Seems I've struck a nerve among some purists in the group.
First, I meant no offense by calling them "Foreign Coins". As all seem to
speak English here, I momentarily lost sight of the fact that this forum,
as
well as the Internet as a whole, is worldwide. *my bad* I simply referred
to them as foreign coins because, among the coins I inherited, there was a
box labeled "Foreign Coins" for which I hope you all will forgive me and
my
deceased mother who labeled the box as such. I am now painfully reminded
that the curse of political correctness has permeated nearly every nook
and
cranny of modern life and this group is no exception. Despite the fact
that
I used an incorrect term, all of you seemed to know to what I was
referring
and some of you chose to attack and judge my terminology and intentions
rather than to provide the information I was seeking, which brings me to
the
next point...
A couple of you seemed to suggest that I was collecting coins for the
"wrong
reason" and proceeded to tell me "why" I should be collecting them. It
would surprise me to find that this is the intention of this forum. I
thought it was primarily for the exchange of information about collectible
coins. We all know that regardless of the love one may, or may not, have
for coins, that their value is a huge issue and if you look (I just did)
you
will find that MOST of the posts in this group relate directly or
indirectly
to that value. I have seen several comparisons (espcially on the topic of
grading) in this group as well as in Internet articles, of coin collecting
to classic car collecting. I will borrow the analogy to make a point. Is
a
car collector who specializes in American muscle cars from the sixties,
collecting for the "wrong reason" if he (or she) inherits a 1966 Austin
Healy 3000 and seeks information so he can sell it for top dollar to use
the money to buy a '68 Road Runner? ...Or to take a vacation in the
Bahamas
for that matter?
All that being said, and not that it is really anyone's business, I will
tell you what my true unvarnished thoughts, intentions and goals are. I
inherited some coins from my mother. I used to sit with her when she
sorted
them and help her staple them into her 2x2's. I have fond memories of of
the stack of blue Whitman folders. In my 50s, I still remember
conversations with her, as a 10-year-old, about why the spot in the
Lincoln
Cents Number One folder had an empty spot where the 1909 S VBD should be.
I
remember her putting on her Gold bracelet from which dangled a bezel
holding
a 1897 $10 gold piece every time she went to meeting of the local
numismatic
club of which she was the secretary. I inherited these coins from her.
My
original intention was to dump them all for cash and spend it on computer
and photo equipment whch have been my passions for most of my adult life.
Something interesting happened as I began the necessary rsearch to do
this.
This flood of memories coupled with a now adult perspective of these coins
has me teetering on the prospect of maintaining ****tions of this
collection
and possibly even investing further. So, for those of you who criticize
"why" I am collecting, if this does not qualify as a noble reason, I am
sorry but it is all that I have.
One more piece of unvarnished candor. World Coins.....more specifically
"non-US World Coins"...Some are beautiful, but I think MOST of them are
ugly
and cheap looking. They remind me of play money and lack the heft, luster
and look of quality and value that US coins have and from the values that
most of them seem to carry, it seems that most "collectors" agree with me.
I have told you the "reason" I collect US Coins. My query was in
reference
to World Coins. Why do I collect THEM? I DON'T. I think that most of
them
insult my US coins be being in the same collection and I cannot wait to
get
rid of them. If that offends anyone...sorry. They are crap in my book
Once again borrowing the classic car analogy...If collecting US coins were
to be compared to collecting Corvettes....World Coins would be equivalent
to
collecting Yugos. Some people can't run with the big boys but just refuse
to stay home. These are my true thoughts whether anyone likes it or not.
To those of you that have "lectured" me on "collecting coins for the
"wrong
reason", maybe you should *****s if you are participating in this forum
for
the "wrong reason". Are you here to exchange information about coins or
are
you here to judge and/or provide sarcastic remarks to people who are
seeking
help? Are you here as political correctness police? I asked a question
about coins. I have thus far received 5 replies and most of them
addressed
"why I should be colecting coins" and not the question I asked. Only TWO
of
them were informational (Bruce - Oly) and my thanks to Bruce Remick for
his
reply and for exhibiting the maturity and helpful attitude that I have
grown
to expect from Usenet forums. Oly...concise and funny...thanks. You
confirmed my suspicions.
I have received some very good information from this group and despite my
VERY limited newbie knowledge, have done my best to even share a couple
thing I have found. I personally don't care WHY any of you are collecting
coins and for the record, I am a bit envious of those of you that have the
deeper perspective of the Geography and History that are struck into every
coin mnted in every country. I just don't have it. But I do have an
appreciation for something deeper than just value. In addition to the
fond
memories they evoke, I appreciate the art and beauty of the object.
Today's
technologies of digital macro photography coupled with the Internet has
given me a close-up look at someting I have never seen so clearly before.
I
marveled at my first "full screen" look at a high grade St. Gaudens.
Again,
being an adult I can appreciate this more now than when I was 10.
Oly...if you have about 200 aluminum cans, I will trade you my "world
coins"
for them. (I might even throw in a couple bucks)
"Numismidiot" <numismidiot@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:4833e60b$0$5738$4c368faf@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>I have foriegn coins from 38 different countries. None of them are
>ancient..most are about 40-50 years old and most are in uncirculated
>condition. I have yet to find any that are worth anything, except a few
>Canadians.
>
> I have a few from each of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bahamas, British
> Caribbean Territories, China, Ceylon, Denmark, Camaroon, Canada,
Columbia,
> Cuba, England, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, India,
> Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Maylasia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New
> Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Phillipines, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden,
> Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey & Yugoslavia.
>
> Am I wasting my time? I researched about 10 random country's coins and
> came up empty. Do any of these counties have any valuable modern
> coins?...Or should I just start leaving them for tips when I get bad
> service in a restaurant?
>
>
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