I think most have a slice of "all the above"

I have been rather quiet, journal wise lately with all that is going on in my life, daughter home from school, trying to take pics of coins, washing the house ect. and really should be tearing drawers apart looking for "deductions" to offset the horrible fact that I may need to sell something to "pony up" to what Uncle Sam says he wants in exactly one month rather than sitting here at the computer. I should have included the word "despair" to the above title as that is what I am feeling right now. I know our country needs money to operate but when I think of all the waste and the "un-needy" holding their hands out just because they can, it makes me ill.

Don't know how I got off on that tangent but as I was reading all the latest posts I began to wonder what Numismatics means to me and I think, a little of all and alot of some. If any of you have looked at any of my sets I would classify myself as an "eclectic"(sp) of sorts as to loving Coins, period. I don't ever recall "meeting" a coin I did'nt like. I have many sets with just one or two and some with none, but I am in the process of getting coins graded and already have the sets entered which, in my narrow mind of thinking on one hand, the old "Boy Scout" in me, as in "being prepared" and on the other hand it lights a fire underneath me as in, get off your "butt and your dime" ( pun intended) and fill those holes (slots). I think this "registry" has maybe, next to the birth of my children and a few other things been the best thing that has ever happened to me. You all dont know how much I enjoy all of this. The coins,the sets, the journals, the fellowship... I could go on and on but I think most of you DO know what I'm talking about.

When I am bidding on a coin or I am standing at that table at that show, or at that counter in that shop looking at that coin, I have so many emotions flooding over me I can't hardly descibe it. The bottom line is that it makes me happy. The joys come from all over the place and continue on and on and on. The first thing I think of is, where that coin may have been. Maybe how that Morgan Dollar might have been tossed into the middle of a table to call or raise someones bet in an 1870's saloon, or some of the early Bust Halves could have been used by some of the founding fathers to buy lunch for a few of their friends at the local tavern. Then there is the story of the mint director in 1894 San Francisco who gave his daughter a couple of "freshly minted" dimes and how she spent one on her way home for ice cream. Who owns that dime today, worth millions, and what flavor ice cream was it that she bought? I would say it was chocolate. Thoughts of my late father who was paid fifty cents a day and was paid with a Barber or Walking Liberty half, and do I have one of those "Walkers" now waiting to be graded? Then you walk away from that table at that coin show and maybe out to the lobby to admire your new "treasure," and before you go back inside, you make sure it is in a very secure area of your front pocket, only to check several dozen times to make certain it's still there as you continue to shop.

The feeling of joy when you continue to "refresh" your current winning bid and then the "ultimate" joy when you see you just bought that item. Then I think of the home I am giving to that coin, the spot it will reside in, and that I promise to love, care for and protect it as long as it lives with me. I have been accused of being obsessed with coins and maybe I am. I really don't care what others think or say, when what I am doing is not hurting anyone, it makes me very happy and on top of all that it is a great investment. (throwing a little justification in for good measure) I have also been called a "fanatic" about my coins and my other collections. What is a fanatic? Webster calls it being a "fan" of something. I stand or should I say sit "guilty as charged".

My main reason for my multitude of sets is that, it is plain and simple, an inventory of my NGC and PCGS coins, nothing more. Now if I can get joy out of the competition and the amassing of points, who can say this is wrong.("and it ain't bragging if it's so) The only time I have ever added coins to sets that I had no intention of ever completing is in my UNC silver Eagle's I have "Kerry's SE set 1, 2,3 and 4 and when I added those other three 1996's I did do it for points and nothing else. But I have a mint roll with the "green top" for every year since 1986 and had sent #4 of that year in to NGC just to see if I could get a "70" and of course I did'nt, only "69's". I wish now I had not done it because now I have a roll for every year but 1996 and that one I have only 16 coins.

But then I thought, what the heck, I have three children and counting myself, I need four sets and now I have one of the "keys" for each set.( more jusification) These many sets I have started gives me hours and hours of joy. And each time I can add a coin to one of them, that gives me more joy.

I also agree with the person with the post about it being a record for his loved ones/heirs to make things easier for them in the event that something happens to he or she. This gives our loved ones at least a little something to go on in the time of our ultimate demise. I do love my coins and I will also agree that I am obsessed with my coins and will also admit to being a "coin fanatic" I will also give you that I am addicted to coins.

But having said all that, not once has my family gone hungry, nor has my lights, phone, and Heaven forbid my internet been shut off. (sometimes I feel the last one needs to be cut off) I do enjoy my many collections very much and think the points and the rankings and competition are just an added pleasure. I agree with the post that while I own coins from nearly every grading company known to man, I prefer NGC and think that maybe a certain % needs to be NGC to qualify here at the NCS. After all, it is their site.

I also love it when I can get a "Perfect 70" $5 gold eagle, graded by NGC for sometimes 60% of the cost of its PCGS sibling. I feel sometimes that I am the only one who knows that! Just one more of many joys this hobby gives me. I will say this that I do think the WORLD of all of you out there from the top of the rankings to the very bottom. It makes no differance where we stand in the points or the rankings, just that we are having fun.

Happy Collecting to all of you! wkf