Is there no longer room for sentimentality in our hobby?

[IrishMike]

Something has been bugging me about this hobby for awhile. This weekend I attended a local show in South Bend and watched some fathers with their children picking out coins to add to their childrens albums or collections.

 

It took me back to the 50's when my dad helped my brother and myself collect wheaties. These were mostly VF circulated cents, some had crud all over them. I pulled out the album Sunday and it brought back the memories again of the excitement of finding that difficult "S" cent and the joy that was manifested in doing something with my dad that was positive and a shared love.

 

A couple of weeks ago I read a post where a respected numismatist referred to a cleaned and whizzed wheatie as a POS. Well I guess I have an entire album of POS coins in his view. Am I being too sensitive to these kinds of remarks?

[Tradedollarnut]

Mike - I think the context of that remark is important, and in context it does not impune the sentimentality of the hobby as you illustrated.

 

The context of the remark was in regards to not getting a desired grade. The persons in your example couldn't care less what their coins grade on a slab scale.

 

Ahhh - for simpler times.

 

 

[keithdagen]

I think it's kind of a double standard -- you see a eight year old kid with a Whitman album and think that's really neat. You ses a 40 year old man with a Whitman album and wonder why he's still collecting pocket change,

 

I still have all my albums from my youth, and finding them in a closet is what got me back in the hobby. And I still have a lot of circulated "junk" that I keep adding to my albums. And plan to continue doing so until all the holes are gone.

[goose3]

I am glad I am not the first person to find that remark somewhat condescending towards us. There have also been other remarks right on the boards that were blatantly condescending IMO which led to me deleting my set from there. They were right around the time Greg got axed. I can't remember what they were.

 

Best thing a person that makes remarks like that can do would be to insert a shoe into their mouth or turn off the pc. A person in such a position should never make such comments. It reflects poorly.

[IrishMike]

TDN, I knew that comment would pop up and I would argue that someone in that position should not make that kind of remark in a public forum, irregardless of the context. Can you imagine Q making that statement publicly?

[Cam41-migration]

ya know? that guy that thinks your family heirlooms

are POS is the guy that only wished HE had a treasured set

of coins like that.

Hes just jealous. Thats all.

[Tradedollarnut]

TDN, I knew that comment would pop up and I would argue that someone in that position should not make that kind of remark in a public forum, irregardless of the context.

 

Agreed - but that's more in regards to sensibility than sentimentality!

[IrishMike]

TDN, I was trying to be nice by using the sentimentality word instead of the one you used.

[jeffnpcb-migration]

At times they would rather bash and post it. I find it hard to believe that you will find any silver gems before the early 1900's that hasn't been cleaned. I have several early dollars, seated, bust, etc. that have been cleaned, but the funny side is the obverse is the only one cleaned.{NGC Submission a few years ago} I have some early coins that are drilled, how else do you carry coins without pocketed pants or for safety reasons.

 

 

If you have children interested in the hobby, please don't crush their dreams and educate to be knowledgable without publically ridiculing everything they see. Like Father, Like Son can be harmful to their future!

[DonHeath]

Mike,

 

My favorite collectors are the ones who just love coins, and understand others do too, even if their goals and interests are different.

[SilverEagleCoins]

It has been posted many times before that the fun of coins is that everyone has their own interests. Some like the super high quality coins only and wouldn't look twice at their change. Some are in it to turn around for money. Others try and collect all years. Most recently all the rage has been to collect all the state quarters. Some of you like Frankies, others like Buffalos. I like Silver Eagles and silver halfs. Are any of us doing it wrong? I don't think so.

[Hoot]

Mike,

 

My favorite collectors are the ones who just love coins, and understand others do too, even if their goals and interests are different.

 

Really well stated Don.

 

Hoot

[Please Delete-migration]

Being a 'junk' coin collector, I used to have a thin skin about some comments I would read and I would bristle and challenge them. After 4 years, it don't bug me any more and it all just slides off my back. I am comfortable with what I collect and don't care what others think of it.

 

Similarly, I try not to disparage what others collect. If the person has a passion for what they are collecting, it usually ends up rubbing off on me anyway.