Why do we collect?

I enjoy the dialog W.K.F. opened that has collectors of all in a very good debate. If one would digest the responses collectively you can conclude that the right answer is everyone?s personal choice.

I understand because my registry goal for my 2006 coin collection is to assemble the highest grade coins based on NGC population. In that achievement only one of these competitive registry sets will make me #1 exclusively unless someone enters one of the two PCGS coins that are grade higher. The other registry categories I will share the #1 spot with other collectors. Sharing the #1 spot doesn?t matter to me because my goal is to complete my set regardless of my points or position. In order to have a total collection I had to enter these coins into a custom set which has no points or ranking and that is fine by me. I decided to assemble this set because of the introduction of third party grading and encapsulation of coins not for any investment. Therefore it will probably cost me thousands more than I anticipated but I don?t place a dollar value on my goal. I only register my coins to share with other collectors what I have assembled not for any glory. As I look at other collectors accomplishments I am not interested in their points or position I am interested in their collection. Do you think collectors of rare coins worry about points or position after spending hundreds of thousand dollars for a coin?

There is one other issue that W.K.F. addresses - is the collectors who don?t remove coins from the registry that they don?t own. My suggestion - since the registry is a database ultimately controlled by NGC this problem can be solved by anyone having the coin in their possession send the coin to NGC for verification at which time NGC can force the other registrant to remove the coin.