Do I Have To Complete Sets?

@ tkbslc

When I read your post the thing I took away from it was that you are fighting with boredom. You stated that you started in the hobby about a hear ago and have tried your hand at starting a number of different sets only to find yourself bored fairly quickly. Do I have that right?

If so then you are very much like many collectors in their first year. It's a time to get a feel for what interests you. So to that end I'd say don't worry about completing sets at this time especially if you find yourself getting bored. Perhaps what you might want to do is put most of your collecting time into learning about the coins that DO interest you. If you stumble upon a coin that you like, dig deeper by learning as much as you can about that coin or it's type or series, etc.. You've probably heard people say "buy the book before the coin". It sounds like a cliche but it's quite valid, especially at the crossroads you're finding yourself now.

If you take the time to learn as much as you possibly can about an area that interests you, you're likely to become even more interested. And learning can be done in so may ways. Reading here on these forums, in the many, many great numismatic books that are available at the library, online, or purchased. Learn from your local coin dealer or from a local or online coin club.

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know but as you're finding yourself distracted, or your interests in completing a set is waning, why not take a step back and focus on learning all there is to know about a coin series that interests you.

And hopefully you'll get a second wind and end up with a hobby that makes you happy for a lifetime.

Not so much boredom, but feeling like I should be working toward organized sets when I enjoy reading about all different kinds of coins and collecting unorganized sets...

Just still not sure what I want to do. So far, larger silver coins seem to give me the most joy. I fact, I started this whole thing by a relative giving me three older silver rounds as a birthday gift.




I've got most of a 20th Century type set done. I got frustrated when I got to the Barber coins and it's not a design that I like, but it costs a ton of money for good examples. I fear I'd run into that even more in the 19th century.

From the posts here, it sounds like there are a lot of us in (some degree) of your boat, tkbslc. I too am somewhat of an ADD collector. I jump around from set to set randomly...it's whatever captures my interest at the time.

That said, in the long haul, all my sets get equal billing, so it really depends on the time frame in which you consider them. Week to week I probably seem like:



But if you look at my collecting on a scale of 5-10 years, things steady out quite a bit.

Oh my goodness...this is so far out it is in!

That is a great point just carl...I wonder if the 2015-W and Reverse Proof Roosevelt dimes will part of the set since they are still monetized dimes?

About what I do now. For example I have 12 Mercury dimes sets. I'm constantly trying to make set #1 perfect or close to it. Then each set is progressively lesser in grade. Same with many, many other sets.
There is really no end to this madnesssssssss

The thrill is in the hunt.

I have a few completed sets (Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, State Quarters, SBA, Jefferson nickels, Barber halves, Franklin halves, Kennedy halves) and they all sit int he safe or the drawer out of sight and out of mind.

My other sets need the 1 or 2 key date coins so those are out of sight, out of mind as well.

The only thing that really gets me excited anymore is if I find a high grade pre 1950 Jefferson as there is a slight chance that it might be an upgrade for one of my 3 sets.

I have switched to classic and modern commems because I have run out of affordable hole fillers for my other sets.

Collect what you like and what keeps you still hunting for the right coin or the right deal.

Been collecting since 1980. Over 11,0000 coins. Virtually no "completed sets" and no detectable pattern so far (I find "gotta-catch-em-all" set completion very uninspiring, myself). And enjoying the hobby immensely.

As for "value", if you mean monetary value, then I hate to break it to you, but forming coins into "sets" does not add value. It's one of the weird, paradoxical, perverse facts about this hobby: sets, whether they are mint-assembled, dealer-assembled or collector-assembled, are worth more (monetarily) if you split them up before selling them.

If, on the other hand, by value you mean "collector interest", then they already seem to have very little of that to you, because you don't sound very interested. Once a hobby starts to become like work, it's time to reorganize your approach to that hobby. Remember, this is supposed to be fun and interesting.

How to do that? Find something else about the hobby that interests you, perhaps: world coins, mediaeval coins, ancients, tokens, medals, paper money... there's plenty of possibilities. Or, try linking your hobby to any other interests you (or your family) might have. Like history and/or genealogy? Then maybe coins from the countries your ancestors came from might be of interest. Like cats? Start an open-ended thematic collection of coins with cats on them. Sports fan? Coins and medals depicting your favourite sports could be the way to go.

Remember, there are no rules. So long as you're enjoying yourself, you're not "doing it wrong".