At what point in collecting do you feel content?

[AnkurJ]

I posted this ATS last year, but would love to hear what members here think.

 

Its a funny disease/addiction collecting. I have purchased a few gorgeous coins over the last few months, but I quickly look for the next thing. While it does not control my life, it did make me think what I was doing. I thought to myself, shouldn't I be happy with what I have, and not think about what else I want in my collection?

 

At what point does a collector step back and say, I'm Good. I dont need anything more. Did the famous collectors like Eliasberg or Norweb ever feel this way?

 

At what point did the Pursuit of Happyness become getting the next best thing? I know this is applies to many things other than collecting. Getting a bigger tv, a bigger home, a better car etc etc.

 

Have you ever felt this way? Why or why not?

 

Ankur

 

[Walkerfan]

OMG----I struggle with this all the time.

 

I am JUST BEGINNING (after many years) to feel content with my progress. I always said that once I broke the 77% completion rate that I would feel GOOD but then I bumped that up to 85%!!

 

It DOES tend to rule your life, at times, and you always wonder if you are doing 'the right thing'.

 

Sometimes, stepping back for a while IS healthy. I guess that the best thing to do is to try not to go TOO FAST.

[HCumberdale]

I think that the source of happiness is a very individual thing and each person must discover for themselves what brings them a lasting sense of joy in their lives. Sometimes what once brought this feeling doesn't any longer and it is time to reassess. If the pursuit of the things that usually result in a feeling of happiness begins to cause distress, then your body/mind/psyche/spirit is telling you something. Stop. Slow down and listen. The worst thing someone can do is ignore their inner self and keep moving in the same direction when they know something is wrong.

 

Personally, I find that the pursuit of happiness is folly. I neither want happiness nor sadness. I desire a sense of contentment. Collecting coins is one aspect of my life that is rich with many different things that all together combine to give me a feeling of a life well lived. Nothing I own (coins, house, car, clothes) is the best, or anywhere near the top. No aspect of my life is perfect or anywhere near so. Similarly, I am very far from the bottom. I like things this way and I am continually reminded of how pleasant my life is without all the things that society tells me I need. I am also grateful for how much I have that the vast majority of the world does not. I am content.

 

In terms of my collecting, I find that adding and upgrading coins in my collection is a pleasurable and peaceful process. When aspects of my collection have become less than peaceful I have cut back drastically in those areas. If I were to feel any level of distress about a coin I didn't have or wanted to upgrade I would seriously cut myself off from coins (or at a minimum that area of my collection) for a while. I should be very aware that I am incredibly lucky to have the expendable funds to spend what some families in this world earn in an entire year on a shiny piece of metal that in the grand scheme of things is utterly meaningless. For me, collecting should be something I enjoy, not obsess over. I don't need anything more. I don't need what I already have!

[x2rider]

Actually it's a funny old thing . I was a little bit over it just after christmas with having to deal wih some health issues and took some time away from the hobby for a bit . I came back to it and am probably enjoying my collecting way more this year and yet have halved my buys , in numbers.

I have started a box of twenty that i am busy getting ready and am probablya third way through it . I have specific coins that I want to put into it and know it's going to take me a few more years to get these coins together .

Through one reason or another I am getting deliveries of coins that I have not seen for almost a couple of years . This is just like brand new buys for me and gives me immense pleasure .

But in saying that I would like to at least finish 1 set of good quality coins . I am about 60% through my Bust half collection and was flagging a bit , But a new purchase has ignited the fire and I will be off again on this set

 

Lots to look forward to

[nunfa0]

Nice to hear that Martin!!

[jayman1970]

 

 

 

 

At what point does a collector step back and say, I'm Good. I dont need anything more. Did the famous collectors like Eliasberg or Norweb ever feel this way?

 

 

When and if I ever get to that point I will let you know!!

[cpm9ball]

When I was working, I was able to buy whatever I wanted without giving any consideration for "having the best" or "keeping up with the Joneses". If I liked something, I bought it. Period! It didn't matter to me whether or not I was able to build a complete set of this or that.

 

Now that I am (unfortunately) drawing a pittance on Social Security and unable to find a job to supplement it, I've had to drastically curtail my purchases. As a matter of fact, I've pretty much reached a point of stagnation in this wonderful hobby that I enjoy. C'est la vie!

 

I wonder how many collectors there are who have become addicted to building a collection at all costs. On another forum, one member admitted that he was spending upwards of $10K a month, ignoring his family and household responsibilities, and that his wife left him because of it.

 

It's supposed to be a hobby, isn't it?

 

Chris

[AnkurJ]

Ignoring your family and responsibilities for coins is extreme. I doubt many of us would allow ourselves to lose control like that. Though im sure there is a pill for that!

[James_OldeTowne]

Here's how I look at it - and please no one take this as a critical assessment of anyone.

 

If you buy a coin, look at it a few seconds, then put it away and probably never look at it again until "it comes time to sell", then there might be something amiss with your philosophy.

 

Coins as collectables, to me, are meant to be enjoyed for a long time. I FREQUENTLY go through my collection and enjoy just pondering my various coins. This past week or so, for example, I've been enjoying going back and forth through my proof sets. These I've been working on for years, and I only get to buy one or two a year to add to the sets.

 

If it were a case that I'd buy a proof coin, look at it a few seconds, then store it away, the sets would hold little meaning for me.

 

Just a thought....

[Walkerfan]

Here's how I look at it - and please no one take this as a critical assessment of anyone.

 

If you buy a coin, look at it a few seconds, then put it away and probably never look at it again until "it comes time to sell", then there might be something amiss with your philosophy.

 

Coins as collectables, to me, are meant to be enjoyed for a long time. I FREQUENTLY go through my collection and enjoy just pondering my various coins. This past week or so, for example, I've been enjoying going back and forth through my proof sets. These I've been working on for years, and I only get to buy one or two a year to add to the sets.

 

If it were a case that I'd buy a proof coin, look at it a few seconds, then store it away, the sets would hold little meaning for me.

 

Just a thought....

 

I totally agree with your reasoning.

[AnkurJ]

I agree completely James! I looked through a small box of coins I have at home last night and loved doing it!

 

One reason I love visiting the bank is because it feels like I am revisiting old friends that I havent seen in some time.

[Old Pueblo]

Just one more coin....please! Ah, honey...come on......PLEASE!

 

 

Life long hobby, with active years and inactive years.

 

 

OP

[World Colonial]

I am satisfied with what I have in the sense that I do not "lose sleep" over whether I ever buy another coin again or not. On the other hand, I will always be trying to improve it.

 

Some of the coins I owned and own are worth more or a lot more than when I bought them. After this happened, I found and still do that I enjoy acquiring coins MUCH LESS than I did before because the budget I do and used to allocate toward them buys less or much less. Personally, I would prefer if the coins I collected were cheaper, even if it menas that I would (temporarily) lose moeny on them. This is exaclty what I expect to happen not just to the coins I won, but to most coins.

[nunfa0]

I am very content with my life and feel very blessed. When it comes to my collection, I buy only for the joy of collecting. My coins are all beautiful and precious to me, no matter how modest or widget like they are. My collection is for me to enjoy not anyone else and I don't care if it ends up being worth nothing in the end. I suppose that means, because of my modest tastes, that I never have to be content with what I have, there will always be more coins for me to buy!!

[RockMyAmadeus]

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation."

 

If you buy coins, enjoy them for the 5 minutes after you receive them, and then put them away to look for your next purchase, rinse and repeat, you're doing it wrong.

 

If you can't enjoy what you already have, you're doing it wrong.

 

If you are never able to buy another coin, ever, and would be perfectly ok with whatever you had right now, you're doing it right.

 

Like James said, you have to be able to look at what you already have and enjoy it. Sure, maybe not as much as when you first got it, but if the only thing that means anything to you is acquisition, why are you doing it at all?

 

I still get a thrill looking at my 1817 15 stars large cent in AG...because it was given to me by my grandmother when she died, and I was just 11. I love it for what it is, what it represents, its history, everything. It's not worth much..$10-$15...but its value means nothing to me.

 

If I could never buy another coin, I'd be THRILLED with what I have now.

 

I will say, however, that I am MOST content when I can complete a set. that's just a great sense of accomplishment.

[michael]

I posted this ATS last year, but would love to hear what members here think.

 

Its a funny disease/addiction collecting. I have purchased a few gorgeous coins over the last few months, but I quickly look for the next thing. While it does not control my life, it did make me think what I was doing. I thought to myself, shouldn't I be happy with what I have, and not think about what else I want in my collection?

 

At what point does a collector step back and say, I'm Good. I dont need anything more. Did the famous collectors like Eliasberg or Norweb ever feel this way?

 

At what point did the Pursuit of Happyness become getting the next best thing? I know this is applies to many things other than collecting. Getting a bigger tv, a bigger home, a better car etc etc.

 

Have you ever felt this way? Why or why not?

 

Ankur

 

 

Have you ever felt this way?

 

NEVER