Retiring From Collecting.

I have received enough email about this, I figured it would be best that I respond publicly.

1. I am not shutting down coppercoins.com, nor am I transferring its ownership. It is mine and will remain mine. I will be paying to keep it up for collectors who want to use it. The main difference is that new information and updates will not happen by my hand. Bob will continue to work on it as long as he wants to, but I have told him that if the enjoyment leaves for him, just stop. It is what it is - it's the largest catalog of its kind, and it will stay that way. Nobody else is even close to comparing to it, so letting it sit without new updates just means that the 'book' is considered 'complete' as it is.

2. I am not quitting coins altogether. I have half a million of them here to deal with one way or another. Some will go to the bank, some will be sold on ebay, and many of them will be stored until either my interest is regenerated or until I die and my son gets them. I am not going to go through a wholesale offloading of coins, so don't hold your breath waiting for it.

3. Two main reasons I am leaving - my job and my son. Both require time from me that do not warrant my being able to put time into the coins. So the coins are being put away. My job requires at least 60 hours per week of my time, and my son has suffered for years from my 'workaholic' mentality. I have two years left with him before he moves on as an adult. I'm ready to give him that two years instead of continuing to give it to coins, websites, and message boards.

4. I have received 10-20 questions about coins per day for years now. I have done my best to continuously respond to them. Those days are over now. IF you send a message about coins, I will probably respond, but it will take on the order of two weeks to a month before I do respond. I will be paring my time in the 'office' down from 30 hours a week to about 10 hours a month. I simply do not have interest in dealing with coins at this time. I have much more important things to do.

5. It is possible that with enough absence (and a repaired relationship with my son) I may come back with a vengeance, but it will be in a different form. I have a half-written book that will be moth-balled, and I still have a lot of very good potentially successful ideas for my website. I just have to grow into the right frame of mind to want to complete the tasks and get them straightened out.

To that effect, any promises about a new book are indefinitely on hold. Any updates on coppercoins.com are indefinitely on hold, although the site will be left open for free use. Lincolncent.com, my Lincoln Cent retail store, will be shut down this evening, indefinitely. No going out of business sale, no other announcement, no advertising. This is not a hype gimmick, this is retirement. I do not want orders. I do not want the pressure, nor do I want the work.

6. I wish each and every one of you success in what you seek here. I wish each of you enjoyment in what you do with collecting. It is a fun hobby, but I forewarn any of you who are considering making it a career that once it becomes your income source, the whole thing changes, and you have to be prepared to hate it and love it at the same time. I have simply grown to a point where other things have trumped the importance of coins. I do not need them for income, and my son is crying out for attention - and he deserves it. I'm leaving now to give it to him.

You will be missed. Good luck!

Chuck, I have always respected you for your giving of your time and your dedication. I see that has not changed, you are just redirecting it. I agree that family must come first. Best of luck and I look forward to hearing from you occasionally.

Hey coppercoins, thanks for all your help and attention. Maybe you can come out of retirement when you retire.

Good man. Good priorities. Best of luck to you.

The Very Best of luck to you, And a very Big Thank You for all
you have given to this community. It has been very greatly appreciated.
And you will be greatly missed.

Just Hangin out with the son has all of this beat by a country mile.
Enjoy.

Terry

coppercoins: Obviously, there some other much more important issues in your life the need your attention. The number of posts you have submitted gives a clear indication of how much fun you derive from numismatics.

Putting aside your numsmatic interests to deal with those other issues give some idea of how impotant those other issues are.

You have my prayers, and I wish you well in dealing with them.

I remember both CC and Coop being two of the most helpful folks during my first stint in variety collecting a couple years ago. I noticed that Coop has been inactive since November of last year and then I found this post from CC. I must admit it makes me pretty sad to not have these two both actively involved in the community.

Here's to CC and Coop and the hope they will soon return to us, full force!