What do I collect?

Coin collecting is not a science. It is a hobby, mostly determined by external factors. Therefore, we all collect differently, different coins, and according to different criteria.

Then comes the personal factor. Let’s say I have a set of criteria on what I collect, then I find a coin which doesn’t fit. But I like it, so I need to have it.

Interests are always changing too, you can start collecting one type of coins, and later loose interest or develop a stronger interest in something else. I guess I have done all of the above and more.

Primarily, however, my goal is to collect one of each type. I do not collect by date, and the reason is that to me the same type of coins with different dates are practically identical. I do want to know the date though, but more about that in another post.

But then what do we call a type? Is it determine by KM number? By looks, or by tactile features? There are instances when the KM number shows slight variations, but in reality you can feel the difference. Then there are the different KM numbers, the coins look different, but they feel the same. In this case, I do not get it.

So, probably collecting by type is subject to interpretation in case of each coin.

I collect all countries, old and new coins. Generally I try to aim at getting currently circulating coins for the most part, however, recently I’m more and more interested in old coins. So no strict criteria here, either.

Primarily I collect those coins which were used as a form of payment at some point. I’m not necessarily interested in collector’s items from the mint, but I have made some exceptions. For example I have a one Dollar coin from 2009 which has Braille on it. I couldn’t miss out on that one, even though it is not a circulating currency. And there are other exceptions.

I would say the bottom line is that if people paid with it, and I can tell them apart from the rest of my collection, I’m collecting it.

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6 Comments

  1. Hi tom very nice the way you explain things , I will come back to your blog to read more

    squarecoinman

  2. Hi Michael, thank you for your comment. I will certainly have much more to read here in the future. Please let me know if there is anything in particular you would like to read about.

  3. Hi Tom , I have nothing particular I would like to read , my own interest in coins are square coins, There where 26 countries that used them between 1900 and 2000 , but the use became less and less since square coins are very unpractical in vending machines. With regards to you blog , I will read it all don´t make any thing special for me.

    regards Michael

  4. Can you do an article of your current collection … breadth of countries covered … depth … how do you collect … do you buy or get lucky by landing it in your hand 🙂 … the Louise Coin was also issued by India as a circulating commemorative … How do you grade the coins … ie given a coin, how are you able to tell weather its in UNC condition or is badly circulated …

  5. I collect by type. I try to get each coin from a country which are discernable by touch. The unachievable goal is to have ach coin from each country, so this collection will never be complete. My collection is really just one of a kind, nothing special, and among many other collectors, I would call myself a beginnger. I think an advanced collection needs eye-sight, so I’m more interested in gathering information about coins as opposed to having an advanced collection.

    I also don’t grade coins. If you look at the PCGS grading standards, http://www.pcgs.com/grades.html even the lowest grade requires vision, and I really have no need for grading with only one exception. When I swap coins, there maybe instances when people want to see what they get. In that case, I just throw the coin on the scanner and email a picture. However, I do enjoy reading about grading, it is fascinating, but I think I will never even get close to grasping its complexity.

  6. Hi Michael, I just wanted to acknowledge your book about square coins, thank you for sharing, it is a very interesting read. I have a couple of square coins, but nothing close to your collection. But now I know what I will start getting next. Once I collect some more square coins, I will post something about them.

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