Self-inflicted Punishment Multiple Times Per Year.

I have an extensive numismatic library, including auction catalogs and fixed price lists. This comes in quite handy when researching a particular coin or series, as well as just casual reading.

Four or five times a year, I grab a stack of catalogs and lists from 9 or 10 years ago, and look through them for coins that interest me today. This activity invariably leads to woeful moans and outright cries of agony, as I stare at some great coin that I chose NOT to buy- back when. Hindsight is a marvelously accurate tool, as I noted in my "Vision" series of journal entries a couple of years ago. We can only see the coins that we are focused upon at the time.

This week, I spotted 4 rarities that I would "kill" for today (and priced right), which I passed over in 1999 and 2000. WHY DIDN'T I BUY THESE???

This is a familiar self-conversation that I have several times a year- every year! Of course, I also identify those "smart" purchases of scarce items, underpriced items, or now "hot" items; but it's human nature, or at least my nature to focus on the missed opportunities.

Oh well, back to my catalogs- it's time to inflict a bit more pain.