How Do I Answer This Question

What is the point of coin collecting? For some it is simple enjoyment for the hobby, and for others it is a profit thing.
I am somewhere in the middle.
How often do you look at your coins? I look through my collection/hoard every few years to weed out some of them and to simply enjoy my finds.
Hope that helps you some.
John1

Rich, everyone has their own reasons for collections, that's for sure. Many of us just plain enjoy the relaxation we find from looking at/thru coins. I enjoy the completed product of a nice set. I don't have many high dollar coins, those of worth are in a safe, but the rest are in albums, no one else sees, have no interest among family, so just me.

If asked, I toss that same question back, "Why do YOU fish, (play baseball, video games, collect husbands/wives,...). If those who ask are or become offended, they really arent your friends or are looking at pointing out "your faults" as they see them.

I seldom look at many of mine but find venues here at CCF a means to share some now and again with the few who may actually appreciate that time together. The games threads, or just plain braggadocio threads, get me digging to search for just "that" coin. And, its fun to me, so what's it to ya buddy? Is my total attitude.

People are sort of like Pack Rats. We collect and store all kinds of things and no one really knows why. And usually people will say it's just a hobby. So what is a hobby? I guess it's a past time thing that just gives you something to do with money you should really be saving for a retirement. There are those people that just don't want anything laying around. I used to know a family that all said if something sits for over 5 years, get rid of it. They had no tools, no old cloths, no collectables of any kind. And then there are those like me that collect anything and everything. A security blanket maybe? NO one really appears to know. One nice thing about coins is unlike other hobbies, you can spend your hobby. Can't do that with Beanie Babies or Hot Wheel cars or those sporting cards.

I collect because I enjoy the hunt, the beauty of the coins, the history of the coins and the macro history they represent. I appreciate them as symbols of a great story. My collection also has a personal twist, so there a bit of me in them. My collection is a an extension of me and my passions. Hence I think it's FUN!

Most of my collection fits into a couple boxes. I have them out for one reason or another every month or two. Even if I get it out for a practical reason such as inserting a new addition, it's impossible for me to not stop and gawk at my collection for a few minute s. I simply can't avoid that temptation. Too much awesomeness in my hands at that point :p

I've always been fascinated by history. I started out with magpie-like hoarding of shiny things, but I am learning to let go of that all to get focused, using collections to build historical narratives.

I have also found my calling in an obscure field of medieval Indian coinage (my avatar) where I hit the wall in our current knowledge, and have made it my mission to trailblaze to a new understanding.

And "security blanket" certainly applies here - coin collections are by far one of the most liquid things to collect should disaster strike and you need cash fast!

I think you are going to be disappointed.
Far more fellas that collect coins than femme fatales.

Classic! Ribald at it's best, deserves a prize!

I started hoarding coins that I found in the houses I demolished, and once came across a very rare off metal error.
After researching it here, I fell in love with the community as well as the coins.
I sold the error to a member here, and used the funds to finance a real collection (rather than a random hoard).
Since then I came to appreciate the history of each and every piece.

This might sound weird, but after demolishing over 1,000 buildings you can start to feel the 'aura' or 'life' in these buildings. Some are ready to go, and other's fight you, but with all there is a definite "presence" in each and every one.
I have found the same to be with coins, which is why I gravitate to circulated examples... they seem to retain a memory as if they were alive.
I love to hold a 200 year old coin in my hand... you can almost hear the voices of the past, and imagine how many times it was spent, and what it bought...
I guess my journey is more spiritual than others, but either way it works for me.