Do you think of yourself as a collector? Hoarder? Investor? Dealer? Seller? A combination? Specialist? Generalist? ??? ? A little introspection.

I have pretty much appropriated the term 'Hobbyist' for myself. I collect specific series, I hoard a little, I buy some stuff that doesn't fit in any series. I rarely sell and don't speculate much at all any more. I am into the hobby for the enjoyment and fun I get out of it. I don't buy much that I ever sweat over. It is prety much solely a leisure activity for me.

This is hard, because there are some coins I hoard, others I specialise in, and in other areas I am a bit of a generalists with. So in ways I guess I can be a mix of many choices.

I think that is the way a lot of people are. The mix will probably differ but most of us are probably coin mutts as well as coin nuts.

I'm going to stamp type sets all over the albums that I have. It unfortunately is getting a bit too expensive for what I am looking for although I often have spares, as no coins are perfect. And even if I were to have the "perfect" coin for the same year and denomination, I am somewhat reluctant to let them go, and hence, a hoarder at the same time.

I prefer the term numismatist

That covers buying the larger lots, the metrology, as well as examning the historical connections behind the coins.

I buy, I sell sometimes, I research as I have time, and I'm working on a new webserver to put up coin related data. All in all I just love the combination of the coins, the art, the history, and even the people

See you all in Chicago on Friday

Hmm ... How 'bout "amateur numismatist" and "wannabe specialist" and "not a seller but that's gonna change soon"

Amateur numismatist referring to my feeble attempts to learn more of the history of the coins I collect, the period in history when they were used, and the people involved in that history. I already have an appreciation for the artistry, the aesthetics of the coins.

Wannabe specialist because I'm trying to get my collections down to a handful of truly specialized areas (well, for me they'll be specialized) and focus on those areas rather than using a "shotgun" approach to collecting. I now have these areas I will focus on: British Victorian Type Set, British Type Set from the end of the Victorian era to the last of the pre-decimal coins, U.S. Type Set from 1800 thru 1964 (the end of silver US circulation coinage), U.S. Large Cents - by date first, then by variety for the middle dates 1816 thru 1839, U.S. Half Cents by date, and British Conder Tokens with architectural features such as buildings, bridges, cathedrals, churches, etc.

Not a seller but that will change - I want to sell off all the other stuff I've "collected" that doesn't fit into the above categories, but I will NOT become a "dealer" or anything like that.

I think one other category would apply: I thoroughly enjoy so many of the people I meet, whether on forums like CoinPeople, at coin club meetings or at coin shows - but I don't know what to call that. The social aspect of collecting, I suppose.

I'm a collector and I specialize in junk.

I would like to think it would be passed down through
the ages for others to enjoy but I know better.

I mainly collect subjects that are minted in 999 silver
so when i'm dead and gone the wife can at least buy
a loaf of bread and a sack of dried beans after the SHTF.

Yep,I collect and specialize in junk, at least that's what
i've been told by the experts.

....Tony....

Out of my depths?


Specialist.

Walker specialist with an addiction.

Collector of history's footnotes and vestpocket dealer to support the hobby.

Hoarder? yea I think I am to a point
Investor? I don't have the capital for this
Dealer? Not sure I could do this
Seller? Never sold any coins as of yet. Maybe in time
A combination? I fit into here most
Specialist? not really, right now I prefer banknotes to coins, but that is apt to change
Generalist? ??? I generally buy what i like and can afford

Now addiction was left out of the original post, but should have been included. I confess, I have numismatic addictions also.

Like Jorg, I prefer numismatist. I collect, study, write, sell, and move on to new interests. Along the way, I keep a generalist collecting interest open because there are so many interesting coins out there. Not everyone is a numismatist, but the numismatists provide the foundation that the hobby is built on. Some of us make small contributions that help keep things interesting. Others make big contributions that all of us rely on to support our interests and hobby. Hoarding and dealer are probably the only two labels that do not apply.

That is me.

Coins collecting and/or admiration it part of me much like toilet paper or the fork. It's resided in a part of my brain for 50+ years and now has "squatter's rights".

a great question for sure!

personally, I'm a collector and an investor. I've always loved gold coins, just never wanted to spend the money to collect them. Now that gold seems to be inching upward, I'm buying as many slabbed gold coins as I can afford. I pick fairly common dates and MS60 and above; this way i get a nice condition coin for not much money over melt value. As much as I love the MS64-65 US Gold, the premium for these beauties are far more than I'd like to spend. The only other coins I collect are common proof sets. These are all that valuable, so I guess I "hoard" these.

Numismatist with specialisation in Plantagenet pennies, plus general collector of any junk that looks interesting!

I still don't know what I'm doing... must be the ADHD kicking in!

I'm a little of everything. If a coin appeals to me, it's mine!

Numismatist fits well. I like to hoarde, most definitely And my life long desire is to own the world...coins that is...every single one minted as far back as I can go. Quality is not necessarily a need, as many coins that you cannot really find (at least affordably) in uncirculated condition have alot of history behind them.

Researching and learning the history of not only the coins, but the places they have come from is also a major plus and relaxation for me. In fact, just the other night, I spent the time to go through the Krauss lookinjg for a coin I could not identify. I think I got past page 1000 (verifying every image from page 1) and learned quite a bit about other coins (I do not even have yet) by reading through the footnotes and histories as I went through. Leisure reading....for me it is

I also like to watch what other people do with numismatics, especially investors. It is amazing how greed...er...investing has turned pretty much a whole new genre of numismatic industry out there (namely PCGs). And then to see the many resulting denominations of grading standards that have evolved from the ANA standards...modern coin grading has become somewhat a field of study in and of itself.

Of course, you can't hoarde and not sell How else is one to gain the world on a limited budget but to recycle unused pieces in your hoardes? Kind of like turning your harem into a mail order bride service

None of the above--I consider myself an Enthusiast, with traces of Mutt. I get excited over circulated coins if it scratches an itch, easily amused by interesting designs and odd little niches like my birth year world set and my still-tentative science set (okay, maybe not so tentative anymore, I bought a Demokritos 10 drachmai ... )

...just a collector having a good time

Collector / hoarder / vest pocket dealer

Ya hit it right on the head with that quote Stu. I never speculate, almost never sell but that may change soon, and only go into any depth with the Carson City and Portuguese coins.

Hmmm....guess I'd classify myself as a pathetic wannabe. Too frugal to buy anything rare or valuable and unable to concentrate on any particular series or type. Never sold anything and tend to buy in spurts. I'd like to leave a nice collection for each of my children someday, so I guess I still have some time. After all, I'm not dead yet.

Hmmm....guess I'd classify myself as a pathetic wannabe. Too frugal to buy anything rare or valuable and unable to concentrate on any particular series or type. Never sold anything and tend to buy in spurts. I'd like to leave a nice collection for each of my children someday, so I guess I still have some time. After all, I'm not dead yet.

No! But a touch of alzhiemers?

I still don't know what to call myself. I'd like to say numismatist, but I don't think I have enough experience or knowledge to call myself that. I am in college, so I can't afford a lot of the coins that I really want.
For these reasons, I think of myself as a "numismastudent". That's why I joined this forum, I figured I can learn as much as I can now about numismatics and later in life when I can afford to spend more or invest more, I will have the knowledge and experience to do so.
I've only been a member of this forum for about a week or so now, but I feel like I've found a treasure trove of information. I've enjoyed reading through the archives of posts and looking at all the different topics.

Thanks to all of you for creating this site.

-Scott

I like being a numismatist. I like knowing the how's and why's of coin minting. The errors, varieties, the histories. I like knowing the answers to questions. I am not so much a collector as I am a resource. And if I had more resources I could be a collector again

Thats me too.

I think I fit in to the hobbyist catagory also. Not serious enough for a collector. Though I do like "sets". My eyes do wonder too much. "Ooooohhhh, xxxx coin.... must have."

For the most part I fit in here too, with a little "mutt" thrown in.

I am currently in transition. For a long time, I was a generalist/hoarder, and tried to collect everything, starting with the cheapest stuff I could find. I have finally refined my collection to the point that I think I can say I am a specialist. I have committed myself to staying focused on just one thing, but then both of my ex-wives had me committed at one time or another, so it's not unfamiliar territory for me. As I fill out the few holes I have (in both coins and banknotes), I am going back through the albums and looking for possible up-grade candidates. I would like to eventually have a complete set in EF and up. And in the mean time, just to cure that insatiable urge to have something new, I am venturing into stamps. At least for now, they are much more budget-friendly than what coins I need.

I hope to be a Numismatist one day, but right now I have so much to learn that it is almost overwhelming. I do know what I like, well maybe I know more what I do not like than what I do like, so there are a few items that I have ruled out. Like American small cents, those little copper disks just do not do anything for me. Now Peace Dollars, now those I like! And I like a lot of darkside stuff, Canadian, German, Austrian.
I hope to always be a student, because that would mean that I am always still willing to read and listen and learn. That is why this place is so great, because you can learn here!

Now, on a side note, sorry to hear that your ex wives had you committed Kuhli
I hope it was a really good facility and that they had good meals there, and you was not in there long either time!

Dealer/Collectror is What I am

Fairly accurate description of myself, thank you Stujoe! For the past year I have been doing a major organization of all my coins which has used most of my time. Thus the study of the hobby has been at a minimum. As I am closer to having all my coins organized, I hope to appropriate more time in that direction.

Don't forget! To be a Numismatist you only have to be studying coins - you don't have to be an expert!

PACKRAT? I can't resist ANYthing that looks good. COINS, that is... (my wife is looking over my shoulder).

I've given it some thought and at present i think it's best to say i'm either part-time or semi-retired.

Collector while keeping finances/investment in mind but that is only for special cases.

Hoping to become a specialist in the next few years.

I would say that I am a Enthusiast of the hobby. I just purchase what I see and like. One day I may be buying Panda's the nexted day I may be buying World Coins. It all depends on my mood and what I see a like that day.

Farthing Fanatic!!!

Plain and simple

Although.......

I am a converted hoarder, who sold most of the hoard to fund the farthing habit!!

I also class myself as a student numismatic researcher (sounds very professional!!), because this is the bit I love the most

I think I now fit more into the category of 'Owner' as I have been a little inactive in my active collecting lately.

I think envious web surfer describes me at the moment - unless I win the lottery