G'day all, Couldn't find a thread in regards to this, so if there is one could you direct me plz:biggrin: Being a member on this forum for fairly short time I get a rough idea as to what some of you like to collect, but I'm interested as to why you are Numismatists, is it just a hobby or investment reasons or so on and maybe how you started and for how long. Not looking for what you have or your address or anything(lol), I just think it would be interesting to hear why and how.
Cheers:)
I have absolutely NO idea why I enjoy mucking about with and studying coins, I simply love doing it.
I have been doing this on and off since I was just a lad.
I have periods of intense collecting and periods of "ho hum" but I always seem to get back into it.
Quote from: 'trout' pid='52758' dateline='1402995104'I have absolutely NO idea why I enjoy mucking about with and studying coins, I simply love doing it.
I have been doing this on and off since I was just a lad.
I have periods of intense collecting and periods of "ho hum" but I always seem to get back into it.
You must have a couple of coins by now
QuoteYou must have a couple of coins by now
Maybe :angel:
I think my dad was going thru some old coin stuff and cos I was interested in it we took up colleting again, of course my attention went to the threepences and I just stuck to that , I have been at that for at least a few years now, and have put a nice basic set together and now my attention is focused in errors and variety's and trying to find the super rare over date at a affordable price, or get one at bullion value that someone doesn't know what it is.... well one can dream, its all the thrill on the hunt now
I like to think of myself as a Numisthusiaist and not a numismatist :)
Quote from: 'trout' pid='52765' dateline='1402997301'I like to think of myself as a Numisthusiaist and not a numismatist :)
I cant even say that
Quote from: 'proof27' pid='52767' dateline='1402997832'Quote from: 'trout' pid='52765' dateline='1402997301'I like to think of myself as a Numisthusiaist and not a numismatist :)
I cant even say that
I tried and spat all over my keyboard.
Quote from: 'markn' pid='52768' dateline='1402997883'Quote from: 'proof27' pid='52767' dateline='1402997832'Quote from: 'trout' pid='52765' dateline='1402997301'I like to think of myself as a Numisthusiaist and not a numismatist :)
I cant even say that
I tried and spat all over my keyboard.
It'sth not thoo hard thoo thay when youth thet thoosed thoo it :laugh2: :dance2:
[attachment=2823]
by jove - I think you've got it FRmanynumbers!!
Crikey Rob , I nearly wet myself laughing at that when I opened it up.
I could almost hear that rather unfortunate looking dog say the word :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10019/numisdog.jpg)
I'm a numismatist primarily because of the history aspect of collecting. As I've said many times before, coins are one of the few inventions of antiquity that are still around and still being used pretty much in the same fashion as the ancients who first invented them. 2,500 years of continuous history, as represented by little bits of metal made for a monetary function.
It should also be pointed out, perhaps, that "numismatist" and "coin collector" are not necessarily interchangeable, though there is a degree of overlap. A "coin collector" is primarily interested in gaining more and more coins. A "numismatist" is primarily interested in gaining more and more knowledge about coins. It's entirely possible to be a "numismatist" and not actually own a single coin yourself; you cannot call yourself a "coin collector" if all you own is books about coins.
my coin dealer used to be the Chief Numismatist at the Royal Australian Mint
I once asked him what that meant
and he said he was a coin historian of sorts!
Great reading people, cheers.
Quote from: 'trout' pid='52758' dateline='1402995104'I have been doing this on and off since I was just a lad.
I have periods of intense collecting and periods of "ho hum" but I always seem to get back into it.
Exactly the same for me,ebbed & flowed since i started collecting coins from a paper run/route in the early 1960's,i still have most of those Pennies & Halves,i couldn't afford to collect Silver.
The biggest change for me was Ebay,from around 2000 on i really got back into the game and dusted off the Coins & Info. books.
Sapyx, I agree that there is some overlap between collector and numismatist, but there are more than just collectors and numismatists. There are at least 3 levels
Coin collector: collects pretty coins, series of coins, countries etc, has little knowledge about the background to coins and at best knows the prices in the common catalogues.
Numismatist: most serious collectors are also numismatists, they read the magazines and journals (and have a decent reference collection), have an enquiring mind to find the backgrounds to coins and are semi-experts in their particular interests. Includes most dealers, coin club members and most here on this forum.
Numismatologist: those who do the original research that provides the grist for the magazines and journals. Usually have lots of obscure "heavy reading" references in their collection and filing cabinets full of notes. Most are "amateurs" in the sense that they don't get paid (like museum curators) but do it because it is a passion.
There are levels "below" coin collector too.
You've got your Investors. Investors, like coin collectors, want to buy coins, but their prime motivation is profit. They know little and care less about the things they invest in; you could replace all their coins with Elvis teaspoons and, so long as the %ROI was the same, they wouldn't care less.
Then you've got your Hoarders. Hoarders collect coins too, but like investors they also know little about what they are hoarding. Unlike investors, however, they rarely if ever sell.
Finally you've got your Inheritors, who have inherited a "coin collection" from one of the previous categories. They, like hoarders and investors, don't usually know too much about what they've got and don't really want to know anything, apart from "how much can I get if I sell it". Unlike the former two, they aren't really interested in acquiring new coins either. They're just maintaining the collection, perhaps out of some sense of duty or obligation to the person they inherited it from, or perhaps simply to perpetuate it in their honour and memory.