To All Members Who Post Here...

I need to add that I was interrupted mid-stream during that post and forgot to add another important part of what I am thinking when I'm here answering questions...

Without a doubt I owe a large part of my 'notariety' to the internet and the people who use the internet for knowledge. I would never have gotten where I am without it. I feel lucky to be respected for what I know, and I feel lucky to have such an easy way to spread knowledge. For that I have everyone here and in other places to thank. If it hadn't been for the internet I would never have met the likes of Ken Bressett or Bill Fivaz, J.T. Stanton, James Wiles, or a large host of very recognized people.

It does get very frustrating at times when people who obviously didn't study numismatics try to act like they know what the answers are and jump in front of everyone else with their supposed facts. I'm not talking about the people who state they don't really know and are guessing - heck, they're just trying to participate and learn. I'm talking about the few who have come here in the past spouting off their "knowledge" which was obviously ill acquired. Challenging other people who obviously do know something just to look big in front of the crowd.

Well, most of you can read right through people like that, but there's always the new kid who comes around looking for kowledge, and they are confused when they get five different responses to the same question. They don't know who to believe, because they don't know any of us. It's the so-called knowledged experts who don't know a dead fish if you beat them over the head with it that irritate me the most in these sensitive cases where a real new collector wants to know the real deal and some fake-o jumps in with their Barney Fife attitude.

Anyhow, I'm off for the evening - but I will be back.

Super Dave, I try to read most of your posts, enjoy reading them, think you give good advice, don't think your answers are rude or crude, and think this forum is very lucky to have you. What I don't understand is the type that show up on this site who won't buy a book,much less open it up and read it to further themselves in this hobby and are constantly asking for advice yet don't accept it when given by an expert. I can understand helping the newbies getting started and the average collector getting stuck every so often, but some of them need to take their change and head to Walmart and spend it. I commend you for putting up with them or at least the ones that want to learn.

Here is a line from a post that troubles me and I would like to try to clear up what may be a misconception.

"You and foundinrolls always seem to be involved in, or instigating the arguments on the forums. I have found myself avoiding any topics that you two reply to because I don't appreciate the atmosphere some of your comments create."

The root of this perception goes back to the people Chuck was mentioning that have to be right even if they are dead wrong.

What appears to be an argument, in my case is really trying to give the most accurate information out there and having one of the "expert wannabes" continue to keep passing out the wrong information.

It is not an issue of whether I am right or wrong. It is an issue of the information being correct. If you look back at any thread that appears to be me arguing, you will find that there is a person that has continued to try to peddle wrong information and concepts and then doesn't back off because they are trying to be right with wrong information. They are in fact the person setting the stage and the tone of the thread as they could have just gone away after the correct information was posted. It is their attitude that taints the thread. Sure, my frustration can show but that is pretty natural.

By the nature of the thing , it has to look like an argument, but please believe me when I say , I can do without it. I am not arguing for the sake of argument. I am doing it so a newbie here doesn't read a post with misinformation and walk away with that misinformation. I always try to back up my posts with facts from other sources. I also am fairly confident in my abilities after having looked through nearly 5,000,000 coins at this point.

I don't want an argument. Some other people do and when that happens, I'm gonna stick to my guns until the facts are accepted. It is always about the information and not about me.

How many posts do I have here...over a thousand, maybe. I can think of only a small handful that had some discord in them.

I'll ask for a suggestion. I've answered thousands of questions here, in other forums and in emails. I answer them with great respect for the person who asks the questions. My answers here could make a book if I collected them all:-) I am courteous in 99.999% of any posts here.

It is when continuous disrespect from some particular person has reared its head after I answer a question factually that I defended my position.

My question: Can you suggest a way to handle it other than the way I've handled it in the past? I try to be courteous until about the third or fourth "attack", so to speak. I don't want to leave a thread remaining where the information left by someone who doesn't know what he is talking about gives bad information to a newbie.

Like Chuck, sometimes a response has to be quick. I don't have all day to explain for the 500th time why a coin is Machine doubled. I do have the time to tell someone that a coin is Machine doubled though.

Anyway, I am at your service, if you want it and suggestions are always welcome.

By the way....Excellent choice Chuck. I am thrilled that you are remaining here!

Thanks,
Bill

i just wonder if the us mint is making the verity (errors in my book)coins on porpoise?

toniblab

Here is a nice discussion on variety vs. error started by none other than coppercoins.

https://goccf.com/t/18389

Well worth the read.

Richard

Bill, As an after thought, I have a couple of suggestions.

First, ignore the jerks. I can think of one recently who really was just looking for a fight. When you cross swords with them you do nothing more than give them a platform to gain attention on. Without attention, they will go away. Answer the question and if they persist, forget them. Don't worry about them misleading someone here. Collectors as a whole are very intelligent people and can see thru a phony. Give the guys here some credit, they will figure it out quickly.

Second, everytime, you start to "deal with one of them" remember that there are always new members here and your first posts they read tend to set the tone for their impression of you. Perception is truly reality.

Third, it does not take any longer to type with a smile that it does with a frown.

Jim

When I explain something to my son or daughter--my prides and joys--I do not say 'because I said so' or 'because I am the expert.' I take the time to explain my answers. That way I can be both firm--and fair. You definitely have had the firm dead on. It's fine if you don't want to or don't have time to deal with the social aspects of this forum. Whenever my children visit a friend, they have been taught to say 'Thank you' when leaving even though many of their friends come to our house and say nothing upon exiting. It's just a matter of which kind of person you want to project yourself as, and you've made your choice in the past. It's not a bad one, and I'm not your father. But if I were I'd ask you why this thread was necessary if there weren't some room for change on your part.