Before the grading services, coin collecting was a hobby...

For those of you out there old enough, remember filling that last space in a Lincoln Cent Album? Coin collecting was a hobby then. Now it is a bit different.

I have been reading the latest journals and hear a lot of pain, anger, and frustration. Different colored labels drive some folks nuts. NGC's latest "bait-and-switch" with regard to PCGS world coins is making some collectors consider a new hobby. The silver eagle program and the processing of these coins through the grading companies caused a lot of distress.

I have never been involved with the Competitive Registry much; I have found "Custom" Sets fun, however. It's fun to "display" one's coins for other collectors to enjoy. Not competitive.

Grading companies originally came into existence for one, and only one, purpose: to standardize grading. I guess we need to remember that the grading services are for-profit corporations. They are not coin clubs or associations. It sometimes feels like they are because of the flavor which the "NGC Collectors Society" (for example) lends to the mix. Unlike associations which listen to the membership before making decisions, corporations make decisions based upon the "profit motive" - these decisions are usually made by a Board of Directors or "Management." These decisions are then communicated to the customer base. (Some corporations seek customer input before making decisions [focus groups, advisory groups, etc.]. Some, unfortunately, do not...)

I think that we are putting too much stress on ourselves as collectors (just lookl at the recent journals). Perhaps its time to go back to collecting as a hobby? Perhaps we do not really need a certain color label or the highest scored Registry Set? Perhaps we should go back to collecting just for the fun of it? Where is my Red Book and Lincoln Cen Album?