Why Don't People Collect Halfpennies ?

[Colin88 54]

You think you've got it hard ....I also collect playing cards used as secondary usage....such as when they were used as coinage during the French Revolution...also in Canada at that time...they were also used as advertising, wedding invitations...early post-it notes by 18th century academics....and many other uses...but very difficult now to obtain....

[AardHawk 73]

I see one or two of you have moved onto stage two. Justification.

[sound 25]

I see one or two of you have moved onto stage two. Justification.

For what?

[Accumulator 52]

Pre 2009 decimals for me. Loads of interesting varieties to search out. An inexpensive and pleasurable hobby.

Anyone who can rationalize spending thousands of pounds on a coin needs to visit a nut doctor.

Not sure how you reach that conclusion? Logically, those that spend thousands but can't rationalise it are the one's needing the help.

[TomGoodheart 402]

Pre 2009 decimals for me. Loads of interesting varieties to search out. An inexpensive and pleasurable hobby.

Anyone who can rationalize spending thousands of pounds on a coin needs to visit a nut doctor.

Yes, it's each to their own. Personally I would sooner have a coin than a flashy car, but for others a car is more desirable. Some people spend thousands on a holiday. The market in used holidays is quite stagnant at present - at least a collection is something you can resell.

That. People have different priorities Aard. Some spend a couple of grand a year on cigarettes. Others would rather have a cupboard full of clothes or several cars. But to others those purchases might seem crazy.

Me? My hobby is self-financing. Paid for by selling coins I have, to buy ones I want. And topped up with cash gifts I receive for my birthday and at Christmas. I buy coins I like and can afford.

No different from the rationale of those who spend more than the price of my car on a single coin, I imagine.

Edited September 14, 2014 by TomGoodheart

[jaggy 528]

I don't need to justify or rationalise. I like my coins and I can afford the ones I buy. In fact, I have only ever sold two coins and only because I was offered silly money for them (some may remember that I was torn about selling even then).

[pokal02 44]

I suspect Florins are the least collected milled silver, if only because they only go back to 1849. For hammered, would imagine that halfgroats are not much collected compared to pennies & groats. Have had a go at everything non-gold other than 6d's & florins in my time - when I decided to limit myself to one milled denomination did consider 6d's before settling on crowns.

[AardHawk 73]

Chris, I asked you before. Please delete my account.

[TomGoodheart 402]

Chris, I asked you before. Please delete my account.

That seems a shame Aard. Perhaps send Chris a message if you're really sure though, in case it's a while before he reads this.

Be worth checking with him about existing posts too if you're concerned, since AFAIK even if an account is deleted the ex-member's comments can still be read unless specifically removed.

I'll be sorry to see you go.

[Colin88 54]

Dear Lord what is about people now in this country??...you cant be posh or rich or Southern without abuse or consistently having to justify it and having to dumb down....I worked my bollox off and took commercial risks to earn what I did....I'm still working on the posh bit...

Spending on anything is relative to each individual's circimstances....I used to spend 10's of thousands on coins a year because I could afford to ..end of story...not because "I'm a nut job" to quote our friend here....and why is selling a coin and making a profit such a major problem to so many people on this site?

.

[jaggy 528]

Dear Lord what is about people now in this country??...you cant be posh or rich or Southern without abuse or consistently having to justify it and having to dumb down....I worked my bollox off and took commercial risks to earn what I did....I'm still working on the posh bit...

Spending on anything is relative to each individual's circimstances....I used to spend 10's of thousands on coins a year because I could afford to ..end of story...not because "I'm a nut job" to quote our friend here....and why is selling a coin and making a profit such a major problem to so many people on this site?

.

Speaking as someone who likes to buy coins, I would be up the creek without a paddle if nobody ever sold them.

But, I agree with you. We all have different circumstances. I spend what I am comfortable with. How much I choose to spend is nobodies business but my own (and that of my wife ). I generally choose not to sell coins because I don't have to. That nice man who manages my retirement money and that other nice man who sends me a pension cheque every month (I took early retirement) means that I can continue funding my hobby.

[Rob 3,152]

I don't see what the problem is. Each to their own. Nobody is forced to buy a coin. Nobody is forced to be a member of any forum. Neither Aardhawk nor anyone else has not been told they aren't permitted to have their own view on what is pleasurable to collect. Every era, field or denomination from ancient to current coinage has its adherents irrespective of the costs of pursuing that objective. We are either all sane, or collectively demented - including those who collect from change, thus ensuring that the collection dimishes in purchasing power unless the owner inadvertently happens to acquire a future collectable rarity.

Aardhawk is free to leave the forum if he so wants, though I would suggest that at no point has he been required to make a contribution, log in or otherwise participate, so any posts are as a result of a personal desire to reply or make a point. I'm not aware of any area where people feel under pressure to act, contribute or in fact do anything if they don't want to. Given the ability of all members to isolate themselves from the forum is freely allowed and easily implemented, surely the burning desire to leave and more importantly be seen to leave is the medical issue?

This is all a non-argument/discussion.

Back to halfpennies if we can can folks.

[Peter 615]

I like truhpenny bits.

I collect because i can.

At the grand old age of 50 something my sister bought me a 1914 shilling 40 years ago.As a butchers boy next to a coin shop my Saturday wages went quickly

I was allowed to lock up and was allowed to take a Sunday roast home.

Even better if I slipped 2lbs sausages into my donkey jacket i had made the buggers at 6am.

[damian1986 142]

I like a good moan about the prices of coins. The same way I like to moan about the over-valuation of online businesses, the recklessness of the banks pre-2008 (here have a mortgage, have a re-mortgage, have a credit card, have a nice new car, oh no all the mortgages have defaulted), supply-and-demand in the context of Jedward or whichever other idiots are being paid a healthy living by virtue of having accomplished nothing -

It's a real market and warrants discussion as such.

But few people have a problem with people putting their money into gold or silver for investment so why the quibble with numismatic coins?* Criticisms should be leveled at the market and not the wealth of an individual or what they choose to do with their cash.

* I do have a slight problem with gold and silver investment actually. There are some horrible suppliers who prey on people's fears and vulnerabilities (the world is going to end so stock your cupboards with powder food and buy guns and lots of gold so that when everyone is crawling about on their hands and knees you'll be sitting pretty). A story for another day though.

I collect halfpennies. I did look at die varieties initially but the Victorian bronzes are tough in the higher grades and I collect other things now so I want a small but representative sample by type. This will include some of the proofs that came out of the Soho mint. I missed a good one that Rob had up not long ago I have one nice halfpenny that belonged to C. W. Peck and that pretty much does it for me for all later Victorian bronze. I want them all but if I do my research properly I can be just as happy with fewer individual coins and still the collection as a whole.

This comes back to what's financially viable. My collecting is dictated by desire in the context of what's financially realistic. If I had more or less money my focus would be adjusted in line with what's doable.

Another little soliloquy.

[DaveG38 405]

I like truhpenny bits.

I collect because i can.

At the grand old age of 50 something my sister bought me a 1914 shilling 40 years ago.As a butchers boy next to a coin shop my Saturday wages went quickly

I was allowed to lock up and was allowed to take a Sunday roast home.

Even better if I slipped 2lbs sausages into my donkey jacket i had made the buggers at 6am.

I didn't realise you were 90 something!!

[coin watch 1]

In my opinion there is nothing wrong with collecting any sort of coin, everyone to their own choice. Of course some coin types/issues attract more interest than others and as a person with a deep interest in a certain late hammered theme with much variation I can see what a Victorian penny collector is attracted to, I almost got into these myself at one point! Halfpennies too surely also have their place, it's down to popularity and demand in the end as to what is interest, and for what I can see this trend varies as time passes.

As to investments, well, it has certainly made it's way into the numismatics world over the past decade, a good or bad thing I'm not sure yet, but I hope it does not damage the collector base as time passes, investors interests I'm less worried about, I say this purely because investing into something like numismatics has to be a chance for an investor who has no knowledge of what they are putting money into. It should, as it has always been a bonus for the collector in the long run!

I agree gold and silver investment, and the like, are another story and especially of late have been fed by fear mongering, but I can think of much worse misleading financial dealings in recent years (in fact the past 100 years!) which have been much more damaging to the 'investor' and, well, the public in general..."a story for another day though"...............

[Peckris 579]

I like truhpenny bits.

I collect because i can.

At the grand old age of 50 something my sister bought me a 1914 shilling 40 years ago.As a butchers boy next to a coin shop my Saturday wages went quickly

I was allowed to lock up and was allowed to take a Sunday roast home.

Even better if I slipped 2lbs sausages into my donkey jacket i had made the buggers at 6am.

OMG - you're 90???????

[Peter 615]

I like truhpenny bits.

I collect because i can.

At the grand old age of 50 something my sister bought me a 1914 shilling 40 years ago.As a butchers boy next to a coin shop my Saturday wages went quickly

I was allowed to lock up and was allowed to take a Sunday roast home.

Even better if I slipped 2lbs sausages into my donkey jacket i had made the buggers at 6am.

I didn't realise you were 90 something!!

Sometimes I feel it at 3:35am...all hell broke loose because our springer has perfected opening doors and followed by the cat and kitten straight on the bed.Mrs Peter blamed me.My darling daughters thought it was cold and put the heating on.bah humbug.I do like a sloppy kiss is bed and pussey but not at 3:30am.

[VickySilver 830]

Yikes, this thread is turning an adult rating now!

I like my favourite bits staying unpopular and more reasonably priced bits. Halfpennies still don't catch my interest, but thought until recent months I had 6d, shillings, and florins to myself. Oh, well..