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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 |
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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 |
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"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!" |
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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 |
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"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!" |
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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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"James McCown" wrote in message m... (Michael E. Marotta) wrote in message . com... 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. I agree about the meteorites. They made it to the earth without completely vaporizing. That is an achievement. I collect minerals and rocks too. Don't have any meteorites. That is cool!! Dale |
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