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 Replies: 13 / Views: 850 |
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Valued Member
Canada
318 Posts |
Hello everyone, I am fairly new to collecting and very new to this forum. My experience here has been a marvellous one, but I wanted to comment on the fact that new members may sometimes get demotivated and disturbed by a few tactless and abrasive posters online. This is a problem everywhere on the internet! So, my question is, do we want a rich, varied, positive and interactive experience here on this coin community? Or do we want to discourage newbies from posting and interacting? People seem to think that just because they are behind a screen, they can be abrasive, abrupt and tactless in their responses. This is not only the case in this community, but everywhere online. I write this bursting bubbles post as I just read a thread that burst my bubble, even though it was not directed to me. A new contributor was told that the photos she/he posted as his/her collection, was simply NOT a collection at all! Pretty abrasive in my opinion!!! Here is what I replied: Bursting bubbles!!!! I agree that if it's something you love, it's a collection. I intend to start a new thread to discuss my experience with the common "bursting bubble" comments of some, or rather, very few members here. My advice to the new members here in this community is: Take things lightly! Enjoy, and don't be afraid to post your questions and comments! Plenty more members, like myself look forward to reading what you have to say and looking at what you have to show, than not! There is an abundance of knowledge, kindness and expertise here on this community. Please do not get discouraged by the very few tactless and abrasive remarks you will undoubtedly receive. After a while, you will get to know the posters and kind of know what to expect. Welcome to this community! It is the very best online resource I have found! I look forward to hearing what everyone here has to say in response to my fresh-eyed observations! The last thing I would want is that we discourage people from collecting and posting, due to some abrasive and bubble bursting comments. Tact, respect and kindness is definitely a recipe for the greatest interactions!  Edited by Jess1234
04/01/2023 09:34 am
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Moderator
 United States
51702 Posts |
How about telling us who is being unfriendly? I know the member you are referring to. They keep posting about annealing issues and it seems they are having a difficult time grasping the process. I have posted more than once that they need to read up on the annealing process so they can learn and save time. There are many members that are having a hard time grasping the coin hobby, may I recommend our sister site the stamp forum to them. John1  ( I'm no pro, it's just my humble opinion )
Searched 6.5 +/- Million Cents Since 1971
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3998 Posts |
I think it's a good point. I think most posters here do a pretty good job being cordial but there are occasional slip ups. But this forum is better than others in general. I actually stopped posting on another forum due to (mostly) one specific individual, who was also a moderator, and their abrasive and know it all attitude. New collectors are excited about collecting. They don't necessarily know that while finding a common date red Wheat cent isn't going to let you retire, it's worth acknowledging that it's a nice coin, a nice find, etc. Then you can politely break the news to them that, unfortunately, there were a billion of them made that year. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
81429 Posts |
I wish more new posters would try our super Search Box before asking basic questions that have beern answered hundreds of times before.  |
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Valued Member
Topic StarterCanada
318 Posts |
 Thanks for both your replies John and KenKat! I'm not here to point fingers John1. I'm simply making the very well known point that words can hurt. It must be my life-long experience as a teacher. I always need to instruct kids to be careful of what they say. But we are not children here, or so I presume. I always try to think of how the best way to say things to let people down easily. The experts will certainly need to burst a few bubbles, as 99.9999% of the time, beginner's coins are only worth FV. We just don't know better. Yes, I have now learned to do a lot of my leg work before posting, but I did not necessarily know that when I first started here on this community. Again, I'm new at this. Newbies are not being lazy by posting many pictures at once, they just didn't have the nuance yet. Also, it's good to know that there is another sister site for beginners. And I was not aware that this community is for advanced collectors. Or is it? And I'm greatly disappointed KenKat, to hear that I cannot retire on a red Wheat cent! LOL! (That's a joke) But I completely agree with your point that beginners get excited about their discoveries. Perhaps their lack of knowledge incites them to over post questions? Food for thought! Nonetheless, thanks to all the volunteers that make this community a very rich and exciting place to learn and share! I truly appreciate each and every one of your comments, even the abrasive and straight-to-the point ones. Thank you
Edited by Jess1234
04/02/2023 05:31 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5002 Posts |
I think people forget that all coin collectors were newbies at one point.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
880 Posts |
I would say this forum is excellent in regards to etiquette, compared to most. Occasionally there is an odd comment but on the whole, everything is good here. I wish people would maybe read a post twice before replying. The more we, as collectors, pool our thoughts, the better the collecting arenas become. I wish everyone here a nice weekend.
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Valued Member
Topic StarterCanada
318 Posts |
Good point Coinfrog!
I just discovered the search bar last week, after over a month on this site!
Great point for new collectors and posters. Maybe we should start a new thread?
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Valued Member
Topic StarterCanada
318 Posts |
 I agree Notgeldman! Have a great weekend!
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Valued Member
Topic StarterCanada
318 Posts |
Keith12. Good point!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2159 Posts |
You make some valid points. I feel for the most part this forum is one of the best out there. no, it is the best! Yes, on a rare occasion I will see a comment that seems unfair, but it is by far the exception rather than the rule. I was a "lurker" here for about a year before joining over 10 years ago. I had a question on a 1946 quarter and decided to join and ask my "dumb" question and take the hits. I was treated with respect and welcomed and my question was answered, that has stayed with me til this day. There is a ton of knowledge and passion here and it is shared by the membership with great patience for the betterment of the hobby. I guess an occasional hiccup is expected, we just have to remind ourselves what it was like when we were "newbies". |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
81429 Posts |
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Moderator
Australia
15414 Posts |
The mods and admins work hard here, to keep the place family friendly, as well as free from scammers and spammers. We also try to keep the place friendly and welcoming by weeding out the more abrasive members, or at least ask such people to dial back on their tone.
If ever you see a comment that you believe might be out of line, feel free to click on the "Report to staff" button. The Mods will then take action, if action is deemed necessary.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Valued Member
Topic StarterCanada
318 Posts |
 The moderators do a great job here on this community! I've said it time and time again. And I thank you for all you do Sap, especially since you are all volunteers! The few tough guys/gals that belittle some posters while sitting behind their screen, are few and far between here in this community. I know that the mods are working hard to keep it that way! Keep up the great work! I, personally, am thrilled to be part of this community! I have learned more in the past month here, than I have in the past year and a half.since I inherited my Mom's coins. My post was meant to be a kind of a reminder that we might want to invite and welcome newbies to this hobby, not discourage and dissuade them from posting in this amazing community. I think we'll all agree that patience is a virtue, especially for the coin collector!
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Replies: 13 / Views: 850 |
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Posted 04/01/2023 10:19 am
