A Few Coin Collecting Questions

Good Luck with that! I would graciously accept anything that your parents give you and keep them out of the loop concerning your purchases. Some people just don't nor will they ever "get it". I've also tried to get both of my ex-wives interested....No success. They were educated enough to pull stuff from circulation for me (cash handling jobs) but really had no desire to collect. I don't really know what to tell you about trying to get your wife involved. (Although I think If you were roll searching and hit a silver bonanza....and sold it for a big profit...I think she would get the picture)

I would suggest almost any attempt to indoctrinate or educate your parents into coin collecting is mostly a waste of time. Of course this really depends on them. There are many people that just don't like hobbies that involve collecting anything. AND if your living at home, this becomes something of an argumentive invironment since it is probably THEIR home and they only want their stuff in it.
People that grew up with no collecting hobbies usually never start one in later life. Some do but as a rule, I've found this just doesn't happen. Your parents background also may make that a real problem.
Of course in my age group there are many that remember the big depression so the only money to be saved is money you can spend. Not sure how old your parents are but as you get older you'll see that age just makes many of us not easy to change our ways. If at an elerly age we do not collect STUFF, not much chance of starting. Many older people just know not much time left to accomplish to much so why bother.
Your parenets may not be that settled in their ways but my suggestion is to not even bring up coin collecting to them if they've already stated their disliking for such a hobby. Why tell them you purchased a coin? Why tell them how much it costs? This serves no purpose except to start an argunent and with us old people, you can't win you know. We think we know everything and young peole are just dumb things that we messed up teaching.
As to this hobby becoming a CHORE. Almost any hobby attains that at one time or other. All part of a hobby being a hobby. Some good and some not so good things about them. The thing to do is it really starts getting to you, put it all aside for a while. You'll be surprized at how you enjoy this more then.
Take shooting guns for a hobby. Fun while doing it but then you have to clean them, buy more ammo, targets, etc. Same with people that are into fishing. You go and have fun. Then it's cleaning, storing, etc again. I know some people that are into flying model planes. Fun flying them but when they crash, poof, pick up the pieces and go home crying. Even if your hobby is watching TV, eventually it will crap out during the middle of something you've been waiting for.
If you want an easy hobby, with no problems, I suggest sleeping. Not much can go wrong there. And no CHORE either.

I agree, most people just do not understand it. When I tell someone I spent $4000.00 on a coin all they can think of is what they could have bought with that money instead of how nice the coin is and how hard it was to find a coin in that condition. Sure you can go out and buy a $4000.00 car and drive it down the road and see 20 more just like it in every different color imaginable but it can take a couple years to find a MS-62 Classic head Large Cent in problem free condition and to find one for sale can take longer, and you may never see another one in your life time. It seems the only ones who understand coin collectors are other coin collectors

I'm fortunate in that everyone in my family collects something. My dad collects seashells. My mum collects souvenir teaspoons and refrigerator magnets; my brother collects stamps. We all roll our eyes at each other when someone overindulges in their hobby, but at least we all understand the collector mentality that drives them to do that.

However, I have encountered the "I just don't get it" mentality among friends and extended family. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to convert them, at least, not quickly. The best you could hope for short-term is to turn them into an "investor" - someone who realises that you can make money buying and selling coins, but you have to either get lucky or know what you're doing. After a long time handling coins, many "investors" eventually evolve into full-blown collectors and learn to appreciate their coins as coins, not just as potential sources of profit. But if they're not the gambling type and they have no desire to learn about coins, even the "investor" door will be closed to them.


Diversify. If sailing in the familiar waters you've always sailed in starts to get boring, there's a whole ocean of numismatics out there you can explore. I'd find coin collecting pretty tedious if all I did was look at the same kinds of coins day after day; that's why I collect everything - local, foreign, mediaeval, ancient - there's always some aspect of the hobby that can attract my interest. Throw in the "fringe things" like bullion rounds, tokens, medals, paper money... who knows what might attract your interest?

Interact with other collectors - especially if the home/family environment isn't particularly supportive. This forum helps, but face-to-face interaction is good too. Try joining a local coin club.

If you're temporarily doing something "tedious" that's related to your collection - such as entering coins into a database - there are ways to beat the blues. Take your time with it, or work at it in "spurts" with long breaks in between when you're doing something else. Or give yourself some motivation for finishing the "chore", like saving up some money to buy coins but promising yourself you won't spend it until you finish the database.

If you're really burned out and none of that seems to work for you, then take a break completely for awhile. As long as your collection is properly housed and protected, it's not going to deteriorate - they'll still be there when the fire rekindles after a few months, or even a few years.

Collectors are made - not born. Obviously, you have cultivated your coin-collecting hobby over the years while your parents have been acquiring money to keep a roof over their heads. Doesn't sound as if you're going to MAKE them appreciate your hobby very soon.

Look at it from their point of view; they might have a tolerance of about a millisecond when you try to talk to them about your collecting activities (as opposed to their get-rich-quick activities).

I'd suggest, as others have, to stop talking to them about your hobby. Make them ask YOU! Play hard-to-get. Get their curiosity up.

As for your hobby becoming a chore ... know when to walk away from it and when to come back. If coin collecting is your only hobby, you may be overdoing it to fill up your idle hours. If nothing else, a good book may be the answer to filling your down time.

In my opinion, handling anyone other than your wife is easy...it's nobody else's business what you spend your money on. If your father or other relatives think you're crazy for buying coins all you have to do is quit telling them about your purchases.

Your wife on the other hand is a little different. I always tell mine that I'm not spending money, I'm buying money! :) I have created a way to earn a little extra spending money on the side. My wife and I have come to the understanding that the money I earn on the side is specifically to support my coin buying habit. It has worked out really well. I buy coins worth several hundred dollars all the time and I never have to justify anything to anyone. It's great!

I had the same difficulty with family, they just couldnt believe I was serious in collecting coins and that coins are "funny little things best used in spending", soooo when my earnings permitted, I bought myself my first "little" 22.5mm gold coin, real gold, when they saw that coin, first impression gold=jewelry, everthing fell into place, situation solved! collecting gold sure creates a diff response, even by having only one piece!