they might think YOU are.

Some people dont care about history...or coins...some people care about other things you dont care about and probably lament why people like you are ignorant in what they care about. I dont think most US coin collectors are uninformed...I know its unthinkable but it might be that they simply dont care about the same things you do...they like what they like...and I certainly dont think Americans are ignorant in history and politics...no more than any other nation of people...

You had it right in the first place...Its personal taste...they like what they like...and they dont like ancients, or they just dont want to collect them...anyone who collects knows that there are some god awful ancients...ancient doesnt mean better...in fact the ancients probably take the cake for churning out some of the most cheap and unattractive coins ever minted. Give me a German, HRE coin from the 16th - 19th century or most older american coins over a ratty constantine (and clan) any day

 

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Why? Because I like them. Why do I like them? Because I like something that has something to do with this country. I partly buy stuff for investment, and I partly buy stuff because I like them. Does that make me a bad person? My thought is, buy what you like. I personally don't like world coins. Why? I don't know. Just don't. Just me. Everybody is different, everybody has different tastes. I would much rather have some US silver coins than some silver world coins. Why you might ask me? Because it is my taste, my liking. Another thing is, these coins hav ALOT of history behind them. One thing they represent is freedom that we have. The freedom that our forefathers fought for. So please, don't put down US coins again, I don't see anyone putting down your Greek whatchamightcallit. BTW, what is your sorespot with US coins? I don't see what your problem is by putting them down, and calling us US coin collectors ignorant. You have no right to do that. I don't think anyone here can answer your question. We can't answer for people. You can't ask us why people like something, and expect an answer. Why do people like cars? Why do people use drugs? Why do people smoke? Because it is there taste. Other than that, I don't have an answer for you. So please stop beating a dead horse if you know what I mean. I hope you take what I have said into consideration.

Phoenix

 

It seems you are indignant about the price differential between the two coins you used as an example.

Is there anything that anyone here could possibly say that would make you less indignant?

If not, and you chose to repeat the same argument over and over, I meekly offer that this is a bit like trolling.

If I buy a house to live in, hoping it will increase in value (as millions of people in the States do) does that make me an investor and not a liver? If I plan to make money buying up houses thousands of miles from where I live (as thousands of people in the States do) simply to resell them at a profit, yes, I would call myself an investor.

Likewise, if you buy coins cold-heartedly, never look at them, and leave them in a vault waiting for them to appreciate, I would say that, no, you are not a collector. If you buy coins and keep them near you, enjoy looking at them, even yes, enjoying thinking about how much they are worth on the market, I would say that you're still a collector.

You cannot try to tell me that collectors of pre-1850 European oil paintings do not relish the thought of how much they paid and how much the works are worth. It is simply part of the Caché.

I can't stand pre-1950 furniture. Am I going to complain that it is really hot? No I am not. As to: Artistic Beauty (subjective) History (depends what period interests you) Numismastic Value (I thought monetary value was irrelevant. Numismatic value: subjective) Rarity depends if you care (I bloody well don't) Miscellaneous Interest (Now you're on to something.

If there exists in the universe no answer that will satisfy you: stop asking. If you wish to abuse people who do not share your opinions: don't.

If the question is why are there fewer of one nation's coins, from one TINY 200 year period of history (as a function of the total number of human beings on earth who are interested in collecting them), and more coins from dozens of lands, spanning a 4500 year period (of to me extremely interesting) history (as a function of total number of human beings " "), then the answer is....because!

Threads that ask a question that can be answered with 'because' are, to me, not useful. You might try starting a thread called "Why I think US coins fetch such high sums" and not being so grumpy.


Signed,
Reluctant to be a North American

~

 

I'm afraid we may have missed the point...

A better question to ask would be "what makes a 1909 S VDB more historical than a 1909 or a 1909 S indian?" You can't say rarity makes a difference - over 480 THOUSAND of these things were made. Compare that with ancients with a surviving number of perhaps five or six. And liberty and justice and all that are no more prevelant in a rare coin than in a common one. Rarity is also influenced by what most American collectors define as a collection. Whereas ancient collectors will patiently collect, say, sestertii of Antoninus Pius as they come, a US collector must go out and hunt down each and every date, mintmark, and die variety.

Face it - American coins ARE over-rated. So much so that I can't afford to collect most of them anymore even if I wanted to! It really is supply and demand, which has been partially skewed by investors.

And Jerome, if you have to knock an American coin, you probably picked the WORST when you chose the wire rimmed '07 double eagle. If there were ANY US coin that I'd choose over an Athenian tet, it'd be that one.

*If someone wants a real adventure, collect foreign coins by date, mintmark, and even die variety. Its like US coins, only a fraction of the price!*

 

Let's all try to get along.

:hug:Oh, yay! It seems that flame has been deleted.:hug:

Let's not have a competition to see which nationality's...well, anything is more important than another's. (Which is more important stylistically: Cuban music or Brazilian music?) Or at least keep such debates in the politics area.

 

cause america rules!

oh and the saint gaudens i 1 gold 2 beautiful 3 rare

 

Really, there is no answer other than 'because'.

For the same reason I would rather have a bureau from IKEA than a Louis XIV fall out of the sky and land unscratched in my back garden: because I like the IKEA bureau better.

 

does not

does so

does not

does so

does not

does so

ad nauseum

(I hope you are joking ricky. If so, it's not funny, it's offensive. If not, it's not a very nuanced thing to say....and it's offensive)

 

Because they are not over-priced.

 

You must be kidding...there are millions of constantines minted...probably most years of his tenure...they minted his mug on probably hundreds of millions of coins and millions survive...you cant give them away there are so many....all very boring and mostly the same....but they are ANCIENT...still boring and common...yet still people have to collect every type of his coins...same can be said for many coins from many different emperors....they are common as dirt...now if you are talking RARE ancients....thats another story...

and dont ever doubt that the there arent some VERY VERY rare american issues back when america was just starting out....

 

changed my mind, I'll stay

No Johnn, I agree with everything you said in this paragraph, except that US citizens who are informed, but choose not to collect non-US coins, are informed. They just choose not to, if you'll accept that tautology.

~
​

 

This is getting silly, reading the responses, I thought that I'd read valid points.

 

I certainly don't take offense, an opinion is an opinion. Unfortunately patriotism and history DO enter into it though

I graduated high school in 1980. History as taught then was VERY much - "we are Americans" we did this, we defeated the British (no offense), we kicked butt in World War II. Basically, we're always right. RARA go AMERICA!

In college I actually STARTED to learn some real American history and it ain't all that pretty. Having had a step mother who was full blooded Native American (Sioux) gave me some insight too but I will leave it at that as this is not the proper place.

When people start collecting over here it's usually Lincoln Cents. Why? - because Lincoln was a GREAT President. That's been drilled into our heads.Just an example, but the signing of the Magna Carta is not something that is real big over here. Guarantee a great percentage of Americans have no clue what it was.

Our "education" or lack thereof contributes heavily into what we collect. Being that there are a lot of collectors in the U.S. (here we go again) SUPPLY and DEMAND.

Would I like a 1793 Cent (Chain or Wreath)? - YES but I can't afford them so know what I settle for in that time frame? I like Conder tokens because they are cheap and depict real life in the 1790s.

Incidentally, I am primarily an odd denomination collector. I like U.S. coins that the average American has no clue were ever made.

In closing, hope I haven't offended anyone on either side of rhe big pond. It's just my opinion.

 

I don't believe he did.

 

Excuse me, I'll be blunt. I sense a bit of Euro-snobbishness.

 

I'm well aware that I'm uninformed on most matters in general. Heck, I know nothing about football or baseball...or advanced physics for that matter. Sure, ask me a question about Wh-Movement in relation to English syntax and I'll talk for an hour, but ask me who won the Super Bowl last year and I'll just stare at you dumbly.

What was trying to point out (in order to answer Jerome's question of why people are willing to spend so much on American coins) is that I feel VERY confident in saying that most Americans aren't that concerned with world history or world politics (and thus world coinage) to a deep enough degree that you could call it a hobby or a passion or even an interest, and coin collectors aren't necessarily excluded from that. Americans like to collect U.S coinage BECAUSE they're American coins, and if you don't care for world history, you probably won't find collecting world coins that interesting either. Granted, just because someone collects coins - even world coins - it doesn't mean that they automatically care about the history behind them...but there is probably a better chance that they do.

Is it a bad thing if one doesn't care about world history or world politics? It depend on who you ask. Is it a bad thing that a large number of Americans can't even point out Iraq on a map? Depends on who you ask. Is it a bad thing I don't know who won the Super Bowl last year? Depends on who you ask.

At any rate, I feel Jerome's most valid point is that U.S. coins are overrated, and as a result, overpriced. But I guess even overrated depends...on who you ask.

 

I agree with you and the dealer; it is strange. But it is the way it is. If the world were different, it would be different. (I'd rather live in that world than this world, but I haven't found the magic potion.)

 

Defiantly! But remember, the knife cuts both ways.

 

I am sorry, he didn't say that, I got my people mixed up, but Jhonn did here:

That is what got me upset. So what if I don't collect world coins, doesn't make me any less knowledgable in those areas. Now I have to gove an apology, I took that differently than what it said, but I still think that comment is out of line.

Phoenix

 

Totally. It's all subjective. Sic transit gloria mundi.