We are getting toppled

Newman??

 

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Where are we getting toppled? For what this forum is, it's far more valuable (and entertaining, too) than places like Reddit. There are three subreddits that I'm aware of dedicated to coinage (coins, coin collecting, and ancient coins) as well as several paper currency ones.

However, I value the information shared on this site far more than just relying on a troll-ridden subreddit for real information and honest opinions. That's why I became a supporter and why I will remain a supporter until I get banned from someone dragging me into political banter that would be better left for a place like Reddit.

So while this site may not be attracting vast numbers of people, I kind of like the idea of keeping it smaller. Smaller crowds makes for more personal discussions and, most likely, more accurate information. Disagree with me if you will (anyone) but I personally like this site because it is smaller than those huge sites.

 

One reason is the current generation has no interest in coins. They rarely use cash, as it is all CC and phone digital these days, and even if they use cash they leave the change in the return cup. They don't want it, it's a nuisance to them.
Coin collecting used to be a hobby for all ages. But at the last coin shows I went to it was basically all dinosaurs. Like me.
GF and I went to a rock concert one time (maybe we were late 50s then?)
I look around the room and I tell her, we are the youngest ones here.

 

Make no mistake, there are loads of younger people interested in numismatics. Many of them will see it as an investment rather than a hobby though, which could drive them away once they realize it's not some kind of money machine. I'm certainly not "young" anymore, but I don't exactly see myself as "old" either.

Point being that there are people from the younger generations interested in collecting. Hopefully they see this hobby for what it is... collecting little pieces of history and artwork combined into one, and realizing "what to collect" is what makes you happy inside.

 

Yeah… I would agree that the lack of coin usage in commerce probably has garnered less interest. I do still see youngsters at some coin shows….. And when I went to see Alice Cooper last month I was surprised that all the old folks like me were still dressed like teenagers. I felt very over dressed in khakis and a polo shirt.

 

LOL! Nice!

 

I might have had a few too many beers last night. My point is that it has been quite dead around here for a while. We used to get many different questions. Yes the same old is my corroded cent an error but it also brought folks in to post their new bought coin. There just isn't much being posted anymore.

 

Vince is still doing concerts? I was on the floor in either 73 or 74 at the old Jacksonville Fl venue right at the stage during their Billion Dollar Babies tour. The guillotine trick was amazing and very convincing even back in the day. I was either 16 or 17 years old. It was in the top 4 concerts I ever went to.

 

I've noticed it comes and goes here. Most of the young blood work all the time whereas my old azz is retired. Most of the younguns post on Reddit. I get notifications on coin posts but I don't participate there much at all. There is a LOT of activity there.

 

I learned a long time ago, that if someone hasn't "figured it out" yet, an explanation will generally only result in a "Oh, that can't happen", until it does, too never be discussed again.

If you really want to learn while on the computer, flip between CNN and FOX on your TV!

I spend my time working outdoors on maintenance projects, while waiting 60-70 feet above a white water river for the fools (as I in the past) to lose their "boats", destroyed by the river flowing rapidly hundreds of miles to the Gulf Of Mexico!

In my opinion, we are very fortunate, REGARDLESS! LOL JMHO

 

Must be those exquisite Coors beers that you refer to??
Dead around here? Is that why my daily posts have become so attractive as of late?

 

You can't be serious? You went to an Alice Cooper concert in those clothes? I'm surprised that you didn't get beat up.

 

As a serious collector who has a zero credit rating, I have a certified Numismatic "buyback" system with a tag on "traded" coins, where young serious collectors will trade Fiat for precious 69-70 coins, and just "watch", knowing that they can promptly retrieve their funds, if necessary/desired!

It's enjoyable to observe individuals learning on their own, without any input in brevity, unless asked!

 

Yes he is. And still doing the guillotine trick too!

 

Several years ago a thread bemoaned what appeared to be numismatics dying due to lack of younger numismatists. In response, one of the moderators listed the age groups and numbers for each group, with many members posting their age. It surprised me that there were so many ‘youngsters’. Possibly we can get updated stats from a moderator?

 

I got into collecting when my parents showed me a cigar box of silver, buffaloes, and wheaties they had plucked from circulation. I imagine younger folks will come along as the boomers pass their collections down.

One thing that has changed is that you can't find anything interesting in circulation any more.

 

I get your point and agree to an extent. Those sites don't exactly build any interest in numismatics. It's as bad as boob tube. For example our what's it worth and Error section used to get at least 5 to 10 or more questions a day each. We are lucky anymore to attract one a day.

It seems that no one wants to spend the time to learn anymore.
Or is it US the members that are short on answers, and don't direct these newbies in the right direction, or is it that the newbie just wants a quick answer so that they can move on to their facebook or twitter account. I thought I was ADHD as a kid, these folks and their hand-held computers are 10X worse than I ever was.

 

Last time I was on there. My phone got some kind of virus. You can access CT on your phone also. I don't get the point of a Reddit coin forum, you might as well go to boobtube.

 

This is the prevalent attitude and assumptions but I believe it couldn't be more wrong. I started collecting in 1957 and had a hoot putting together a buffalo nickel collection from pocket change and limited roll hunting. I had to buy a few key dates but there were a few interesting coins left in circulation; very few. Each year that went by the better coins simply continued a disappearing trick that began in 1931 because of B Max Mehl's popularization of coin collecting. By 1964 there was absolutely nothing at all to collect so people even turned to things like '60-D "bar" nickels. I still have an extensive collection of these.

The Numismatist reported that more than 90% of '09-S VDB cents were gone by 1940 and I'd wager most of the survivors were culls and VG's.

By contrast today there are all sorts of rare coins in circulation because people think they aren't worth collecting. The list of things that can be found is a mile long but there are still significant rarities that aren't even on most peoples' lists. There are countless condition rarities like an XF well made 1969 quarter. Very few 1969 quarters were well made and 70% are gone now lost to time and misadventure. The survivors are generally in abysmal condition but things like an AU is possible. There are likely dozens of '69 quarters in nice VF and better condition in the country. Sure you can go buy one in BU but well made ones are hard to find. even the services put poorly struck coins with extensive chicken scratches in high grade holders. People just don't notice how scarce attractive moderns can be in ANY grade or how badly worn and mangled the coins in circulation are.

There are literally tens of thousands of rare coins that can be found with tens of millions of examples in aggregate. But collectors put things like a 1971-D/D nickel in nice VF+ in the reject pile as they continue their search for any nickel minted before 1960. They save a 1940 in G and pass a 1982-P in AU even though it was well struck by good dies. There are literally millions of nicer 1940 nickel already saved but try finding an '82-P nickel in any grade at all that is attractive and well struck.

Collectors simply overlook coins made after 1964. This started in 1964 when the mint announced the first date freeze and caused the collapse of the modern coin market. Then in 1965 a new date freeze was announced and shortly later the switch away from silver (gold was already gone and mostly illegal to hold). This caused a more widespread collapse in the hobby and 60 years of people ignoring the coins made later. Now days it's hard to open a box of any pennies, nickels, dimes, or quarters and not have at least one rare coin in it and a few scarce ones. People aren't looking because there's no silver or gold.

Numismatically this in like the 1870's when rare date old coins weren't underrepresented in change; ie- a coin with 1% of the mintage showed up 1% of the time. You could (can) find almost anything if you look at enough coins.

 

Oh that? Meh, that has nothing to do with activity here, other than people have more current events to keep up with. What is happening out there now is metaphorically similar to chemotherapy, the treatment is painful for the patient to get well from cancer that has grown. That's all I've got to say about that.