Welcome to the NGC Chat Boards! 1 1

[Henri Charriere]

Following is a distillation of five years' experience as an active chat board participant which I would like to share with you to enhance your experience here whether you are new, an amateur part-time collector or a seasoned professional numismatist.

1.  First and foremost, Please read the Guidelines of conduct expected on the Board and consult the Subforums to better acquaint yourself with "Basic Resources" and "What you should know" (WYSK) about coins and coin collecting.

2.  Resist the impulse to jump in.  (Attendees of self-help groups, those engaged in courtship -- and patients recovering from major surgery are advised to avoid making important decisions for various lengths of time, and for good reason.) Chat Board participation is no different.  As you navigate the boards, certain coins or coin problems will resonate with you. My advice: resist the impulse, temptation or compulsion to join in.  Familiarize yourself with the Boards, paricipating members and the context of posts first.

3.  GET TO KNOW THE PLAYERS!  Rightly or wrongly, the forums are a one-room schoolhouse. They are comprised of the young and old, the experienced and inexperienced, the novice ("Newbie") and the seasoned veteran professional. Remember, first impressions count! And the impression and reputation you develop will follow you, for better or worse, for the duration of your membership.

4.  Cultivate a positive attitude and personality.  To the extent you can, adhere to the standards of proper English, grammar and spelling.

5.  The Guidelines are key and should be referred to as needed.  Avoid feeding into cantankerous exchanges, outright hostility, personal slights or insults. If you do encounter it, "report" it.  You can do this by engaging the three small vertically arranged "dots" located at the top, right-hand side of every post. Press on all three, one of which is "report" and briefly describe your problem. The "report" you make will be reviewed when it is received.   You may not respond to any violation you may perceive on the Chat Board directly, whether directed to you or others.

6.  If you come across a Topic which exhibits a coin and an anomaly much like yours, do not post yours on the thread that follows so as not to confuse viewers. Very often, threads focused on one coin will cause  consternation to those following the thread resulting in confusion and effectively "derailing" the thread. You are encouraged to start your own thread.

7.  Avoid hit-and-run posts by referring viewers to sites which promote your own interests, or others, for financial gain. The only proper place to sell or trade coins is the Topic: "Coin Marketplace."  Posts which promote commercial ventures like research are violative of the Guidelines, fly in the face of ethics and will be reported and removed.

8.  Lengthy dissertations lauding a member's most recent acquisition may be addressed succinctly by tapping the appropriate emoji.

9.  At times, you may finish writing a post, press SEND, only to see your work disappear.  Not to worry. Your post may have been enveloped in a backlog which the Moderators are attending to. One of three things may have happened if you revisit the Topic and tap the space your post formerly occupied: a). your post was rejected; b). your post was accepted but no longer quite fits in within the progression of what may have become a heated, usually fast-moving thread, and the matter, having been addressed, you can tap the x meaning "Clear Editor," or c). your post had been cleared, held for your review and only requires you tap the x on the extreme right to be followed by your pressing send, for posting.

10.  If the names of all the regulars, their areas of interest, their likes, pecking order (alliances) confuse you, you may wish to keep a scorecard. It will go a long way to to helping you understand Who' Who, their likes and dislikes, who the contenders are, where they are from, whether they are working or retired, and, while technically all are members -- to post you must be a member -- some are more so than others.  Remember, we are all human and come from all walks of life. We also have our good days and bad. It's best not to take things personally. If you wish to contact a member, you may wish to "private message" the person directly via PM, if that member makes that option available. Look for the "envelope" which may be engaged by simply tapping their name on any post.  The longest-running threads appear first. Members are encouraged to introduce or maintain topics that are based on numismatic themes.

In closing, Happy Hunting and Good Luck!

-Henri Charriere, 5/17/2024

Edited May 19 by Henri Charriere
To enhance readability and enhance viewers experience