The Different Paths Collectors Travel While Collecting Coins

The simple answer is you dont, you just come to accept that youre going to stray all over the place and end up in spots you never thought you would. The sooner you accept that and just let it happen the easier it will be

I would have to say that my approach to collecting is the same as SsuperDdave's is. I see a coin for sale or in a roll I can only assume that it is an unwanted coin and I feel that I must give it a home. If it is modern day clad then it will have to be extra special to make it into my collection. I keep every non U.S. coin I come across, I buy all the bullion issued by world governments I can find locally that is reasonably priced, and all the classic coinage I can afford. Then there is the paper money. My desk would nearly qualify me for a special episode of hoarder's most of the time. Once the fever takes you it will run rampant and there is no cure.

As a kid, anything I could get. Now, after college, I'm working on a set of Liberty nickels in MS64+.

Earlier today I found out about the 7070 sets, and I now want to put together an AU+ set complete with gold eventually.

But not all coins are round, some are square!

The simple answer is I DONT
If I find a coin that appeals to me I will buy it regardless of whether it fits into any of my sets
I am mainly an Aussie coin collector but things can get out of hand rapidly, I got a few Kennedy halves and some Canadian 50 cent coins a while back and just HAD to complete the sets
The same with other US and Canadian coins, Now I have been side-tracked on NZ coins.
That's the beauty of NOT being so disciplined in my collecting, If I had stuck to collecting ONLY Aussie coins I would not have the knowledge of US and Canadian coins that I have now
You can read all the books and look at all the photos of coins but when you actually get them "in hand" It's a whole new ball game

my entire collection is a Detour...if I like it (and can afford it, which cuts out a lot) I'll pick it up

Before my days at CCF: Hoard bicentenial coinage, odd denominations (halves and dollar coins), Foregn coins, and anything 50 years old. Collect the State Quarters by MM. I had $1.10 face in 90% silver and $1 in 40% silver at the time.

Around and after the time that I joined CCF, I have since refined my hoards of American coins to fit into proper date-MM collections and extended my collection ranges. My sets of modern coinage, some still incomplete: cents 1909-1981, Jefferson nickels through 1970, Kennedy half dollars though 2002; Ikes, SBA and Sacagawea by MM through 2008, Presidents not by MM.

My foreigns I have sorted into proper typesets and traded away spares, still seek to get some countries completed as I pick up new countries.

Silver is where I have gone nuts in the past year and few months, spending most of the cash that I get as gifts or from the household recycling on it. Here, my goals have meandered from mere birth year, closest mint to place of birth, half-quarter-dime sets to represent my aunt, younger uncle, grandpa and grandma, plus 1964 silver coins and birth year-100 set of Morgans, to Canadian silver sets to represent the former two people, a Queen Elisabeth II typeset that includes the silver and Maples; most of the US quarters and halves 1932-1964.

Even with silver, I've deviated a few places: 1967 Balboa, 1979 Casa de Modena Onza from Mexico.

And I have some interests in 1800's coins. I can probably complete some sets this year, but still will have a ways to go.

Very fun and interesting stories here.
Started collecting when I saw the bicentennial coins while I was a kid. Kept hoarding the quarters which ended up being over 40 rolls. My parents really weren't interested in the hobby. Around 10 years old found out my grandfather had collected so he asked me what I was interested in and of course at that age you think anything 5 years old is "ancient", LOL.
He showed me my first look at an IHC which he later on gave to me. About 20 years after he passed my mother gave me the bags he had for me to sort and divide between my sister and I. During one of these bags I came across the 1811 Capped Bust halve he had. I was completely fascinated since I had never seen any coin that looked that way. It had that beautiful patina that no other coin had. That coin is what hooked me on this hobby.
Like many here my focus and collections change from time to time as we see different series and designs, but it still comes down to the IHC and Capped Bust coins that I think are some of the most beautiful designs ever created.
Have had so much enjoyment with CCF reading and learning from so many. Drooling continually at the amazing collections, what a great hobby this is!!