Books
Over my fifty plus years in this hobby, I have found that in some cases stupid is lazy. People who would drop hundreds of dollars on a questionable item find it nearly impossible to drop $50 or $100 on a reference book that could save them in the future. Often they lament that they can't see the benefit in buying a book when they can put those funds toward the object of their desire. Makes you wonder??
Next, I find that too many collectors rely on the internet too much for opinions (you can get all kinds) and comments based on photographs (as we know pictures are sometimes deceptive) or observations from the uninitiated.
I have found that REPEAT AUTHORS who have invested time and money in research and experience are a respectable source of education and evaluation. Those who put their ideas into print and open themselves to review are usually a more reliable source of information, at least in my opinion.
So, I hope that collectors who spend time in the hobby at least have the intelligence to balance the internet with the printed word. As with anything in life, you need to use all the tools on the table to make a decision.
JMO,
Ron Weinand
Over my fifty plus years in this hobby, I have found that in some cases stupid is lazy. People who would drop hundreds of dollars on a questionable item find it nearly impossible to drop $50 or $100 on a reference book that could save them in the future. Often they lament that they can't see the benefit in buying a book when they can put those funds toward the object of their desire. Makes you wonder??
Next, I find that too many collectors rely on the internet too much for opinions (you can get all kinds) and comments based on photographs (as we know pictures are sometimes deceptive) or observations from the uninitiated.
I have found that REPEAT AUTHORS who have invested time and money in research and experience are a respectable source of education and evaluation. Those who put their ideas into print and open themselves to review are usually a more reliable source of information, at least in my opinion.
So, I hope that collectors who spend time in the hobby at least have the intelligence to balance the internet with the printed word. As with anything in life, you need to use all the tools on the table to make a decision.
JMO,
Ron Weinand
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