Community Voice Responses (3/10/2015)

From the Feb. 13 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Do you start new coin collections before finishing older ones?

Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.

Of course I do. Do I complete each one? Probably not because there is always that one or two that is out of reach or just can’t be found.

The joy of collecting is always there whether a collection is “completed” or not. I personally do not believe any collection is ever really completed. Even the Smithsonian could use a few more varieties.

James E Bridges
Austin, Texas

It’s hard to count. I either have one collection I will never finish, or I have hundreds running all the time.

B.J. Herbison
Bolton, Mass.

I have been collecting coins since childhood. My collecting has really taken off since 2005.
I usually take care of finishing a collection before going on to another one. The one exception is the silver Eagle series. I continue to buy as the Eagles become available.

Joel Peebles
Crystal Lake, Ill.

Most people of the female persuasion are accused of being good multitaskers. I, being of the male persuasion rarely can be accused of that, except when it comes to completing coin collections!

Tom DeWell
President
St. Paul, Minn., Liberty Coin Club.

For some of us, coin collecting is about opportunities. Some of us, I for one, will jump on something new if it is any interest or if we think there is potential.

Not everyone will start a new collection during their current one, but each to his/her own. That is one of the unique and wonderful things about this hobby.

Ken Kassen
Shawnee, Kan.

Yes, I start several collections because when something is available I take advantage of it as it may not come around the second time.

Richard Beringer
Tyndall, S.D.

Yes, I have multiple collections that I try to add to every week. I have been lucky enough to fill a few type set albums with: 1) large and small cents; 2) 2 and 3 cents; 3) Shield/Liberty/Buffalo/Jefferson nickels; 4) Barber/Mercury/FDR dimes; 5) Barber/Standing Liberty/Washington quarters; 6) Bust halves, 7) Seated halves; 8) Barber/Walking Liberty/Franklin/JFK halves; 9) Seated/Trade/Morgan/Peace/Eisenhower/SBA dollars.

I added to these collections while simultaneously adding mint sets and proof sets, as well as U.S. currency and early and modern commemoratives. I have even been lucky enough to win some gold coins in eBay auctions. Every year I also add silver National Park quarters and Presidential dollars to my collection.

What I consider my “new coin collections” include foreign coins with themes: 1) silver Dragon coins; 2) silver Canadian Maple Leaf coins; 3) silver Seahorse coins; 4) silver Star Trek coins; and 5) silver Fantasy Horse coins. I continue to try and add to my early and modern commemoratives and U.S. currency every week.

My collections are never really complete.

Rick Snow
San Lorenzo, Calif.

At my advancing age, my writing, research and collecting interests are still broad and embrace all the normal spheres of numismatics and even delve into the nebulous world of exonumia, as well as matters military and genealogical.

It is remarkable how we can weave these things together to make a worthwhile learning journey through history.

As a self-confessed magpie with nearly eight decades of curiosity that grew to encompass many spheres, I must answer your question about starting new collections before completion of the old in the only way I know how:

“Yes, I do! Doesn’t everyone?”

Time is getting shorter by the day, and I sure as heck don’t want to get bored and vegetative at this time in my life!

Graeme E. Petterwood
Tasmania

I haven’t been collecting coins long enough to have an older collection unfinished. But, I don’t have many local shops to buy from. I either have to travel a couple hundred miles round trip or use mail order/online shopping.

There have been a couple of attempts of local folks trying to keep a coin shop open in the area, but there just isn’t enough interest to keep their doors open for long.

However, I would say yes, I do start new collections without finishing older ones. When I started collecting it was U.S. coins only. Then, persuaded by availability, I have started Canadian, Mexican, US/Philippine, German and most recently Idaho trade tokens.

Eric Nutting
Twin Falls, Idaho

Yes I did.

Ken Potter
Pinckney, Mich.

Of course!

Wesley Ellis
Portland, Ore.

Yes, I’ve started a new area while on the finish line of the old one. Sometimes, I had four or five at once. Before my move, I downsized a few areas that no longer were of interest to me. The remainder, are still being worked on at a slower pace due to finances, but still attainable.

Gary Kess
Berkel en Roderijs, Netherlands

Absolutely! I collect U.S. Hard Times tokens and British Conder tokens, two series that are impossible to complete due to the large number of varieties in the series and the rarity of many of them.

Alan Fisher
Address withheld