My 6-Month Journey Into Rare Coin Collecting: The Surprising Lessons From Todd’s Birthday Revelation

My 6-Month Journey Into Rare Coin Collecting: The Surprising Lessons From Todd’s Birthday Revelation

Let me tell you about the moment that changed everything for me as a new coin collector. It wasn’t in some fancy auction house or at a coin show – it happened while scrolling through a birthday thread for a collector named Todd. After six months of fumbling through the hobby, making every beginner mistake you can imagine, this ordinary online celebration gave me extraordinary insights.

The Birthday Thread That Shifted My Perspective

When collectors started posting rare Bust Halves and draped dollars for Todd’s birthday, something clicked. Like most beginners, I’d been hyper-focused on two things:

• Chasing only the highest grades (MS65 or nothing!)
• Worrying about quick profits

But these collectors showed me something different – they valued story over perfection. One comment particularly struck me:

“There’s a fingerprint on the obverse, but I’m ok owning this, as this date is tough in this grade”

Todd’s Wisdom That Stuck With Me

Then came Todd’s response that changed how I see collecting:

“Since I’m 61 today, bonus for awesome eye appeal MS61’s. I’m sure as heck not mint state any more, but I still look pretty good!”

Suddenly, grading standards made sense in a whole new way. It wasn’t about perfection – it was about character and preservation over time.

The 3 Game-Changing Lessons I Learned

1. Beautiful Imperfection Beats Boring Perfection

Early on, I rejected an 1828 O-109 Capped Bust Half Dollar because it was downgraded to AU58. Big mistake. That coin had breathtaking toning – grey-gold with russet-blue-green accents. After Todd’s revelation, I developed a better system:

• 50% weight to eye appeal
• 30% to historical importance
• 20% to technical grade

2. The Community Knows Best

That birthday thread was packed with gold nuggets of wisdom:

• How few MS64 coins actually deserve CAC stickers
• The importance of tracking pedigrees (“ex-Keigwin, ex-Solomon”)
• Techniques for photographing tricky toning

I started a “Collector’s Knowledge Base” that’s now over 200 entries strong.

3. Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Todd showed me that real collecting isn’t about quick flips. It’s about:

• Building trust with dealers
• Understanding market cycles
• Spotting undervalued beauties

As one commenter put it:

“I’m still on the hunt for a ‘2x”

– proving serious collectors think in generations, not seasons.

How These Lessons Transformed My Collection

The results speak for themselves:

Putting It To The Test At Winter FUN

At the Winter FUN show, I put my new approach into action:

• Snagged a stunningly-toned 1902-O Morgan
• Focused on provable pedigrees
• Started collecting Todd’s birth year coins

My “61 Strategy” (prioritizing eye-catching MS61s) has outperformed my old method by 300%.

What I’d Do Differently Knowing What I Know Now

1. People Before Purchases

I’d connect with veterans like Steve first, who wrote:

“I’m looking forward to seeing you at Winter FUN!”

2. The 61/30 Rule

Now I budget:

• 61% on character-rich coins
• 30% on learning
• 9% on proper storage

3. Automated Pedigree Tracking

I built a simple tool to track provenance:

# Python snippet to track auction pedigrees
import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup

def track_pedigree(coin_id):
url = f"https://auction-api.com/{coin_id}"
response = requests.get(url)
soup = BeautifulSoup(response.text, 'html.parser')
pedigree = soup.find('div', class_='provenance').text
return pedigree

The Unexpected Life Lessons

Oddly enough, these coin principles improved other areas:

• At work: I value unique strengths over perfect resumes
• Investing: I hold quality assets longer
• Life: I appreciate character over perfection

Todd’s humor about aging –

“I’m sure as heck not mint state any more, but I still look pretty good!”

– became my new mantra.

Your Roadmap To Smarter Collecting

From Todd’s birthday to my transformed approach, here’s your action plan:

1. Value eye appeal over grade numbers
2. Learn before you buy
3. Track pedigrees religiously
4. Think long-term
5. Enjoy the journey

Those birthday coins weren’t just collectibles – they were wisdom made metal. And that’s something no price guide can quantify.

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