Coin collector analysis 1 1

[Henri Charriere]

Handwriting analysis is an art; graphology is a science and fortune-telling, ideally, is a form of entertainment. We subconsciously judge people by the dogs they own. In the same vein, one judges a person by the company he keeps.  Is it possible to judge a member by the member(s) he follows? How about the coins he chooses to collect? Is there a Set Registrant syndrome that appeals to certain types? I started out the same way other members have, collecting common circulating coins from change. I do not believe I went any further defaulting to acquiring Proof and Uncirculated sets  directly from the Mint after silver was withdrawn from circulation, and then stopping out altogether. How about you?  Have you ever thought about the impression your coin collecting activities may have on others? What got you started, and how has your collecting evolved? Any interesting anecdotes regarding specific acquisitions? Feel free to share them here if you wish to.  

[zadok]

geez...more rehashing, thread has already been done before...the forum needs an entrance exam....

[Henri Charriere]

MODERATORS ! ! !

THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME DISSENSION IN THE RANKS EMANATING FROM A GENTLEMAN OF SUBSTANCE WHOSE JUDGMENT I AM BOUND TO RESPECT.

ACCORDINGLY, I IMPLORE YOU TO DO YOUR DUTY AND SCRATCH THIS TOPIC, ENTRAILS AND ALL, AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.

YOUR HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT SERVANT,

HENRI CHARRIERE,  a/k/a  "Rising Star"  

[cobymordet]

It all started when I was 4 yrs. old.  As with most families in the late 70’s, one weekend, my family went to the local mall to shop.  My siblings were supposed to be watch over me, but as most loving siblings do, they chose to direct their attention elsewhere and I was gone baby gone.  Long story slightly shorter, I wanted to ride the kiddie Ferris wheel, but had no cash on hand, ATM’s weren’t around yet.  I instead paid the ride operator with jelly beans.  Up, up, and away I went.  My family was kind enough to search for me and found me on 15ft. in the air calling out to my mommy.  Flash forward 5-6yrs.  At the tender age of ten, I was jailed for the first time.  I was caught by those especially hard to see mirrors throughout stores, video surveillance was for governments back then.  I wanted the GI Joe action figures: Tomax & Xamot, but again, found myself with no money.  Only this time, I did not have jelly beans either.  So, off to the clink for me.  After a month of recuperation from the oh-so common butt-whuppin’ (bare handed, daddy didn't need no belt), I finally realized that cash is king and coins make the world go round.  My mind was set and my path charted.  I then chose to set out on my own seeking employment in any and every dive bar, seedy hotel, or creepy magazine store, that turned a blind eye to a 10yr. old laboring for the almighty dollar.  Flash forward 40yrs.  I made it to the big-time baby!  First official proof set purchased.  My ma & pa were so proud!  I’m kinda tearin’ up just thinking about yesterday.  What a wild ride.  So, what was the topic about?                                                

[Lem E]

On 11/14/2023 at 4:51 PM, cobymordet said:

It all started when I was 4 yrs. old.  As with most families in the late 70’s, one weekend, my family went to the local mall to shop.  My siblings were supposed to be watch over me, but as most loving siblings do, they chose to direct their attention elsewhere and I was gone baby gone.  Long story slightly shorter, I wanted to ride the kiddie Ferris wheel, but had no cash on hand, ATM’s weren’t around yet.  I instead paid the ride operator with jelly beans.  Up, up, and away I went.  My family was kind enough to search for me and found me on 15ft. in the air calling out to my mommy.  Flash forward 5-6yrs.  At the tender age of ten, I was jailed for the first time.  I was caught by those especially hard to see mirrors throughout stores, video surveillance was for governments back then.  I wanted the GI Joe action figures: Tomax & Xamot, but again, found myself with no money.  Only this time, I did not have jelly beans either.  So, off to the clink for me.  After a month of recuperation from the oh-so common butt-whuppin’ (bare handed, daddy didn't need no belt), I finally realized that cash is king and coins make the world go round.  My mind was set and my path charted.  I then chose to set out on my own seeking employment in any and every dive bar, seedy hotel, or creepy magazine store, that turned a blind eye to a 10yr. old laboring for the almighty dollar.  Flash forward 40yrs.  I made it to the big-time baby!  First official proof set purchased.  My ma & pa were so proud!  I’m kinda tearin’ up just thinking about yesterday.  What a wild ride.  So, what was the topic about?                                                

 

You had me at Tomax & Xamot. Memories.

[Dave1384]

My mother was a cashier in the local elementary school. She would pull silver coins out and bring them home. She would receive Buffalo nickels too . This was in the1960s. I had good amount of coin holders from PFSF that I filled, plus a half filled Buffalo nickel folder. 

[GoldFinger1969]

I got Mint and Proof sets as gifts in the 1970's.  But never really pursued it on my own.

Bought some gold coins and silver once I entered the work force.  Found out about the Saint-Gaudens series (after having it go in 1 ear and out the other over the years) with the 2009 UHR recreation.  Got hooked on Saints ever since and been reading about them (lots) and buying (much less) ever since.

[Dave1384]

Deleted 

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by Dave1384

[Henri Charriere]

[Speaking strictly for myself, I have been reading the comments of others for years now and have developed a theory as to approaches to coin collecting.

My experience is limited to B.S. (Before Silver, 1964) and A.S. (After Silver was withdrawn from circulation) and have come to the conclusion in the beginning, leading up to that pivotal year, 1964, hobbyists collected whatever they wished at whim. More experienced, seasoned collectors gravitated to either completing their type sets, electing to concentrate on a particular type of coin and upgrading as finer examples became available. At some point, with collecting from change no longer possible, particularly with the unavailability of Silver, investors jumped in with ordinary Silver topping out at just nigh $50./oz in 1980, before falling.  TPGS entered the picture. Coin collecting from local coin shops evolved with the proliferation of coin shows, the internet, encapsulations and access to international sources. 

Younger collectors in the Sixties collected what they wished. But many got married and it is my belief, looking ahead, those that did began to fine-tune their collecting. They gave their collecting (and what they collected) a bit more thought. Tastes became more focused. Some began to consider, "What exactly would my heirs appreciate?"  Would you want to leave your heirs something any average person would find meaningful, or continue to hoard dateless Buffaloes and parking lot finds?  Most would probably feel U.S. Mint products strike the right balance. Or hoards of bullion.

If you are a young numismatist today, these are back-burner issues to be considered, if ever, sometime in the future. That's perfectly understandable. What I would be curious to know is whether any member's tastes have changed, in any way, to accommodate their heirs.  I settled on gold roosters but I believe those of us who've begun Set Registries have been held in a holding pattern. (Several, finding the upgrade wall impenetrable or disenchanted with the interminable waits to thaw, have bowed out.) The sand in my 5-year collecting hour glass is set to run out on the First Day of Spring. 

[GoldFinger1969]

Henri, how specifically did you find out about and decide to collect Roosters....considering there had to be much less reading material about them (and other foreign gold coins) compared to Saints and Liberty's...Eagles, Half Eagles, etc.?

Even today, I can't find much stuff on Roosters on the internet, had to be tons less back in the 1950's and 1960's, no ?

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by GoldFinger1969

[Henri Charriere]

On 12/10/2023 at 12:43 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Henri, how specifically did you find out about and decide to collect Roosters....considering there had to be much less reading material about them (and other foreign gold coins) compared to Saints and Liberty's...Eagles, Half Eagles, etc.?

Even today, I can't find much stuff on Roosters on the internet, had to be tons less back in the 1950's and 1960's, no ?

 

(...before I utter another word, I suggest the pallet-stacker retrieve his emoji depicting retching... he's going to need it... ) 🤣

Ready?  Here goes...  Back from the hospital after surgery, I was lying in bed, minding my own business, when I asked my wife for her far superior antique Android w/ internet capability (as opposed to my talk-n-text cell I got in a Cracker Jack®️ box). 🤣

Mesmerized by its capabilities, it suddenly occurred to me it may be able to bring me up to speed on my old hobby, coin collecting, after silver was taken out of change from which most collectors amassed their collections by filling holes in the familiar blue Whitman folding albums.  In time, my attention was directed to eBay. where, in time, I viewed my first gold rooster. I did not know what it was but noted the French inscriptions and old dates. Without knowing anything about the series, e.g., how many comprised a complete set or whether some were rarer than others and what an average coin ought to cost, I bought one... and was smitten. I found another one, and bought it. I became curious as to how many more there were, found out there were only 16 and decided to collect them all raw because I knew nothing about certifications or mintages or TPGS, etc. I vowed I would never buy an encapsulated coin.  At some point, in early 2019, I became aware of CAC and HA.  I learned CAC did not accept raw coins and HA auctioned off the best of the best mostly certified coins, though not exclusively. I also learned Set Registries did not accept raw coins, certifications required paid memberships and, was rudely awakened when I found out World Gold from one Set Registry could not be displayed in another unless they were cross-graded.  I had come to a fork in the road and had to make a decision. At the time, it became clear that half the series appeared to be dominated by one TPGS and the earlier part of the series, the "originals" were more difficult to acquire than the latter "restrikes." I saw little point in compiling parallel collections here and on the West Coast, but experienced an epiphany: if you are seeking French coins, where would you be more likely to find them? Along the way, I learned about PayPal, conversions from USD to CAnadian dollars, British £, €uros, bank wire transfers, the larger, more reputable coin establishments in France, England and Germany -- and not being averse to taking risks, ordered a coin from a hole in the wall check-cashing place, sent it to Slovenia and was pleasantly surprised when it became only the 2d gold rooster certified for that date as well as a Top Pop. Along the way, I learned the history of the coin (just yesterday I found out the original copper rooster which had been placed at the top of Notre Dame cathedral, already rebuilt, will be returned to its pinnacle.) I hold two records: Best French Set four years in a row on the West Coast and member permanently banned most times from the Chat Board.  I learn something new every day. Man, I love this place! 🤣 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by Henri Charriere
Die-polishing.

[VKurtB]

Here's the God's truth: We're all nuts, loony to the core.

[VKurtB]

On 12/11/2023 at 1:18 PM, Henri Charriere said:

I guess I just didn't have the right stuff -- I was not deemed worthy enough to be excluded from, much less permanently banned from CT.  I will have to shoulder that great burden alone for the rest of my life.  No wonder straphangers on the subway give me those knowing looks.  

You might have to define “straphangers” to some. As a younger man, I would take girlfriends on day trips to NewYork as dates. Today I’m wiser and would never go back there again. I get cheap flights out of Newark, as close as I’ll go.

[Henri Charriere]

On 12/11/2023 at 9:04 PM, VKurtB said:

You might have to define “straphangers” to some....

Nope, no can do.  As the late great Oldhoop would have counseled: "Go look it up!"