Defining a collector

[Gollum 2]

Do you define a collector as someone who collects all world coins, a person who collects a specific type and date range or reign, someone who collects for their monetary value as investments or for their aesthetics, do you consider it someone who purchases en-bloc large sets or someone who goes and seeks them out for himself trudging around various shops and citys etc, or do you consider the true collector as the person who collects them having sought them out in person in shops and then writes all he can about them and shares that information.

Just curious and please guys, no arguments. I would hate for someone to say x in here is merely a investment broker and not a collector.

I would like to think I had fun / stress seeking mine out rather than merely just ordering them from a shop all the time, I guess one or two that are hard to find is ok, whistfully looking out of my window and imagining the find of a few hard to get ones at some boot sale or the likes, even in a coin shop because the seller did not look too hard gets me racing. I have a metal detector and often think about getting lucky. A frimed of mine picked up a gold angel the other day, made around £700 he said, never happens to me .

[Peckris 579]

Do you define a collector as someone who collects all world coins, a person who collects a specific type and date range or reign, someone who collects for their monetary value as investments or for their aesthetics, do you consider it someone who purchases en-bloc large sets or someone who goes and seeks them out for himself trudging around various shops and citys etc, or do you consider the true collector as the person who collects them having sought them out in person in shops and then writes all he can about them and shares that information.

Just curious and please guys, no arguments. I would hate for someone to say x in here is merely a investment broker and not a collector.

I would like to think I had fun / stress seeking mine out rather than merely just ordering them from a shop all the time, I guess one or two that are hard to find is ok, whistfully looking out of my window and imagining the find of a few hard to get ones at some boot sale or the likes, even in a coin shop because the seller did not look too hard gets me racing. I have a metal detector and often think about getting lucky. A frimed of mine picked up a gold angel the other day, made around £700 he said, never happens to me .

There are as many different kinds of collector as there are people who have coins for any other reason than loose change. Some people just threw some coins in a tin when we were decimalised just for 'nostalgia' and never thought about them again. Those I would hesitate to call collectors, but just about anyone else would qualify.

You could divide collectors broadly into various categories :

- "Your own" country's coinage or wider afield

- Modern or ancient or both

- Milled or hammered or ancient or any combination

- By date runs or by type

- To invest or purely for the love of coins or a mixture of both

- To specialise in a fairly narrow field or a wide range

- To specialise in all known varieties of a particular type(s) or just the main issues

- To buy the very very best and spend loads of money or to buy as many coins as possible on a tight budget

- To specialise in a particular denomination(s) or a wide range of types

- To collect by themes, e.g. animals on coins

At the end of the day, I personally would split collections into three broad categories :

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

[Rob 3,152]

Do you define a collector as someone who collects all world coins, a person who collects a specific type and date range or reign, someone who collects for their monetary value as investments or for their aesthetics, do you consider it someone who purchases en-bloc large sets or someone who goes and seeks them out for himself trudging around various shops and citys etc, or do you consider the true collector as the person who collects them having sought them out in person in shops and then writes all he can about them and shares that information.

Just curious and please guys, no arguments. I would hate for someone to say x in here is merely a investment broker and not a collector.

I would like to think I had fun / stress seeking mine out rather than merely just ordering them from a shop all the time, I guess one or two that are hard to find is ok, whistfully looking out of my window and imagining the find of a few hard to get ones at some boot sale or the likes, even in a coin shop because the seller did not look too hard gets me racing. I have a metal detector and often think about getting lucky. A frimed of mine picked up a gold angel the other day, made around £700 he said, never happens to me .

A collector is one who acquires items, coins or otherwise, for the pleasure of doing so. In the case of coins, most will settle on a given field and pursue it, picking up items where and when they can either by finds or by actively seeking out specifics on dealers' lists or at auction. Some will want to delve deeper and research a subject, and there are a few on this forum that do just that. Others take little interest in the history or background of their chosen field and collect simply because they like them. There is no right or wrong to collecting, but it helps if you have an appreciation of the items in your hands because knowledge is power and by using that you enable yourself to improve the quality of the collection and to recognise a bargain when you see one.

[Accumulator 52]

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

I think that's a fair assessment. Most of us are in 3. but working and dreaming for 2.

[davidrj 194]

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

I think that's a fair assessment. Most of us are in 3. but working and dreaming for 2.

I'm a "1" but have a few which put me in "3", "2" is a dream for me too

David

[TomGoodheart 400]

What everyone else said! Like possibly most here, I have odds and ends. Various Euro coins and British collected from change. A few left over half-crowns and shillings etc from my Dad's accumulations of change. A handful of shilling-sized coins from around the globe. Counterfeit £1 coins (but only one for each date - if I find a duplicate I decide which is the worst counterfeit and keep that!) And a few £1 coins from the Channel Islands etc.

Then there's the collection of shillings from Charles I's reign. These aren't things you can pick up from car boot sales and junk bins, so I have to look online and buy from auction. I've also bought from dealers' catalogues, but only ones with good illustrations, because the differences between a coin I have and one I don't are small and not everyone will recognise them.

I share what I know with others that are interested. And I've bought coins from contacts too, since that's sometimes the only way to track down the scarcer examples.

[Gollum 2]

Well I guess I could define myself as in sub 1, with a bit of luck I may even claim the lofty realm of 1 in a while.

I am thinking of buying a couple of those coins that our sesteemed landlord Mr Perkins is offering, and I am thinking of getting some from a man in mortimer who appeals to my pocket. Those thruppences are really calling to me lately. Then again so do the Tanners sitting there too. I really wish as a kid I had put all those coins away I had "borrowed" from amusement arcades.

I find it nice and comforting to see that a lot of you are happy to impart your expertise in your particular area of collecting unlike some forums where knowledge is hoarded and never imparted yet abuse at other peoples ignorance as begginers is freely given. Different class of people altogher you numismatists, think I may hang around permanently. IF you change the biscuits and T bags...... now't worse than cheap tea .

[Colin G. 147]

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

I think that's a fair assessment. Most of us are in 3. but working and dreaming for 2.

I am in that camp as well!!!

[Rob 3,152]

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

I think that's a fair assessment. Most of us are in 3. but working and dreaming for 2.

I am in that camp as well!!!

Ditto

[Peckris 579]

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

I think that's a fair assessment. Most of us are in 3. but working and dreaming for 2.

I am in that camp as well!!!

Ditto

Rob, I definitely mentally placed you in 2. All those rare patterns and proofs...

[Rob 3,152]

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

I think that's a fair assessment. Most of us are in 3. but working and dreaming for 2.

I am in that camp as well!!!

Ditto

Rob, I definitely mentally placed you in 2. All those rare patterns and proofs...

Maybe, but is it a definitive collection? - emphatically not. I might have a few hundred of the above, but I've also got a few hundred four letter expletives to counteract the quality.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Rob

[Peckris 579]

1. The biggest group - vast numbers of inexpensive coins, which can range from 'mere' accumulations to those arranged carefully in albums or boxes

2. The smallest group - 'important' collections which include coins which are known to most collectors in that field, often very rare, and which attract great interest and a definitive catalogue when sold (can be large or small as collections, but nevertheless important)

3. The middle ground - probably most of us, who have X very nice coins without being 'important' (little in the way of provenance), who wouldn't shake the collecting world when sold, but might nevertheless realise a good return.

I think that's a fair assessment. Most of us are in 3. but working and dreaming for 2.

I am in that camp as well!!!

Ditto

Rob, I definitely mentally placed you in 2. All those rare patterns and proofs...

Maybe, but is it a definitive collection? - emphatically not. I might have a few hundred of the above, but I've also got a few hundred four letter expletives to counteract the quality.

I suppose it all comes down to what we personally define as 'quality coins' and 'important coins'. I know I have no important items. Quality? To me, 1797 cartwheels in AEF or better, Edward VII silver better than EF, any bun penny in better than EF with lustre, early milled in VF or better, etc etc etc - are all quality coins. Other people might say nothing less than EF is quality. It depends on the individual perspective. My rankings (above) were only my own views on it.

[Cerbera100 0]

Well I guess I could define myself as in sub 1, with a bit of luck I may even claim the lofty realm of 1 in a while.

I am thinking of buying a couple of those coins that our sesteemed landlord Mr Perkins is offering, and I am thinking of getting some from a man in mortimer who appeals to my pocket. Those thruppences are really calling to me lately. Then again so do the Tanners sitting there too. I really wish as a kid I had put all those coins away I had "borrowed" from amusement arcades.

I find it nice and comforting to see that a lot of you are happy to impart your expertise in your particular area of collecting unlike some forums where knowledge is hoarded and never imparted yet abuse at other peoples ignorance as begginers is freely given. Different class of people altogher you numismatists, think I may hang around permanently. IF you change the biscuits and T bags...... now't worse than cheap tea .

A well respected gent if ever there were one - a former chairman and current president of Reading Coin Club too! And no, it isnt me!

[declanwmagee 122]

If I had any coins ex-Pearce, I'd call that a selling point.

ex-the Pwincess and the Coin Collector doesn't quite have the same ring to it!

[TomGoodheart 400]

If I had any coins ex-Pearce, I'd call that a selling point.

He's got one ex-me on his list, but I don't suppose that counts in quite the same way!