How the diversity of collecting brings richness to our hobby!

What is it in the mind and heart of the individual collector that causes them to collect one variety of coin over another? What is it that draws some people to this year?s Lincoln cents and others to choose First Spouse gold coins? Of course, value and cost have something to do with it, but I would argue that what motivates the individual collector most are their individual tastes regardless of cost. In my case, I?d go head over heels to buy the next First Spouse coin, but I have no desire to collect this year?s Lincoln cents, even though I like the designs. In fact, just in case I cannot continue with the gold versions, I currently collect the medals also.

What I can answer with certainty is with the diversity of coins available to collect, there is something for just about everyone who loves to collect. There are coins to fit everyone?s tastes and budget, all that one need is a love to collect.

One of the things I enjoy most is reading the journals of other collectors who share their collecting passions. From reading past journal posts, I get the feeling there are many people who love the new Lincoln cents, people who cannot wait to get their hands on the next MS-67 variety. Although I may not be interested in their collecting interests, I do share their common passion for collecting. Collecting passion, the common link that joins us all together, makes reading about their next purchase and submission enjoyable.

Half a year ago, I donated a number of coins to a church yard sale to raise money for a mission trip. Most of my coins at that sale sold, with the bulk of them going to a single buyer. Yesterday our church sponsored another yard sale with that buyer returning hoping to find other coins for sale. Recognizing him from the last sale, I remembered that he collected Morgan Dollars and we struck a conversation. From last fall, I remembered that his prized Morgan was an 1893-S PCGS certified example in G-06 condition. We started talking about that coin and then about other coins in the series he was hoping to acquire. After a while, we covered issues of concern to all collectors, regardless of collecting interests. Of those issues, we talked about grading companies, coin cleaning, counterfeits, and buying coins on E-Bay. I even went on to share summaries of recent journal entries I read.

Though I personally do not collect Morgan dollars, I noticed a certain joy and gleam in my friend?s eyes as he talked about his collecting passion. This comradely and diversity among collectors is what makes this hobby so much fun. A new purchase without sharing it with others takes a bit of the pleasure out of the hobby. For this reason, I am happy to be a part of Collectors Society and their collecting community. I enjoy reading of other collector?s purchases and submissions, and hope they enjoy my journals also. I am so thankful for the diversity of collecting interests found in coin collecting and soon I will be sharing my experiences with my latest interest and registry set, ?Gary?s Golden Wilhelmina Guldens?. Try to say that 10 times fast, I bet you can?t! Happy Collecting!

Gary