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Replies: 33 / Views: 4,840 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3475 Posts |
Mine is more an accumulation than a collection. Sure I have complete sets but the other items seem to outweigh those. I wish I would have been more focused.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1261 Posts |
I really appreciate everyone's opinion on this. It gave me a different perspective I was not thinking about. Quote: Because my collection covers the whole of numismatics over a period of 26 centuries all cultures, each coin in the collection is an interesting individual in itself. The only requirement for every coin in the collection is that is has seen circulation, or was intended for circulation. sel- your collection sounds amazing! Each coin tells a story and that is so awesome! I admit I need to do a better job of researching each coin in my collection rather than just fill a hole.  Quote: Eventually some will learn that the only coins to buy are those that they absolutely love, by their own standards. Moxking, I've read about your philosophy of buying only the coins you absolutely love and think it's great advice. It's really what it's all about and has made me stop and think about a potential purchase before buying. I appreciate your input to folks in the US Classic Coin forums. Quote: Disappointed? Never!
It's not just about the result. It's about the journey there. It's about all you've learned about coins, about history, about metals, about making forgeries, about being a librarian, about everything that's important in a coin collecting hobby. It's about the adrenaline rush you felt when you managed to get those good deals.
Keep the good memories. Never be disappointed by your collection. Thanks for your post, Rant. I like the analogy of it being a journey.
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Oh yes how could you forget the journey . I remember when I was about 16/17 I would go to an out door flea market every Sunday, there was one coin dealer there I called him Red ,I guess because he had red hair :) anyways he always had rolls of nice circulated early mint marked wheat cents . They were so inexpensive back then ,I would buy 30-40 different ones almost every week . Then from there I would go to my local coin show which showed every other Sunday and spend more of my hard earned money that I made as a gofer at a downtown sweatshop . Yes the Journey I remember it well !  
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Decades ago, I did a major cull. It was the only cull that my collection ever suffered. I sold all of the unwanted stuff in a job lot on assignment. With the proceeds, I bought my first Roman gold coin: a gold aureus of Vespasian (A.D. 69-79). This coin was the centerpiece of my collection for many years, until I paid my mortgage off. It still helps to add 'balance' to the collection, because gold was a practical circulating metal, as well as a store of wealth. As such, gold is no more, or no less important than silver or bronze as a coinage metal. My collection always remains satisfying to review, because I have always tried to maintain this sort of 'balance', when acquiring a new addition to the collection, but at the same time, being open the whole spectrum of numismatics. Anyone who is attempting an American type set, for instance, should try add at least one representative gold coin to your collection if you can afford it, simply to maintain some sort of 'balance', or completeness to the collection. I have two: a St. Gaudens $20, and a Liberty Head $1. I wouldn't mind a BLP $5, because the design is so distinctive, and relatively easy to obtain. I will never complete this set; that doesn't matter, because the 'part' American type set as it is, is still a good representive in a general collection of World coins. I have about 40 different types of American coins, in no small part encouraged by my membership here in the CCF. 
Edited by sel_69l 10/16/2017 7:23 pm
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Valued Member
United States
142 Posts |
Ive been dissapointed with some the prices I over paid for and then go on Sale after:( Also dissapointed on some high mintage Bullion that will stay at spot price. When I look at some my goodies I realize how many milkspotted while sitting in air tites. Especially the ones I bought in quantity.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
655 Posts |
Yes, chesterb, I've been very disappointed and just recently. I was away from my collection for a few years and when I came back to it a few months ago, I found it not at all like I had remembered. Lots of gaps in dates, descriptions that didn't match up well with the actual pieces, a notebook which even I couldn't read, and way too many problem coins.
But, I think part of the problem is that I myself changed in those years. I've become more focused and responsible and, probably, a little more fussy, too. So, now I'm reinventing my collection and enjoying it, once again, as much as ever.
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Valued Member
United States
422 Posts |
I never get disappointed looking at my collection. I sometimes get jealous looking at and reading about coins that everyone lists and show pictures of coins on this forum. I really enjoy the thrill of the hunt for coins that I need to fill holes in my albums.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1494 Posts |
I have to echo Hozer's comment. I still get a thrill finding the coin I need to fill a gap. If there's any disappointment involved, it's because I don't have all the coins I want. 
Edited by owatchman 10/17/2017 02:33 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Never really thought about it. To me it's just a hobby. At times I wish there were more but then I just go and watch TV or something. I'd trade them all for better health.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
Edited by MikeF 10/17/2017 11:19 am
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
I am now entering one of the most satisfying times in my life for collecting... I started young on meager budget sorting through my change, I made a collection of not much monetary value but of good memories and satisfaction. I inherited my grandfathers war collection or world coins around the 1940's. When I started work I bought some bullion and collected some not so clever coins, I came to conclude that too much quantity was useless without quality. I went traveling and collected banknotes and coins from my travels and later I discovered this place which influenced me to put together a quality selection of ancient coins. Now I went back to my banknotes and completed my English signature collection, which feels like a great achievement (especially since notes from the last 25 years nearly all came at face value) but I feel close to finishing my American note collection too (not an extensive collection but main types and seal colours and all the fractional notes) The point is I am starting to finish some of the large projects I started many years ago, that feels good... also I am going to put together a small set of gold sovereigns (I sold my previous set but made great profit on it...its the only thing I ever sold numismatically) It's rough with small, not all my collection is top class but by now there is a lot of it and some gems amongst it. Some I find great beauty in, some is valuable, some is sentimental, some was a bargain, some remind me of where I have been and some of people I have been with and some of it is a work in progress. By the time I am done it will be time to check out and it will be dispursed to other collectors for their enjoyment.
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Valued Member
United States
411 Posts |
Ok here comes the downer . I started coins after getting married . money was tight but I bought. The company I worked for I traveled the world . I picked up as much change in these countries as I had time . I really started around 1980 picking up a few coins in small amounts. After looking through my collection about a month ago I have been very disgusted in the way I collected and did things. My main problem now is in collecting , and my age (66) which is not that old but I have medical problems. Things keep running through my mind like I will not be here much longer. Then my collection, when I'm gone my wife will just buy food and gas with it. So why add to it or carry on.
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Pillar of the Community
5464 Posts |
Quote: and been disappointed with it? Only after I see some of the collections on this site. 
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Moderator
 United States
189502 Posts |
Well said, MikeF.  We should all appreciate what we have managed to acquire.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
Quote: By the time I am done it will be time to check out and it will be dispursed to other collectors for their enjoyment. Same here. I was on the receiving end of that type of transaction recently: HA passed on his EAC envelope.   
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Replies: 33 / Views: 4,840 |