Are you a bit snobby about coin collecting? 🧐😉

I happily joined this coin collecting group to find out more information about the coins that I find metal detecting because I love history and collecting, and find the detective work very exciting.

I collect a lot of things besides coins, but with the coins, some I have in inherited from my great, great, grandparents from the first half of the 19th century, as well as the ones I find doing my other hobby, detecting.

I feel, -and please say if I'm really on the wrong track?-, that if I haven't paid, -stop me if I'm barking up the wrong tree?- small to large amounts of good money for my coins, which I got them for free,( not counting the outlay for the detector equipment!), then would you say this group's not for me?
I may be getting the wrong vibes, but I'm going to say one thing, at least I know I don't have any fakes in my collection. 👍 That's a fact.😉

( I expect that someone will take this not as it's intended, 😇 it's just a question.) ;

Are you a bit snobby about it and think it doesn't count as true coin collecting? 🔎📓💰💷 😉🤭😄

Everyone's idea of coin collecting is different. To me it sounds like you are more into the investing side of coins. There is nothing wrong with that. I'm more into the thrill of the chase side of things. Some of my prized coins I got for "free" as you would say but to me these are more valuable than any investment grade coin that many people actively search for. Its not how much you have paid for a coin that really matters but the completion of what you are looking for. To each their own as they say. Happy collecting.

Getting your coins for free is the best way and if they make you happy too, that's even better. How they make you happy differs from person to person, for you its finding them by detecting, for me visiting Coinstar machines.
Spending big money on something you don't really understand, seems a bit stupid to me. How do you know you are spending wisely?
I think that is where Numista, and especially the forums come in. You can see the kind of things other people collect, see their latest acquisitions and learn more about the coins.

In summary, if you collect coins and are interested in them then the forum is for you.

As an aside, what kind of thing do you typically find when detecting?

Quote: "Harris79"​Getting your coins for free is the best way and if they make you happy too, that's even better. How they make you happy differs from person to person, for you its finding them by detecting, for me visiting Coinstar machines.
​Spending big money on something you don't really understand, seems a bit stupid to me. How do you know you are spending wisely?
​I think that is where Numista, and especially the forums come in. You can see the kind of things other people collect, see their latest acquisitions and learn more about the coins.
​
​In summary, if you collect coins and are interested in them then the forum is for you.
​
​As an aside, what kind of thing do you typically find when detecting?

​Thank you both for taking my post in the way it was intended 🙂👍
Typically I tend to find coins from the 16th century up until the early part of the 20th century where I have found 'tokens, bon pour 1 franc' and aluminium coins from the second world war.
Before then, the French ( rural ) used to bury their rubbish in small landfills near each village, it was coming across one of these sites in the woods where I live that I spotted an art deco perfume bottle sticking out of the soil, so I started to dig and found many more collectable bottles, including wine bottles, ( this started my collection with French glass, of which I now have Rene Lalique, baccarat, Daum, and Pierre D'Avesn, amongst others including Hersey( ? I'm not sure of the spelling without going to look at the bottom of it, but it's American and a very rare art deco cocktail shaker ) .
And also started my French coin collecting because I found a Napoleon III 1855 five centimes coin there as well.
So I brought myself my first metal detector and got out there detecting! I also started going to vide greniers, ( car boot sales ) to collect quality glass, which I can now spot at a hundred paces!!, 😁 I also collect gold and silver jewellery from the same place, one of my best buys for a Euro was a pair of half carat each diamond 18 cts white gold earrings which I sold for £400 pounds last year. I don't usually sell my stuff but did used to do runs to the UK and sell antiques and collectables to the Chiswick Auction house, things that were valuable but not what I collected.
But right now during the covid 19 lockdown, I'm concentrating on coins, which I love. 😀🥰 I'm on my 3rd detector which I can swim under water with so look out French beaches because I'm coming for you! lol! 😆

"Thank you both for taking my post in the way it was intended 🙂👍"

-Another great anecdote "lindylou!"
I LOL when I first read your question whether "coin collectors are a bit snobby."

It took great restraint not to reply, "guilty, as charged, your honour!"
Except:
I don't collect coins & for the most part any coin collectors I've met are just nerdy introverted types. I've rarely met a snob coin (or banknote) collector (& I've met quite a few). But if you heard them wax on about some part of their collection (& did not relate to why this particular coin or note was special to them) you'd think they were a bit "off."

I have not see any snobs here on Numista, tbh. Some are passionate about collecting (as I am) & so they may dismiss (off-hand) items they may see as unworthy of their personal collection, but I hesitate to feel that as a snub, honestly.

The reason I truly believe that nobody here is actually giving me any attitude (whatsoever) is b/c I've been collecting for around 40 years (or more ) & I get so thrilled by the most ridiculous (esoteric & mundane) aspects of a banknote (series signature, change-over, serial number, you name it) that it can seem ridiculous to the "outsider." I will rant & rave about finding a certain prefix (or a note I just bought) but my wife looks at me like I forgot to put on a shirt for work. I'm not only "odd" but I'm also a bit "sad" to her (I'm sure). I don't blame her- most of the thrill of the banknote hunt is completely lost on most regular folk (who don't collect).

And I'm sure that type of passion (for shiny metal discs) will be the case for most die-hard coin collectors.

Quote: "Serial_Number_8"​"Thank you both for taking my post in the way it was intended 🙂👍"
​
​-Another great anecdote "lindylou!"
​I LOL when I first read your question whether "coin collectors are a bit snobby."
​
​It took great restraint not to reply, "guilty, as charged, your honour!"
​Except:
​I don't collect coins & for the most part any coin collectors I've met are just nerdy introverted types. I've rarely met a snob coin (or banknote) collector (& I've met quite a few). But if you heard them wax on about some part of their collection (& did not relate to why this particular coin or note was special to them) you'd think they were a bit "off."
​
​I have not see any snobs here on Numista, tbh. Some are passionate about collecting (as I am) & so they may dismiss (off-hand) items they may see as unworthy of their personal collection, but I hesitate to feel that as a snub, honestly.
​
​The reason I truly believe that nobody here is actually giving me any attitude (whatsoever) is b/c I've been collecting for around 40 years (or more ) & I get so thrilled by the most ridiculous (esoteric & mundane) aspects of a banknote (series signature, change-over, serial number, you name it) that it can seem ridiculous to the "outsider." I will rant & rave about finding a certain prefix (or a note I just bought) but my wife looks at me like I forgot to put on a shirt for work. I'm not only "odd" but I'm also a bit "sad" to her (I'm sure). I don't blame her- most of the thrill of the banknote hunt is completely lost on most regular folk (who don't collect).
​
​And I'm sure that type of passion (for shiny metal discs) will be the case for most die-hard coin collectors.

​Is that why you are called serial number 8?! 😉👍
I applaud you if it is! 😁 lol! the rarer the better.
It's like number plate collectors , their ultimate goal is to get their hands on the A1 plate, ecstatic would not be a big enough word for them! lol!
My neighbour was pulled over by the police years ago and she had been drinking ( tut tut !) but they didn't breathalise her, they asked her if she would be willing to sell her Austin Mini's number plate, COP 69, ha ha!
I see that expression that comes over peoples faces who don't collect things often because I am a big collector of all sorts, I.e. fossils and rocks from around the world, Koi carp, cats.... I actually think my collecting comes from being sentimental, when I come across things that I love, I never want to part with them....especially if I've spent 30 minutes digging them up! 😆 I think that I work hard for my coins, but then I have the thrill of tracking down the history of them especially in my area where I live in France ( I'm British) there has been so many battles from Bordeaux to here, I won't disclose exactly where I am, because I spent all day yesterday pinpointing exactly where one of the religious war battles took place during the 1500's, mainly by old manuscripts, local knowledge and knowing the area very well from my wildlife photography, ( incidentally, I have a large collection of photos too, over 40,000, of my own, I have done two exhibitions out here ), so I know the land well, and I'm pretty sure that I will find some coins of interest there, being that it was attended by Royalty and Admiralty. There were in the region of 36,000 men in an 8 hour battle.
Also Oliver Cromwell paid a visit to the same place, around those times. You wouldn't believe it if you saw the area, but it was of great significance at the time.
I feel your pain when you say your wife looks at you as if you're going to work without your shirt on, because my husband, who only likes power tools from his mini digger, to my hand blender in the kitchen! Doesn't understand my excitement at coming across something special but he does like that I have these interests because of my ability to find things of value, ha ha, he thinks one day I'm going to come across that last Faberge egg! 😄
But if you don't study what your looking for, you will never find it, you have to know your onions! 🤓😉👍😁 And I like to study. 😊

"But if you don't study what your looking for, you will never find it, you have to know your onions! 🤓😉👍😁 And I like to study. 😊"
- you're obviously a keen student!

My dad collected everything. He grew up during the Great Depression, so he became an obsessive "hoarder." My mom was always screaming at him to throw out the junk he amassed in our garage (& basement). He just ignored her and never threw a thing out. I ended up spending months cleaning house after he passed away. I even gave my mom a strong box of his filled with old 1975 $50's blinded to the fact that they might have been collectible! I was on a mission- to remove so much of his stuff- I even gave away some of his prized fly-fishing rods. It was heartbreaking actually! (Fortunately, I kept one & a basket of fishing gear).

There are some collectors who just collect everything (with no real direction) for the sake of collecting. I was exactly like that when I started (just infatuated with the banknote designs). So I wanted some of everything: the more, the better (& in whatever condition). I had a big collection of used money.

But, honestly, as I got older & saw that other collectors had direction (focus) and limits (scope). It took me a while, but over a period of time, I realized I had it all wrong. I started to sell off all of my original collection & sold any note that wasn't a change-over, replacement, special number, error or had some such collectible characteristic (hallmark). I sold off any note higher than $50. I sold a 1937 $100 & a couple others to buy this note:

my first offset printing error.

I have absolutely no regrets getting more choosy & specific- "knowing my onions" as you put it. I know world currency collectors aren't so keen to be so specific & I myself have backed off on this objective: but it still's a prudent way to approach the hobby (no matter what). At least keep decent (UNC) specimens if they're common.

Your glass collection sounds amazing (I remember finding old pop bottles at a walk-in lake & keeping them as a teen). Sounds like you're in the perfect spot for coin hunting. It sounds like you've been very successful with your collections & I must say your photographs are beautiful.

Quote: "Serial_Number_8"​"But if you don't study what your looking for, you will never find it, you have to know your onions! 🤓😉👍😁 And I like to study. 😊"
​- you're obviously a keen student!
​
​My dad collected everything. He grew up during the Great Depression, so he became an obsessive "hoarder." My mom was always screaming at him to throw out the junk he amassed in our garage (& basement). He just ignored her and never threw a thing out. I ended up spending months cleaning house after he passed away. I even gave my mom a strong box of his filled with old 1975 $50's blinded to the fact that they might have been collectible! I was on a mission- to remove so much of his stuff- I even gave away some of his prized fly-fishing rods. It was heartbreaking actually! (Fortunately, I kept one & a basket of fishing gear).
​
​There are some collectors who just collect everything (with no real direction) for the sake of collecting. I was exactly like that when I started (just infatuated with the banknote designs). So I wanted some of everything: the more, the better (& in whatever condition). I had a big collection of used money.
​
​But, honestly, as I got older & saw that other collectors had direction (focus) and limits (scope). It took me a while, but over a period of time, I realized I had it all wrong. I started to sell off all of my original collection & sold any note that wasn't a change-over, replacement, special number, error or had some such collectible characteristic (hallmark). I sold off any note higher than $50. I sold a 1937 $100 & a couple others to buy this note:
​
​my first offset printing error.
​
​I have absolutely no regrets getting more choosy & specific- "knowing my onions" as you put it. I know world currency collectors aren't so keen to be so specific & I myself have backed off on this objective: but it still's a prudent way to approach the hobby (no matter what). At least keep decent (UNC) specimens if they're common.
​
​Your glass collection sounds amazing (I remember finding old pop bottles at a walk-in lake & keeping them as a teen). Sounds like you're in the perfect spot for coin hunting. It sounds like you've been very successful with your collections & I must say your photographs are beautiful.

​Thank you for your compliment about my photos, I did put up a link to one of my online galleries but thought I'd accidentally put up a general link and thought that I'd removed it again, where was it on the forum that you saw it?
As for your note, wow! that's a great one!. 😳

I'm sorry I didn't reply a few days ago but one of my beloved cats suddenly became ill and when we took him to the Vets the next day, he had a kind of pleurisy of the lungs and had to be put to sleep , I didn't feel like writing for a few days, we were very upset and shocked at his quick demise. He wasn't quite 11 years old.
😢

Sorry to hear about your pet. No worries, take your time before you attend to this.

Your pictures were of bugs, flowers, trees, (I think even some cooking or mundane things around the house). All of them were taken using wonderful angles (rule of 1/3rds), capturing textures, colours & using reflected light to make each subject look so unique. You have an amazing eye for subject details!