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 Replies: 18 / Views: 2,470 |
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Valued Member
United States
362 Posts |
When you lust for a coin what drives you? What do you think of when you hold it? See it?
For me I am not so much into the grade, although I do like a coin to have a fair amount of detail, I lust after the history of a coin. I think "Where have you been?" , What have you seen?" I try to imagine it's journey, it's life. I think, " I am just your caretaker and one more stop on your long journey through time.. I think of who may hold onto it in the future and wonder if they will think the same thoughts.
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Valued Member
United States
244 Posts |
For me, it's (nebulously defined) beauty. That's why I'll never collect coins with presidents' heads on them. No matter what shape the coins in, it still a president and has no attraction.
On the other hand, classic designs do appeal. And grade does matter. No, I have no interest in that one extra point from MS63 to 64 (for instance), but from F to XF makes a big difference in the appearance of a coin.
Also, for me, toning is always a neutral or negative. I will not pay extra for toning, and, if the toning is splotchy and/or unattractive, I will generally pass on it entirely.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
The first thing for me is to fill an empty spot in an Album. Opening an Album and being able to see thround a page just shouldn't be. My main objective at a coin show, coin store or anyplace where there are coins is to see if any are there for an empty slot filler.
My next objective is to continuously improve all coins in those Albums.
Usually makes no difference what the coin is since I collect almost everything.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
721 Posts |
I will go with rarity (key year and mint), but also for type. It may be a common type for someone else, but if I don't have it, I really want it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3345 Posts |
AGE The older the better-condition is good enough so you can read the date  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
539 Posts |
I can't say I lust after any coin really. I have some drawing to coins that like just carl, fill a space or complete a type set. In terms of appearance, I want it to look 'good' but I balance that with a small budget!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7187 Posts |
Eye appeal! I have seen many ugly high graded coins that turn me off. Then you will come across a coin that just screams take me to your set.
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Valued Member
United States
63 Posts |
I too don't like coins with presidents on them anymore. Other than eye appeal, I like coins with an interesting history behind them (recovered from a shipwreck, etc).
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Valued Member
Philippines
386 Posts |
Quote:
I am just your caretaker and one more stop on your long journey through time.. It's the pride of having the rare coin...a borrowed time of owning it and soon to be passed on to the next generation. Having a rare beautiful coin also means fulfillment of reaching everyones goal in numismatics. And the most important is the feeling of joy sharing to others and showing how to treasure your prized collections... while "business investment gains" comes in secondary to the said feeling  |
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Valued Member
United States
426 Posts |
Yep for me, it's all about having/holding a connection to the past. Wondering where its been and all that.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1064 Posts |
Eye appeal, sometimes a low mintage for a reasonable price. Sometimes, just a great design, like the Morgan & Peace dollars. I have one coin just because it's old, 1798; maybe George Washington or Thomas Jefferson used it to buy smokes. A stretch, yes, but possible! |
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Valued Member
United States
287 Posts |
A lot of things I guess, but honestly for the last year or so it has been the precious metal content and how much under spot gold or silver price I paid for it!
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Valued Member
South Africa
169 Posts |
For me it is also about the History of the coin, The ZAR series I collect have a rich hictory,awesome stories about the minting and time period in the country,limited mintage, old, and oh Yes, GOLD & SILVER CONTENT. Oh, and I agree with Coinut, see my post signature  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
838 Posts |
I agree with most of you in some way or another.
But I'm most like just_carl: I'm looking for -- in order -- (1) problem-free coins that fill holes in sets, (2) better coins that upgrade my worst coins, and (3) interesting coins that I don't have an example of yet.
Neat thread, btw!
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New Member
United States
32 Posts |
It's the history for me to. I do a little bit of metal detecting every now and again, and although I haven't found nearly as many coins as I have purchased over the years, the ones that I've found md'ing tend to be some of my favorites. I love pulling an old Indian Head or seated liberty out of the ground and realizing I'm the first person to hold the coin in a hundred years or more. We own quite a bit of land where I live, most of which has been in my family since they first arrived in Tennessee in 1806, and it's a thrill to pull old coins out of the ground here, knowing my 6th or 7th Great Grandfather may well have been the one who dropped it.
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Valued Member
United States
307 Posts |
I like anything that catches my eye. I bought an 1777 Eight Reales Piece just because I was like wow look at that, plus all the colonial history behind it. I like the Carson Citys because of the strike quality and the fact that all the silver came from that one particular mine in Nevada. Other things the history is more important to me. I saw some coins from the USSR and even though there not rare or valuable I thought theres so much history behind those and imagining how people survived in Russia all that time. An 1917 Philippines US territory coin just for the history as well.
Just recently I bought some 1923 German mark notes, the 1 million , 5 million and 100 million mark notes. Just the history of the time period of hyper-inflation in germany and what these notes mean is mind-blowing to me. Its one thing to hear in school or economics class how inflation led to war, but to actually hold the bill in your hand and think about what it is... no comparison to just reading about it.
So I suppose the history is at least as important as condition to me.
I love Civil War era Bills and coins as well.
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Replies: 18 / Views: 2,470 |
Posted 04/15/2011 4:57 pm
