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What Makes Collectors Tick?



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 24th 04, 10:13 AM
Michael E. Marotta
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Default What Makes Collectors Tick?

From: oly2059 )
Subject: ANA raises dues
"They don't understand what makes us tick."
Bob Olson

I collect achievement. I do have some rocks and minerals and
meteorites. Most of what I own is an example of someone else's
intelligence and hard work. I have a lot books, a few objectively
"rare" perhaps, but all of them with content that affected my soul. I
have two complete sets of encyclopedias (Britannica and Colliers). I
have Alamancs from 1949 to present. Books like these I use for
references as a writer. Even if I did not write, however, I would
still own them for what they deliver to me: the highest levels of
human achievement.

As for the "collector ethic" I do not have it. The Almanacs from 1949
to present are not continuous and I see no reason why they need to be
-- and they come from different publishers. It is an assortment, not
a collection.

So, too with numismatics. The ancient Greek coins, the industrial era
stock certificates, the check written in pencil with the name of the
bank crossed out and another written in, they all represent virtues of
productivity, exchange of value for value, and successful
self-interest. Owning "one of each" never appealed to me.

In the book, _Fahrenheit 451_ Montag explains his passion for reading
by saying, "Inside each of them is a man. I want to know the man."
At the last MSNS convention in April, I bought two notes from the
Central Mine of Eagle Harbor. Last week, I finally started
researching the mine, the Upper Peninsula, and the history behind the
monetary artifacts. I undertand from John Stone that in addition to
my $5 and $10, there is also a rarer $15. It might be nice to own. I
have no objection to owning it. I also have little passion for
pursuing it to complete the set.

What makes you tick?

Michael
ANA R-162953
MSNS 7935
Ads
  #2  
Old October 24th 04, 12:56 PM
Dale Hallmark
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"Michael E. Marotta" wrote in message
om...
From: oly2059 )
Subject: ANA raises dues
"They don't understand what makes us tick."
Bob Olson

I collect achievement. I do have some rocks and minerals and
meteorites. Most of what I own is an example of someone else's
intelligence and hard work. I have a lot books, a few objectively
"rare" perhaps, but all of them with content that affected my soul. I
have two complete sets of encyclopedias (Britannica and Colliers). I
have Alamancs from 1949 to present. Books like these I use for
references as a writer. Even if I did not write, however, I would
still own them for what they deliver to me: the highest levels of
human achievement.

As for the "collector ethic" I do not have it. The Almanacs from 1949
to present are not continuous and I see no reason why they need to be
-- and they come from different publishers. It is an assortment, not
a collection.

So, too with numismatics. The ancient Greek coins, the industrial era
stock certificates, the check written in pencil with the name of the
bank crossed out and another written in, they all represent virtues of
productivity, exchange of value for value, and successful
self-interest. Owning "one of each" never appealed to me.

In the book, _Fahrenheit 451_ Montag explains his passion for reading
by saying, "Inside each of them is a man. I want to know the man."
At the last MSNS convention in April, I bought two notes from the
Central Mine of Eagle Harbor. Last week, I finally started
researching the mine, the Upper Peninsula, and the history behind the
monetary artifacts. I undertand from John Stone that in addition to
my $5 and $10, there is also a rarer $15. It might be nice to own. I
have no objection to owning it. I also have little passion for
pursuing it to complete the set.

What makes you tick?

Michael
ANA R-162953
MSNS 7935



In coin collecting, there is no one thing that makes me tick but a multitude
of intertwined feelings, thoughts and motivations which are occasionally at odds
with each other
making "completion" something seldom seen in my collections.

I collect the modern US commemoratives because, I like the designs
(some are art), I like the subjects depicted (some represent history),
I like the challenge (over 140 different examples for a full set and not all cheap).

I collect Washington Quarters as a date/mintmark set. I collect them mostly
for nostalgia as I collected them 35 years ago when I was a young boy.
I collect Canadian cents because I had the opportunity
to do so quite accidentally. Only need a few to be finished from 1900-2004.

I collect Austrian coins medals and tokens because it is a road less traveled.
Not as much competition to drive the prices up as the US or UK or German
or Russian or Canadian material. I like the history many of them represent
and the beauty of many of them. Collecting Austrian in
Texas by definition has to be a challenge. I collect the modern tokens of Austria
because it is an exploration into the unknown. No published literature
to help so I must discover what I can through reason, inference, comparison, and
deduction. I get to "write the book" on them. :-)

The misc Roman coin I acquire because of the history they represent. I know of very
few
people other than collectors of ancients that can claim to have held in hand an
object over 2000
years old. Studying Roman history, I am amazed (shouldn't be) at how very much
like us they were.

Also playing a part is the "wow" factor; owning a coin that other collectors
would admire. And not to forget the satisfaction of owning something rare
and few others possess. I have to admit that I own very few of those type coins
if any.

So there you have it, Art and beauty, history, challenge, exploration and discovery,
rarity,
acceptance by peers, nostalgia and not mentioned is the potential monetary rewards.

Dale





  #3  
Old October 24th 04, 02:45 PM
Ed Hendricks
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Default

"Dale Hallmark" wrote in message


So there you have it, Art and beauty, history, challenge, exploration
and discovery, rarity,
acceptance by peers, nostalgia and not mentioned is the potential
monetary rewards.
Dale



I think that just about sums it up for virtually all coin collectors, Dale.

In addition, there is something about the objects themselves that call out
to us. A siren's song that cannot be denied. IMO, that is why many (if not
most) new collectors begin with a "shotgun" approach and initially amass
just about everything they see and can afford (and some they can't afford).
It is only after the fire begins to burn down that the collector regains
some of his reason and begins to specialize. But the fire seldom goes
completely out. Even the most seasoned collector will occassionally succumb
to the lure of the unknown, spontaneity will raise it's pretty head and,
having spotted that "something" will aquire it.......just because. "I don't
know what it is, but it just called out to me and I had to have it. Now I
have something else that I just can't wait to research and learn about".
What a hobby!

--
©¿©¬
~
Ed Hendricks
ANA# R178621
"Life is a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you can
only spend it once!"





  #4  
Old October 24th 04, 03:10 PM
Edward McGrath
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Default

What Makes Collectors tick? Great question. I believe some collectors
have low self esteem and the only way they can feel good about their
self is to own what others wish they had. Most collectors don't want to
show their jealousy so they post "drool" as a response to a coin they
wish they could own g. Of course collectors would never admit to this
they would say it's the history and art that makes them collect and that
may be true for some but the bottom line whether they admit to it or not
is the hope of potential profit in the future on what they collect and
that drives them to continue collecting. Ed

  #5  
Old October 24th 04, 03:28 PM
Ed Hendricks
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Dale Hallmark" wrote in message


So there you have it, Art and beauty, history, challenge, exploration
and discovery, rarity,
acceptance by peers, nostalgia and not mentioned is the potential
monetary rewards.
Dale


I think that just about sums it up for virtually all coin collectors,
Dale.

In addition, there is something about the objects themselves that
call out to us. A siren's song that cannot be denied. IMO, that is
why many (if not most) new collectors begin with a "shotgun" approach
and initially amass just about everything they see and can afford
(and some they can't afford). It is only after the fire begins to
burn down that the collector regains some of his reason and begins
to specialize. But the fire seldom goes completely out. Even the
most seasoned collector will occassionally succumb to the lure of the
unknown, spontaneity will raise it's pretty head and, having spotted
that "something" will aquire it.......just because. "I don't know
what it is, but it just called out to me and I had to have it. Now I
have something else that I just can't wait to research and learn
about". What a hobby!


--
©¿©¬
~
Ed Hendricks
ANA# R178621
"Life is a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you can
only spend it once!"





  #6  
Old October 24th 04, 04:54 PM
Jorg Lueke
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Default

On 24 Oct 2004 02:13:41 -0700, Michael E. Marotta
wrote:
What makes you tick?

Michael
ANA R-162953
MSNS 7935


Learning is what makes me tick. I love to discover new things. Coins are
a fun tool to help me learn. In examining hundres of Sasanian Coins and
bronzes of Alexandria I am learning about physics, metallurgy, chemistry,
spectroscopy, history, economics, and much more. Each coin I weigh in air
and then in water tells me a little more. Studying the research that has
come before opens doors into old ideas and new ones. I have even learned
more about outsourcing (and I work in IT). A chemical composition test
done by an American chemist will cost $200-$300, one done in India will
cost $20-$30. Do I need to collect coins in order to do all this? Maybe
I could just read books and get the same information. But, I all ready
read, mainly history, and listen to music. Both of these are passive.
Collecting, weighing, measuring, creating a web site, selling, are all
active tasks. Coins help me to balance by yin and my yang.
Learning is also what has driven me away from modern coins. There is no
variety in the modern coins composition. It has nothing to say. Most US
series have beene xtensively documented, all that is left is to find the
coins and keep them. There is nothing wrong with this, but I need more
from my coins. I need them to ask me questions.


--
Jorg Lueke ANA 197036, ANS 11206, CSNS, ACCG, TCACC, CWTS

http://www.ancientcoinvalues.com/
 




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