A passion or an absurd obsession?

Recently, I've been contemplating just why I like the lowly Lincoln cent? It's certainly not for the artistic beauty that the Golden Age of coinage inspired; such as Walking Liberty Halves, SLQ's, Buffalo Nickels, Mercury dimes, St. Gaudens Gold coins, etc... So just why do I like them and why do so many other collectors like them?

My first belief is the enormity of the set and the overall challenge it will be to complete from 1909-2009. This set will be a life long venture, at least for me it will as I don't have an enormous coin budget!

My second thought on the subject is within grade classification. This is a set that one can find ultra high grade key dates that are a lowly brown in stature, but pay a fraction of the price of a Red. All of the mint marked coins of the teens and twenties reach 5 digit sums in Rd above an MS 64, but a discerning collector can find a full details, lusterous MS 65 BN coin for a few hundred. A Walker in MS 65 from the teens or twenties will require a second mortgage or PowerBall win.

The thrill of chasing down full details coins is the third reason I collect Lincoln Cents. Q. David Bowers explains this so well in The Red Book of Lincoln Cents. A must read for the serious collector. The Lincoln Cent, probably due to the vast number coined annually, suffers from poor strikes and bad die alignment. I've turned down many MS 67 coins due to this problem.

Competition is another reason, as so many of you out there also must feel the same way that I do. Auctions are heated and prices sometimes soar for nice full details coins. The thrill of hunting down, bidding and winning such coins is awesome.

The last and final reason, for me personally, is nostalgia. I guess you could say that I cut my teeth on Lincoln's as a kid. I remember Dad giving me a jar he had saved from circulation and how going through them one by one took the best part of a summer! What a great summer that was!!

So, now I believe I understand my passion, although my wife still believes it to be an absurd obsession. I completed a raw set several years ago and then sort of lost the passion. Last year after finding NGC and the Collector's Society I now have a renewed passion for completing this set certified. I'm 18% of the way there - long way to go, especially considering I have very stringent goals.

Next week Lord willing and providing that the USPS doesn't lose my latest acquisition, I'll share a photo of that coin and expound a bit about BN vs. RB vs. RD - why so much hype over RD coins anyway?

May all of you have a wonderful week collecting!