Are you a collector, investor or a hybrid?

[spy88]

As defined by the dictionary, a "collector" is one who "collects" and one who collects is someone that "accumulates as a " hobby".

 

An "investor" is one who commits (money or capital) in order to gain profit.

 

A hybrid would be someone who does both, regardless of frequency within either one. What would this person be called?

 

COllector---INvestor. You would be a COIN!

 

How many of you are strictly collectors, investors or coiners?

[Wihlborg]

Well David,

 

I feel that I am a true collector at heart. I buy coins because I love the designs and history that surrounds them , but in the back of my mind I am always aware that I am allocating a large amount of money to my ‘hobby’ and certainly hope to see a profit from my ‘investment’ when the time comes to sell , so I guess you can say that I am a coiner!

 

John

 

[spy88]

I tend to agree with you, John. I think all of us buy to initially collect (unless you are a dealer) but the investor aspect is always in the equation when we make the purchase.

 

I think a true and pure collector is somebody that will never sell any of their collection, intending to keep in the family by passing on to heirs. There may be some of these people out there, but I don't know any!

 

David

[Hoot]

I am much like John, but I didn't start that way. I started out strictly as a collector with no mind to what the return on my dollar may be. But, as I am financially limited, I decided that I should consider the return on my purchases, especially when I spent my first grand on a single coin. I truly thought I was nuts. (Still do). I know that many coins can fetch more than a thousand bucks, but that's potentially retirement money for me! Besides, why not buy coins that will appreciate over the long term? Those are likely the most problem-free and fetching coins anyhow.

 

Hoot

[MikeKing]

I must say, I must be both

I collect coins

I sell them

I lose money on them

I must be a collector AND an investor

 

 

[Oldtrader3]

IMHO, most people who have been in the hobby BTPG (before third party grading), started out primarily as collectors. However, the point is well taken that most of us do not buy $1000+ coins strictly as a collector material. I think that most of this advanced buying group are in the hobby for both goals although the primary focus may be collecting.

 

I started out buying XF-AU circulated Buffalo nickels 40 years ago. Now I buy MS63+ Saints and high grade type coins. I do not have the discretionary income to purchase a $3500 Saint strictly as a collector item.

[chinook]

I think I agree with everyone's responses. A great deal of $$$$ goes into this "hobby" of mine. But I enjoy brousing the local shows and still search through hundreds of rolls of coins every year. I get just as excited finding a war nickel as I do winning a $1000+ lot at auction.

 

We are fortunate to be involved in a hobby that can bring both financial reward and entertainment. In many other hobbies you cannot say that.

[Leothelion]

Most registry set participants are not coin collectors! Not to mention those who buy the slab and not the coin, who will pay whatever it takes to get up the registry grade point ladder! Coiner is a great name but what do we call these kind of people? Let's see! We have sucker (mo)ney, ®egistrants, p(o)p top and

(n)eurotical psychotic disorder! Why, that spells, "!"

 

Leo

 

Am I again?

[BillJones]

I'm a dealer, but there is still a lot of collector in me as well. I guess I'm a hybred because all the coins in the business are "for profits" and I have started to regard my collection as a place to "store value" and increase my net worth.

 

Still my motavation for buying and keeping is coin in my collection outside the business is because I want to collect it. I don't think about what it might sell for in the future.