Can you look at a coin, and even if you don't like it, understand it's technical qualities and aesthetic appeal (even though not aesthetically appealing to you)? Can you distinguish a coin like that from true ?

It's like Boticelli's painting of the birth of Venus.

A gorgeous painting, genius, and tons of believers.

Can you dislike that painting and still see its beauty?

Can you compare it's beauty to the original Greek statues of Venus? And can you understand why some people might prefer the actual Greek depiction rather than Boticelli's while also understanding the significance of Boticelli's work and its inherent beauty even though is is just not your cup of tea so to speak?

I think you should.

I think when you can do that, you can do the same with coins.

You can objectively examine two coins that are the same but different grades or different strikes or different patination and fully understand the beauty of BOTH and the desirability of BOTH, knowing full well which one YOU consider more appropriate to your sense of Aesthetics and why. And to answer why, you'll need to be able to objectively describe both coins and THEN insert your personal opinion. YOUR sense of beauty.

In fact, by doing so, by looking at the objective factors which generate within you, a feeling, and understand the criteriae that you, yourself, impose on an object which in turn elicits an aesthetic appeal, you should then be able to see in other ways, how another person could have a differing opinion. One just as valuable as the other.

Take this further. Understand that by refining your ability to view a coin, by increasing your numismatic acumen, and being able to see objectively, other peoples opinions, you enhance your ability to descriminate between what is good and what is bad. Because then, you can seperate your sense of aesthetic beauty from your judgement, and at the same time using your sense of the aesthetic beauty of a coin to ASSIST you in your judgement. This should enable you to CHOOSE what is best for YOU, to stregthen your CONFIDENCE in choosing without berating what others choose, seeing the beauty in what others choose, yet at the same time, be able to descriminate between what is really junk and what is really good.

Because some coins are just plain JUNK by almost anyones standard, and staying away from coins like that will make you a better collector. And you will appreciate that when the time comes to sell your coins.