Loving the Unloved: Sports Cars and Road-Worn Coins

As I get older, I long for feeling the cool morning air blowing on my hair … well, my face, since I have no hair. So, I announced over my morning joe that I was getting a sports car.

   I have had sports cars before. A Sunbeam Tiger – that car was an E-ticket ride, white knuckles all the way. It handled like a witches’ broomstick: fast and squirrely.

   Well, to make a long story short, my wife said: “NO. We need a new refrigerator.” Now, I am not sure how this computes. A car is nothing like an icebox – unless it is top-down in January.

   In any case, I was out voted two to one. Our house is a republic, not a democracy.

   So I used my coping skill of sublimation and got the car you see here. It is Wyandotte (no, not the hen; no, not hen-pecked) from the 1930s. 

   Beautiful Car! Matchbox and Corgi never came close.

   As you can see, this Wyandotte was driven!

How unfortunate it is that collectors do not appreciate the allure of a road-worn toy. Toys not played with are lifeless. I wanted a deuce coupe that little hands drove into near oblivion. Let me travel on imaginary roads carved in the sand and marked on the sidewalks.

   I do not want a forgotten toy. I do not want one that failed to entertain. Rather, give me the car that was hosed off at the end of the day and tossed – wet – into the pail.

So it is with coins. Coins once used as money have fascinating stories to tell. A slim dime provided access to a countertop full of delights. If you had several dancing in your palm, you could buy a shiny new rod.

   I am lucky to be so smitten. 

   And, I am anxiety free. 

   Who cares about condition grades? Or values? I did not look up the Wyandotte in some thick toy collector's guide to see what it was worth.

   Oh, the mental anguish that so many folks subject themselves to: What is it worth? Am I making a good buy? Ugh!

   I did not care if the car came with the “original box.” I did not get a plastic container to put it in. Rather, I just grabbed it. I felt the metal. I touched its rugged surfaces.

   This experience is all about – ALL ABOUT – eye appeal and finger feel -- nice rhyme. Let's sing shall we: eye appeal & finger feel, eye appeal & finger feel, eye appeal & ... .

   Bottom line: If you like it: Buy it!

   So many coin collectors (and toy collectors) get lost in the values game. They strive to be a "connoisseur" -- but they are (mostly) not! Numismatic heroism is so overrated!  

   I think collectors would be better off if they just decided to never sell and just give the stuff away when they are done. This attitude would help make collecting more fun!