I truly didn't start collecting until I was diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis and Ankyalosing Spondylitis which rendered my hobbies at the time useless some time around 2012.
I had always had a keen interest in history. I was always interested in coins I got in my change from far flung islands which had our Queen on the back. I believe this is the basis for my collection.
Numista was where I first found what I wanted to collect. Which was in no small part because of a certain member we have who loves Rhodesia. So my collection started growing in Africa before heading out to the rest of the world.
Fast forward 5 years and now I'm now sitting with a load of coins. I've bought and sold some and regretted some but on the whole I've realised my Niche and it isn't one country or colony. Just that I'm no longer buying lower grade coins. It's just not worth it and while you're filling in dates and areas at first one day you'll look back and think what was I doing ? Then you have the headache of selling them all in order to buy better grades hoping you make a decent amount for them.
Just wanted to get it off my chest and hopefully help some members who are just starting out avoid the same problems I'm now slowly rectifying !
"Just that I'm no longer buying lower grade coins. It's just not worth it and while you're filling in dates and areas at first one day you'll look back and think what was I doing ? Then you have the headache of selling them all in order to buy better grades hoping you make a decent amount for them."
I have been trying to do the same thing for the last couple of years. I like to look through bargain bins, where it is easy to find lower grade coins. I am just being more selective when I look through them now.
I collect a lot like you do Mark. In Oklahoma it has been a challenge, but my British and Commonwealth Queens stand up well to anyone's collection. So do my Polish and Russian moderns. I am also very proud of my Thais... all hard to get but the challenge has been part of the fun.
Library Media Specialist, columnist, collector, and gardener...
Like many of you, I started due to a keep interest in history, hence my bias in favour of old coins/ coins of historical/commemorative value. I actually started collecting British and British colonial + pre union English coins, but over the years I learned to appreciate Continental coins and their colonial counterparts (Réunion, German New Guinea). Although as of now my Great Britain collection still stands at almost twice my French and German collections respectively.
