My Time as a Referee is Over

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I've taken the decision since the birth of my son who was poorly and in need of Physio therapy to ensure a better long term prognosis that I can no longer do the Job as efficiently and as well as the catalogue & members deserve.

Initially I thought dropping the UK & England may have decreased the workload enough to make a go of still refereeing but this is simply not the case by the errors I have made over the last year or so in my ever decreasing spare time.

I've enjoyed trying to improve the catalogue but the limited time I now have for this hobby now has me asking the question as to whether I should sell up. That's another bridge I'll have to cross sometime soon and something that will take some serious consideration.

Thank you all for your support in making the catalogue great and making it as pleasure to be here all these years.

Mark.
Mark, it's been an absolute pleasure meeting you and working together on the catalogue. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your young family at this time. It is absolutely the right decision to relinquish your referee duties and spend all your spare time with your wife and son. I hope that you are able to maintain a collection, no matter how modest, and that we still have the pleasure of your company on the forum from time to time. May your God go with you.
Just because you can't see it ... doesn't mean it isn't there - Anon.

Coin catalogue referee for England, United Kingdom & pre-Union South Africa.
Banknote catalogue referee for England & United Kingdom.
Thanks for your service to those countries you've refereed for, and for your help and contributions to other referees, including myself on their colonial referee-ships! I wish you all the best with regards to your personal life in the future. Sad to see our local Caribbean pirate chief ref go :(

On another subject, not to be too much of a vulture, but I have had my eye on some of your nice colonies, like British West Africa, Curaçao, and Mombasa. :°
Thanks Both.

I would be be happy to see good referees like yourself take these Colonies. Unfortunately I could never achieve everything I wanted with the Caribbean countries but Jareck actually spent a lot of time making my dreams a reality and I merely clicked accept.
That's no good...I hope your nipper gets better soon
This is such sad news. Children are a blessing but they do come with a big responsibility. I reckon it's the right decision. Take good care of that precious child, the coin world will wait for you.
Non illegitimis carborundum est.  Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!  
Mark, I wish happiness you and your family. And I'm grateful for the help and tips that you gave me.
Quote: "pnightingale"​This is such sad news. Children are a blessing but they do come with a big responsibility. I reckon it's the right decision. Take good care of that precious child, the coin world will wait for you.
You're right.​ a responsibility that feels so natural though.

I will still be around if anyone needs to pick what is left of my brains !
Quote: "Mark240590"but the limited time I now have for this hobby now has me asking the question as to whether I should sell up. That's another bridge I'll have to cross sometime soon and something that will take some serious consideration.

​First of all, sorry to hear your son needs so much medical attention. I really hope it will only go better over time. Our kids are our most precious treasure, so no doubt you took the right decision about your referee duties.
But that other bridge is something else. Don't do anything you'll regret later. If the only problem is limited time, don't even think about it. Collecting is in the heart, in the blood. It won't fade away because of a lack of time. When I was marrying, building my house and raising my kids, my collecting also burned on a low pit during many years. But it was always there inside me, and afterwards the holy fire woke up again, and still does, higher than ever before.
Your time will come again too sometime.
Thanks for your contribution to the Numista forum and catalogue, Mark.

I hope you will still be around once in a while and contribute with your expertise in the field of British colonial coinages. Other Numista members don't know that we had several DM and email exchanges about the Trinidad "FD" countermarks. This has been very useful for my current research on those.

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Mark,
I am also very sorry to hear of your lads medical problems, and obviously, he must come first. Therefore, I wholeheartedly agree with your reasoning for stepping down, but, and it is a big but, I will miss you, for personal reasons, as you were one of the guys who helped me when I started to add unlisted coins to the Numista website.
Very tolerant of my stupid errors, and with great patience, guided me through the system, for which I will be forever grateful.
May I take this opportunity to wish you and your family all the very best and hopefully together, things will improve.
Please do not give up on your collection, as one day, the thoughts of this WILL return and you will already be ahead of the game.
Geoff (coinman1)
I'm just a collector of coins, not a slave to it, unless I am in a coin shop.
For all you banknote collectors. Link to my swap list.
https://colnect.com/en/banknotes/list/swap_list/COINMAN1
Mark...I had looked forward to working with you in modern Gibraltar coins since they are so similar to Isle of Man. I still hope we can someday. I am very impressed with your ability to focus on the important things of life. Bless you and your family.
Library Media Specialist, columnist, collector, and gardener...
Prayers to you and your son Mark, wishing him good health, and a bright future.

From all of the Numista team, thank you Mark for all the amazing work you have been doing. It was our pleasure having you, and we hope you stick around when your time permits.
Catalog Master Referee & Referee for UAE
https://www.instagram.com/amer.coins
Amer Salmeh
Thanks for all your hard work Mark! take care of the baby, coins can wait
Wish you good health for your child and family.
Numismatics is a hobby and definitely not what is most important in life.
enjoy time with your wife and child, I'm always amazed how quickly my little daughter is growing up.

cheerio,

Paul
If you like coins, medals and tokens with ship motives follow my new instagram account with regular updates @numisnautiker
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Mark , you and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. My you find health and peace . Thank you for all your work. But family should always come first. Hope you are able to stay in touch. Lord knows I still need a lot of schooling on British coins. You take care
yours daryl
It is, what it is, or is it.
Thanks all for the kind words. I know this is right although the timing in hindsight, this could have probably come a lot sooner than now.

Geoff, your coins were always a pleasure to approve you've done a lot to improve the catalogue Especially Gibraltar's.

I'll be around though. If anyone needs any help a private message will be best as I get email notifications.
Mark, may all the strength you need be with you and your wife. Take care of your family, that's all that matters. As Phil said, "the coin world will wait for you" and we'll be glad to see you here any time.
Thank you for all your help, both personally and for the community. You will be missed. My thoughts are with you and your family.
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.  It's what you know for sure, that just ain't so.  Mark Twain
Mark,
Thank you for your kind words, but it is you who put me on the right road to get things right first time, thus causing the referees, less bother. It was a constant pleasure working with you and now your life has taken a slight turn.
I really hope that things will straighten themselves out and that you can return to us in the future. I am 100% sure that the Numista site will miss you greatly but welcome you back with open arms.
Please take great care of your family,
from my family.
Geoff
I'm just a collector of coins, not a slave to it, unless I am in a coin shop.
For all you banknote collectors. Link to my swap list.
https://colnect.com/en/banknotes/list/swap_list/COINMAN1
Thanks again all. Like I say I will still be around but less frequent - no doubt most of you will have noticed my decline in participation.
Thanks for all that you have done! Children are worth all the time we give them. I pretty much gave up all my hobbies to spend time with my kids.
Taking a break from swapping for a while, but still interested in pre 1799 Spanish coins, I will make time for that!

Looking for pre 1783 coins
I feel I have to write it here also, the same thing I wrote into PM.

You were one the first responders to my own requests, when I started modifying catalogue. On the very few of those that convinced me that this site is still living. <:D Thank you, for starting some sort of passion in me.
Catalogue administrator
I can understand how ties can make you have little time and focus to deal with a hobby, and hopefully everything smooths out and you can return to a referee post in the future. If not, then it has been a pleasure to have been nudged into becoming a referee for Gibraltar by you as well as the tips and advice.

Sorry to hear about your little 'un mate, I know how it is as my son had to have treatment daily with breathing. They are little fighters that's for sure and the next thing you know your child will become a teenager! Then you suddenly have more time for yourself.....but less money! ;)
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