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 Replies: 29 / Views: 3,642 |
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Valued Member
United States
69 Posts |
I am posting this in the Classic Forum, because for me, I only collect Classic U.S. Coins, so it's applicable.
My question fellow Collectors/Numismatic Aficionados:
What is a Fun Fact about your collection, or a strange habit that you have in regards to the hobby?
Here's mine. I am extremely OCD, and a Germaphobe, Although I love holding history in my hands, I only hold it at a distance. I prefer slabbed coins for handling purposes, and if I buy a raw coin, I wear non latex gloves to handle the coin's rim placing it into a 2x2. I've owned hundreds of coins, yet never have touched one. Even during my metal detecting, or ground digging, I always wear gloves. I've never held a classic coin on my skin......ever.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5246 Posts |
I guess that we are quite different that way. I love to handle coins, I love the feel and the heft of them. Of course I would not do that for the high grade ones.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Good luck, JSW - I am a loss for words here.
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Valued Member
 United States
69 Posts |
LOL, I never said I was normal, just honest.
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
Not a germaphobe -- but I always wash my hands before and after handling coins.
I always place an old towel on my desk because I have a tendency to drop things. Is that strange or prudent?
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5174 Posts |
Quote:
I guess that we are quite different that way. I love to handle coins, I love the feel and the heft of them. Of course I would not do that for the high grade ones. I love looking at my coins, which normally involves handling them as well. I try to be careful with the ones that look AU (I don't think I have anything in true MS that isn't in a capsule, or at least a 2x2). My own weird quirk: I just can't bring myself to buy any coin for more than $5 or so unless it's something really unusual, and even $2 is a lot to ask for. Yet I have no problem with buying 30 coins for half a dollar each instead. Sadly this means that classic US coins are very underrepresented in my collection (and most of the ones I do have are either gifts from CCF members, or early purchases made before I got that quirk), even though I admire that series highly. It also means that, despite very frequent advice to that effect, I sadly can't go for quality instead of quantity, unless it's something really cheap (like memorial cents, which I have a bunch of in XF and AU). |
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Valued Member
United States
403 Posts |
Apparently I used to put coins in my mouth as a youngster, so my mother told me that coins were filthy dirty carriers of germs and diseases, worse than toilet seats. I stopped the habit but always wondered why I survived. Turns out that coinage metals are fairly antibacterial and colonies found on coins are usually harmless. Probably caught the coin bug in this fashion  Still gives me the willies though. Any questionable keeper coin I sterilize with alcohol. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3181 Posts |
Right now I believe JSW just hurled based on your response sir.  |
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Valued Member
United States
69 Posts |
I might have threw up a bit in my mouth......joking!
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CCF Advertiser
United States
1533 Posts |
Silver and gold are actually pretty antibacterial. I'd be more concerned about the plastic slabs you are handling than the coins.
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Moderator
 United States
188770 Posts |
Quote:
I am posting this in the Classic Forum, because for me, I only collect Classic U.S. Coins, so it's applicable. I moved this to the main forum for more exposure. To ideas, not germs! |
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Valued Member
United States
69 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
188770 Posts |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
Silver is an antibacterial metal. For those whom might recall, does passing through the GI tract clean the coin? Just wondering, after all spit is still the best way to clean an old painting. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
There's nothing quite like the black scuz left on your fingers after two solid hours of roll hunting nickels. Well, perhaps the feeling of handling an ancient or medieval coin dating from a known outbreak of bubonic plague or smallpox?  |
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Pillar of the Community
Norway
1358 Posts |
Same here for the washing of hands after playing with coins (even though always touching them as little as possible to avoid finger prints). Usually not before. This is just to get rid of the metal and smell and to avoid confusion: I'm a human, not a cyborg. Also, when it comes to OCD, I always try to put my coins in 2x2's by having the reverse facing me, having the 'bottom' of the coin on the bottom of the 2x2. It's always a challenge to do it as good as possible every coin. Anyway, it looks good in the albums and it is much easier for me to 'identify' a coin in my albums at first sight. I really like to keep the slabs clean, I never like putting a complete novel on them. In fact, coins that I get in 2x2's that have such graffiti always get a new, clean one by me. Am I weird enough now to join the club?  |
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Replies: 29 / Views: 3,642 |
Posted 06/15/2016 8:13 pm
