In today's world, „investment“ is a „magic word.“ Everyone is investing in something and mostly patting themselves on the back for being wise and smart because they do it. Stocks, bonds, cryptocurrencies, real estate, even Pokemon cards… all of this has become the subject of investment, so it is no wonder that numismatics is also increasingly viewed as a form of investment. Because why would anyone collect coins just because it makes them happy? Isn't the purpose of everything – making a profit? Or perhaps it isn't after all?
For some people, numismatics is pure enjoyment. They collect what they like, sometimes without any plan or criteria, and the most important thing to them is that they feel good while doing it. These people are happy when they hold a piece of history, beautiful artistic design, and an interesting story that every piece carries in their hand. And they don't ask themselves every five minutes how much it „is worth on the market“ and whether they are making a profit or a loss by acquiring a certain specimen. Such people today, unfortunately, are somehow becoming a minority.
On the other hand, we have a (new) breed of collector-calculators. They are interested in neither history, nor aesthetics, nor the story, but only how much they paid for something, how much something is worth, whether they are in the black, and how much it will be worth tomorrow, in a year, or in 10 years. Such people are constantly calculating, tracking prices, comparing catalog values, staring at auction results as if watching the stock market, and fraying their nerves when things go „wrong.“ One has to wonder: why do they even bother?
And here we come to the „magical“ moment of disappointment for such people. Namely, the numismatic market, believe it or not, is not perfectly predictable! Prices fluctuate, collectors„ interests change, and what is “rare" and in demand today, tomorrow becomes boring and worthless mass-market goods that everyone already has. People buy something convinced that in ten years their children will buy an apartment with it, and then they realize that in the end it isn't even worth a portion of ćevapi (without a drink).
Because of this, we can rightly ask ourselves: isn't it perhaps healthier (and safer for the heart and nerves) to simply view numismatics as a hobby? As something that brings us joy, rather than something that will make us rich. Because when you invest money in something you love and that makes you happy, you have already received value in the form of accompanying positive emotions. And if a financial benefit appears one day, great! If not, at least you enjoyed a new specimen in your collection. And that is good, healthy for the psyche, and for the heart as well. The happiness hormone is released.
Today's trends, however, are moving in a different direction. There are increasingly more „collectors“ whose only question is: „How much is it worth?“ or „How much could it be worth tomorrow?“ And numismatics as an emotional experience? No, thank you. Give us mathematics, tables, charts, and ROI calculations.
We can only wonder what awaits us if we continue like this? Well, maybe we will soon have numismatic investment funds and apps that will report price movements in real time like on the stock exchange (something for US dollars actually already exists). Maybe collectors will disappear, and only opportunistic investors will remain.
In conclusion, for your mental health, it is best to collect what you love and what brings you joy. Enjoy coins and banknotes for what they are, not for what they might bring you one day. And if they do bring you some financial gain one day, that is just a plus in the whole story, but it should not be its essence.
Author: Zlatko Viščević
