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 Replies: 13 / Views: 968 |
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Valued Member
United States
440 Posts |
He says he is a collector. He decides he is going to collect Jeffersons. He goes out and buys an circulated collection from the coin shop. He decided to collect Lincolns. Filled that in 2 weeks. all but 09s vbd. all in avg cir condition. Now wants Mercs. said he can get a collection for $140.00 all but 16d it does have a 21 . they are all in good condition at best. I said . Why don't you take the time and build a nice set. I would rather get 1 or 2 quallity coins than a handful of circulated material. He said he just wants to collect and show off his "collections". I told him its more like accumulating. He is also not patient enough to look for detail or buy material. He finally got a Red Book after I nagged him for 2 months.He just bought a 57 proof set (birth year). I asked him how the Franklin was. He said it was a Franklin. I asked how the bell lines were. He said "what are bell lines". I'm trying get him to to take his time and get good quality items. He did say he would get his key dates from the Lincoln set certified after he gets the last one. I guess thats a start. Its Frustrating. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2724 Posts |
Don't get frustrated. Any start is a good thing. A well circulated set could lead to a registry set in a few years.
Most "older" collectors cut their teeth on circulated Lincolns pulled from their pockets.
Keep offering advice, and buy him a subscription to a magazine as a gift.
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Forum Dad
 United States
24169 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
382 Posts |
Don't sweat it. At LEAST he is involved in the hobby. When I first started, I wanted to fill the slots quick and easy. That meant buying alot of bad, no-eye-appeal, low grade coins. I bought a lot of commons and figured I would buy the keys when I was ready. (What a mistake!!)
It's just like the vodka we used to drink in college mixed with (fill in your favorite sugar water or juice here). It those days, we drank Popkov (not sure if I spelled that $5/liter vodka correct). We drank lots of it and had a great time. IT hurt like anything the next day, but it served its purpose.
As I have matured (with the exception of a new low every now and then), my friends and I like to have a nice Belvedere or Kettle One Vodka, straight up over ice with a twist of Lime. Maybe a dirty martini with 3 olives. Instead of drinking the bottle with the music of Duran Duran in the background, we now enjoy a great glass or two and ACTUALLY enjoy the smooth taste.
What I am saying is that as you get older and more experienced with the finer things in life, you tend to gravitate toward quality over quantity. Nice and slow...smooth and beautiful.
So, my taste in coins has improved just as much as my taste in a good vodka. Quality over quantity.
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
Very well said, Zak. The quality over quantity lesson is not one that can be taught. It has to be learned and experience is the best teacher. My guess would be that, if your friend ever sits down and figures the actual value of his collection, he's going to be disappointed and will then start to consider the better quality coins.
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Forum Dad
United States
24169 Posts |
Getim' in here and we'll set him straight! [:p]
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Rest in Peace
United States
954 Posts |
I still hold the idea to each his own. If this is the manner he wishes to collect there is really nothing wrong with it.
I have found that people who do this lose interest real quick in collecting coins. They get bored. Then they try to sell their collections and find they are only able to get 50% of what they paid for it. Now the complaining starts.
catman
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Pillar of the Community
Belgium
2078 Posts |
When the euro started some newspapers gave out cardboards to "collect" all euro coins from all member countries
A friend of my wife and her daughter both tried to complete a "collection " faster then anybody else
A coin was a coin whatever condition and was popped right in the slot
As soon as all slots (except vatican) were filled the boards were tossed in a cupboard
Not a single coin was looked at but for the country of origin
I tried to explain that an uncirculated set was worth more
they did not understand
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
188 Posts |
quote:
Instead of drinking the bottle with the music of Duran Duran in the background, we now enjoy a great glass or two and ACTUALLY enjoy the smooth taste.
My parents drink to Duran Duran! A few months back my father broke his collar bone (because he fell over drunk) and that was listening to Depeche Mode. It's quite embarrasing because I'm the 80s music lover in the house and it's my music they keep pinching. On the coin front I must confess I used to try and complete sets as fast as possible by just buying anything, although your friend seems to be better than I was because at least he's finishing his sets! I used to get distracted half way through and move to something else. 15 years later I've still never finished a set, although I buy quality now. |
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Valued Member
United States
157 Posts |
For now, I guess they are just content with filling holes. I know that's how I was, for the most part, when I was young. I didn't take just ANY coin, but I was far less discriminate than I am today. If they stick with the hobby, most likely the emphasis on quality will become an "acquired taste."
Lower quality coins need a home, too, so why not for people of limited means who are just getting started? For them, just getting the coin in just about any condition may be a thrill. There's plenty of time to upgrade and emphasize quality later.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
867 Posts |
Ziggy makes a good point- ugly coins need love too! Some of those holes in my collection will probably never be filled. But, there's a definate difference between buying a cull knowing that it's just a cheap (maybe temporary) hole-filler and just buying anything because you don't have one already. Anyone got a cull 1895 Morgan to spare?  Rachel [:p] |
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Rest in Peace
United States
3730 Posts |
I guess I fit somewhere in the middle.
I don't want junk in my collections, however I personally see nothing wrong with a worn coin.
I would rather have a filled coin album rather than one with empty holes simply because I couldn't afford a high quality coin.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
I started out collecting Lincoln cents and other common circulating coins. I always tried to fill all the holes and then improve upon quality. As I matured (if that's the right term!) as a collector, I still started out to "fill all the holes" but rarely kept interest in any one series long enough to accomplish that goal. Now I want to get my hands on lots of varities, play around with them, study them then sell them and buy something else. I have much less interest in owning coins as I do studying them and learning their histories. I buy about as many books "about" coins these days as actual coins! I do pass off quite a bit of coins to my daughter(she never sells!) but only have about 100 coins left vs about 3000 to 4000 coins in my hey day! I have observed over the years that the volume or value of the coins I own has had no bearing on my passion for the hobby. If I "owned" no coins I would still love the hobby! Who knows, maybe I'll go full circle and start working on those Lincolns again. I stumbled across 4 or 5 old Whitman albums buried in a closet that I thought were old empty red Albums. Much to my delight (horror) they were all partially filled. Most are suffering badly from the old acidic holders[:0] About the clean-up of those Lincoln's (any good advice?) Maybe that's another thread!!! Mike  |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1091 Posts |
While I have a good size Non Circulating Legal Tender (perfect from the mint)Australian coin collection that has cost me thousands in the last year alone, I still like my World coin "Junk" collection best. I have collected lots of coins that I know will never amount to anything price wise, but take my mind to far away places and times when I look at them. A well worn coin tells a story of it's use, imagining the number of people handeling the coin and how many transactions occured to wear down a coin. A perfect coin, well someone collected it and has had no life history, but can be admired for its artwork and clarity.
Since this is a hobby, there is no right way or wrong way to enjoy it. Collect what you like, if you enjoy it.
The only "trouble" is when a person thinks that this hobby will be a get rich quick scheme. LOL Perhaps passing the collection down a few generations might provide a few surprises.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 968 |
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Posted 08/09/2005 8:38 pm
