Collection Preferences and Focus - results will be published - voter names will not 0

[Zebo]

Poll 

[Star City Homer]

At risk of spoiling anonymity (as there are three responders so far..), I had to choose 'other' for two of the answers. 

I have a several things I do the date sets on (not so much mintmark as they are non-US coins), I love a good type set, and my mind is easily distracted by design or country or theme....  It was too hard to decide what is the main driving force as all can play a factor on any given day/coin/mood. 

I also picked 'other' for metal.  I love gold (and my adult coin collecting was started by looking for bullion, then world bullion, and so on).  However, that is not my main focus as that is too limiting for my interests (and too expensive for my pack rat tendencies).  So silver and copper/bronze and even some base metals.  My collecting does not use metal type as a parameter.   So, I guess the answer to what I favor is 'all of the above, plus a few more'. 

[Zebo]

I'm new playing with these polls and already see improvements to be made. Thanks for the feedback.

[World Colonial]

The poll doesn't really enable me to provide answers either.

Currently, I have one primary area of interest but now, I doubt it will change going forward.  But it's because of the challenge in acquiring coins and by challenge, I am not referring to the current US definition which I don;t consider a challenge at all.

My goal isn't to complete the set because I doubt I can but even if I could, I wouldn't buy dreck just to do it.  I also don't buy based upon eye appeal using the quality standards of most US collectors because there isn't hardly anything available.  I try to buy AU or MS coins if available but also buy lower circulated and in some instances, even "details" coins as long as it looks decent.  It isn't the type of set which would interest hardly anyone else.

[Just Bob]

2 hours ago, World Colonial said:

 

  I also don't buy based upon eye appeal using the quality standards of most US collectors because there isn't hardly anything available.  I try to buy AU or MS coins if available but also buy lower circulated and in some instances, even "details" coins as long as it looks decent.  It isn't the type of set which would interest hardly anyone else.

When it comes to Mississippi tokens, I am in the same boat. Some of them are just not available in MS or even upper circulated grades. Many are so rare that only a few, meaning 2 or 3, are known to exist, and many are unique. A lot of them are found by metal detectors, so are environmentally damaged. I sometimes have to take what I can get.

I also had to answer "other" on number 4. Aluminum, fiber, plastic, brass/bronze and wood were not among the choices.

[bsshog40]

Would like to have seen "Proof" in the condition question.  

[Zebo]

Even with the flaws in this poll - it is providing some interesting results. It still has a little over a week to go, but ...

1) Completing a series is leading followed closely by Type and Other (other surprises me)

2) collecting MS is leading by a good margin followed by VF or below - no love for XF or AU???

3) Completing a series and collecting a series that is attractive are tied, with a distant third of financial gain

4) silver leads by a long shot. Copper has overtaken gold for second place (Where are all the gold bugs???)

5) U.S. Is leading 2-1 vs. World. World had the initial lead. 

We'll see if these change over the next week.

[World Colonial]

2 hours ago, Zebo said:

Even with the flaws in this poll - it is providing some interesting results. It still has a little over a week to go, but ...

1) Completing a series is leading followed closely by Type and Other (other surprises me)

2) collecting MS is leading by a good margin followed by VF or below - no love for XF or AU???

3) Completing a series and collecting a series that is attractive are tied, with a distant third of financial gain

4) silver leads by a long shot. Copper has overtaken gold for second place (Where are all the gold bugs???)

5) U.S. Is leading 2-1 vs. World. World had the initial lead. 

We'll see if these change over the next week.

A few inferences from what I see in the data I have reviewed and comments on coin forums.

My initial post would be an example of "other" I suppose.  I am a series collector but don't have a realistic prospect of completing it.  I suspect for other collectors, "other" includes thematic collecting.

For US collectors who predominantly collect 20th century US classics plus the Morgan dollar, there is no point in collecting below MS unless they can't afford it.  Except for key and somewhat less for semi-key dates, the price difference isn't "material".

In many instances, the surviving quality distribution makes it impractical to collect XF or AU grades.  Many series have a disproportionate percentage of (very) low quality survivors with a noticeable though low proportion of higher grade examples.  Barber quarters and halves are examples.

Gold isn't affordable to the overwhelming percentage of the collector base.  For US collectors, common silver classics are overwhelmingly preferred over moderns.

Based upon sales volume, the Heritage archives indicate that US collectors may prefer US coinage by a factor of at least 10-1.  Many US collectors collect both but the Heritage data also includes buying by non-US collectors who I don't believe collect US coinage hardly at all.

[Coinbuf]

Very limited sample size (less than 30 votes so far by my count), I would not read too much into it

[Mohawk]

On 5/20/2019 at 6:57 PM, Just Bob said:

When it comes to Mississippi tokens, I am in the same boat. Some of them are just not available in MS or even upper circulated grades. Many are so rare that only a few, meaning 2 or 3, are known to exist, and many are unique. A lot of them are found by metal detectors, so are environmentally damaged. I sometimes have to take what I can get.

I also had to answer "other" on number 4. Aluminum, fiber, plastic, brass/bronze and wood were not among the choices.

Tell me about it.......the coins of Faustina the Younger and her daughter Lucilla (yep, I broke down and bought my first Lucilla denarius today) are around 1,900 years old and many survived the centuries buried in the ground, in ceramic jugs if they were lucky.  While you can get the silver denarii in problem free grades, you're not talking mint state in most cases.  I tend to aim for VF with my purchases with silver coins, but if I decide to expand into the copper coinage, I'll be in almost the exact same boat as you are Bob.

[Walkerfan]

I am attempting to complete a full date and mint mark set.  I also like one per date sets for other series that I collect.

I pick up eye appealing coins with nice color and originality, when I can find them, and I also like a coin with good luster and a sharp strike.  My set is very eclectic with each coin being very unique with its own 'personality'.

I prefer silver coins over gold ones, even though gold is worth more than silver, because my favorite series are in silver.  The only gold coin that I really like is the Saint Gaudens and I have one as a type. 

I do compete in the registry, although my goal was never to be number one.  I would be very happy to be within the top 10.

I buy only mint State coins grading from mint state 63 to mint state 65.  For more common or generic issues I buy MS 66s and an occasional 67. 

I only buy USA coins, as I have not ventured over to the dark side since I was a child.

Edited May 26, 2019 by Walkerfan

[Zebo]

Update - poll ends on 1 June:

1) type has overtaken Date/mint by one vote - outdistancing the other choices

2) MS by a long shot, AU passing VF/below followed by XF bring up the rear

3) collecting a visibly attractive set with a one vote lead over completing a series followed by a distant financial gain

4) Silver has a large lead over gold followed by copper and other

5) U.S. Over World by a bit more than 2-1

[Zebo]

Poll results are:

1) type collectors beat out date/mint collectors 12-11

2) collectors prefer MS coins by a wide margin over the runner up AU 19-6

3) collectors wanted to create a visibly attractive set slightly more than completing a series 13-12

4) silver out distanced gold 15 -7

5) U.S. Collectors out distanced World Collectors by a margin of 19 - 9

The results yielded no real surprises. It is not meant to be a scientific poll, just a snapshot in time for this forum.