Why are coin collectors so antisocial?

[Accumulator]

Ok, a bit provocative I know but in two days there's been only one post in the main topic area of the most active coin forum in the UK. Surely there must be at least a thousand active coin collectors in the UK. Are we really all that introverted that we prefer to pursue our hobby with virtually no outside contact?

As mentioned before, I own a classic car. I'm fairly confident that there are less owners of my particular car marque than coin collectors, but the forum for these vehicles is far more lively than this one. I just checked and in only the main forum area there are 17 threads that have received responses in the last 48 hours!

It's hard not to conclude that the overwhelming majority of coin collectors are an antisocial bunch, who gain no pleasure from sharing their passion with others. Discuss...

Edited April 14, 2012 by Accumulator

[TomGoodheart]

LOL I'm not sure how antisocial I am, although I enjoy my own company and the study of coins, but I've been away for Easter so haven't had the opportunity to post. We got back from France yesterday and I'm still catching up.

Maybe most of the other members have been busy too? For myself I've been eating, drinking, wandering around museums and galleries and even found time to go to an 'oompah-metal' gig. OK, not perhaps the life and soul of the party, but hardly a hermit either!

As for everyone else, I'm not sure. Maybe recovering from chocolate egg overdoses?

[HistoricCoinage]

There are few forums for my area of collecting and so the vast majority of my social interaction of the hobby takes place via emails or in person. There's nothing better than a few pints with a fellow collector!

[TomGoodheart]

There you go. We're all too busy getting drunk!

But on a more serious note, I think there's just a big difference between cars and coins. Most people don't collect cars. They buy one and restore it, drive it, race it even. The car forum I once visited (when I was in the process of buying a new one) was full of people only too happy to swap tips about performance, remapping and buying bits. Even threads for people like me who knew nothing but just wanted to talk about how long it took from ordering to delivery or what checks to do when getting a new car.

Coins however you can if you want just get a book and apart from the people you meet or come into contact with to get your coins, just use the book to arrange your collection. OK, most of us do talk to other collectors, but I don't see anyone else interested in coins on a regular basis. I keep in touch with one member here on a regular basis and Rob and I both belong to an informal group that let each other know about fakes. And I have two other collectors I email but that's about it.

OK, my line is quite specialised. I know Rob has asked at least three times for info but it's been outside the denomination or area of Charles I coins I collect. I don't actually know how many others specialise in (or include in their collections) shillings, but I'm guessing it's quite small. Maybe under a dozen or so?

Plus coin collectors can be ..well, a bit competitive! While I imagine car enthusiasts will be happy to discuss where a part might be found or how to make one, there are times when you don't really want to anounce to fellow coin collectors that you think something is scarce or tell everyone about a new dealer you've discovered.

So I'm not sure if numismatics is necessarily less sociable than, say classic cars. Maybe it's just they are two very different hobbies?

[Debbie]

Ha ha ha ha - perhaps its because you are all blokes! I’m a member of another forum – mainly to do with my work as an independent publisher – where the majority are ladies and whilst we do all post about relevant information and ideas we also talk about things such the latest episode of the Apprentice and the state of the weather etc!! This can get very distracting from work mind, just as this forum could be hence I don’t post too often.

I bet that there are more people that follow and read what’s on the forum than actually post. I’m still impressed that the forum has so many experienced and well informed members, has remained focussed on its subject and has been going for so long……

Could do with a few more ladies though!

[argentumandcoins]

I'm not so much anti-social, kind of more of a sociopath I suppose

[azda]

Could do with a few more ladies though!

I'll second that Debbie, you know any nice ladies who'd like to join our exclusive group. They can drop their keys in the ashtray

[Debbie]

Oh dear….. I you are meant to be encouraging more ladies, not frightening them away asda.

[ski]

when there are so many reports in the press about youngsters not developing social skills because theyre nailed to their pcs/consoles, it seems odd that anyone could be remotely considered anti-social for not being able to post for a few days because maybe they may have a social life that keeps them from the pc.

i collect coins, love reading about them here from the great minds who post great threads, post when ive something stupid to say, but i go out a lot.......i dont know if that makes me anti-social or not.

when im next in the pub, watching the footie with my mates, chatting to the barmaid about here underwear, i may consider coins for a moment, but only to make sure im getting the right change

[ski]

Oh dear….. I you are meant to be encouraging more ladies, not frightening them away asda.

ive spoken with dave on the phone......its fair to say he doesnt discriminate against females.....he scares away most men too

[Red Riley]

Ok, a bit provocative I know but in two days there's been only one post in the main topic area of the most active coin forum in the UK. Surely there must be at least a thousand active coin collectors in the UK. Are we really all that introverted that we prefer to pursue our hobby with virtually no outside contact?

As mentioned before, I own a classic car. I'm fairly confident that there are less owners of my particular car marque than coin collectors, but the forum for these vehicles is far more lively than this one. I just checked and in only the main forum area there are 17 threads that have received responses in the last 48 hours!

It's hard not to conclude that the overwhelming majority of coin collectors are an antisocial bunch, who gain no pleasure from sharing their passion with others. Discuss...

As I'm sure you know, I too am a classic car owner and there is a forum for not only my marque but also for my model. However, whilst the number of regular posters is not dissimilar to this site, the vast bulk of the traffic relates to advice on how to fix your broken tappets, replace cills, convert to bigend shells, replace the original dynamo with an alternator etc. etc. etc. You really don't have this with coins, the perfectly obvious reason being that coins are just so much less complicated than cars and the amount of discussion on varieties and general chatter is virtually nil.

I think you are comparing apples with aborigine cave paintings.

[ski]

I think you are comparing apples with aborigine cave paintings.

approx 20 million car drivers in the uk and 328 coin collectors.

mind you the abos do the best apple cave drawings ever

[azda]

Oh dear….. I you are meant to be encouraging more ladies, not frightening them away asda.

You really need to remove that S from your keyboard Debbie....The other comment i was really joking

[coin watch]

I'm so anti-social I don't even talk to myself

[TomGoodheart]

I'm so anti-social I don't even talk to myself

And you think the rest of us do???

That's what the little voices are for ...

[Coinery]

Oh dear….. I you are meant to be encouraging more ladies, not frightening them away asda.

You really need to remove that S from your keyboard Debbie....The other comment i was really joking

WHAT! I've just ordered an extra key for the Frontera...you've let me down, aZda!

[azda]

Oh dear….. I you are meant to be encouraging more ladies, not frightening them away asda.

You really need to remove that S from your keyboard Debbie....The other comment i was really joking

WHAT! I've just ordered an extra key for the Frontera...you've let me down, aZda!

I'd order a new car if it's a Frontera you have

[Gary D]

Question.

How can you tell if an Engineer has communication skills?

Answer.

He looks at your shoes when you are talking to him.

[Gary D]

As I'm sure you know, I too am a classic car owner and there is a forum for not only my marque but also for my model. However, whilst the number of regular posters is not dissimilar to this site, the vast bulk of the traffic relates to advice on how to fix your broken tappets, replace cills, convert to bigend shells, replace the original dynamo with an alternator etc. etc. etc. You really don't have this with coins, the perfectly obvious reason being that coins are just so much less complicated than cars and the amount of discussion on varieties and general chatter is virtually nil.

I think you are comparing apples with aborigine cave paintings.

We could always discuss cleaning, toning and tooling coins

[Rob]

I don't think coin collectors are antisocial as such, just that the very act of collecting doesn't require a great deal of input from others. As has been said before, if you know of a no-brainer bargain you aren't going to shout it from the rooftops. Solipsists rule, OK - or at least in my world I do.

Edited April 15, 2012 by Rob

[Peter]

Genuine queries/questions are always welcome.However coin acquisition and ebay laughs generate the most posts.There are plenty of one to one messages.But as Rob said there maybe only one coin for sale.Rather than a ready source for a classic motor part.

[Coinery]

Oh dear….. I you are meant to be encouraging more ladies, not frightening them away asda.

You really need to remove that S from your keyboard Debbie....The other comment i was really joking

WHAT! I've just ordered an extra key for the Frontera...you've let me down, aZda!

I'd order a new car if it's a Frontera you have

Good on fuel, been reliable, pulls our house around like a dream ;-)

[ski]

my mate at work said he was going to divorce his wife as she hadnt spoken to him in over 6 months.

i advised him to be cautious.....a woman like that is very hard to find.

[Debbie]

Very funny.....

Now just one for the girls...should any happen to be reading...

[azda]

Very funny.....

Now just one for the girls...should any happen to be reading...

I must agree with Steve, but he's obviously American........................... Can you tell why?