There are big time coin collectors who do not actively participate in the hobby. No shows, don't talk to dealers, not on forums, etc. Do you know any? How did you meet them? How did they acquire their coin or coin collections? I think many of those stories you read of some guy or gal with a massive collection or an extremely rare coin (Didn't some old Englishman have a AU 1796 Half Cent that his relatives found sell and sold at auction just a few years ago. I think I recall that story correctly) get them almost by happenstance. As though they are collectors of non-coin related items and just acquired the coin(s) in some old time deal they don't even remember.
They are probably some that keep a low profile, but I don't believe you can be a big time collector without actively participating to some extent, You aren't going to become a big time collector just buying from lists in magazines. To get the really top material and rarities you are either going to have to go out to shows and auctions and search, or you will have to have dealers that do so for you. About the only way you could build a big time collection strictly by yourself without public participation would be to bid online in the major auctions without viewing the lots or having anyone else view them for you.
I think I know several of the big time "players" you ask about ;but I never hear about them or see them around.
How would you know. Unless it's the insanely rich, reclusive uncle that started you in the hobby that only buys 5-7 figure coins from heritage just for something to do
Paul Fussell in "Class" denotes three upper classes in the US: 1. Upper Middle 2. Upper and 3. Top out-of-sight. The "Top Out of Sights" or "the class in hiding" live "on inherited money alone." He quotes others as saying that this class tends to live way off the road or spend time on remote islands that they own, etc. If he's correct about this class, then perhaps "super reclusive collectors" may belong to it. In other words, they're so rich that the general public would probably rarely or never see them. And no, I don't know any...
mabye some are super super super specalized, and have to spend a long time saving money so they do not have to participate activly, or as q david browers said, he had some buyers that bought a very very rare coin, such as an 1894 s barber dime and did not want any other coins.
Umm, correct me if I am wrong, but if you are a big time collector, you ARE actively participating in the hobby. The hobby is collecting coins... not talking about them, or posting about them.
There's a major coin collector out there who is well known in society but not a lot of people know he is a "whale" (as they say) in the hobby. You will not see him at shows or in stores. He is not a rock star type celebrity but is very well known and is highly regarded as one of the most successful businessmen in the world. I have heard that this reclusive person of extraordinary wealth will fly 1000's of miles (in a private jet of course) to view a coin for half an hour and then fly all the way back home. This person makes all of their acquisitions privately and buyer on their transactions are registered as anonymous. He is... ...the most interesting man in the world.
I guess it depends on how you define actively participating. Would having an agent or giving Legend a want list and letting them do all the leg work be considered active participation?
I'd say the number of collectors who fit "Top Out of Sights" profile is approximately zero. The number of "super rich" who are coin collectors is very low. The ones I know now are Pogue and "Simpson" and previously JP Morgan and one or more members of the DuPont Family. Other prominent collectors such as Eliasberg, Norweb, Garrett and Ford do not fit this classification. They bought their collections when the coins were much cheaper and were well off but not "super rich". When it comes to collectibles, the big money is in art, not coins.
The late Dr. Jerry Buss, former owner of the Lakers, was an absolute nut about coins and few ever knew. He owned an 1804 Dollar and a 1913 Liberty Nickel simultaneously at one point, the only modern collector who can say that. Of course, he wasn't completely reclusive about it, so he doesn't qualify under these conditions.
I may know a few, but if I told you who they were that would violate our longstanding recluse friendship agreement.
See the OP where he says "Doesn't talk to dealers". If he is giving a list to a dealer to fill he doesn't fit the OP of not actively participating. Oh maybe if he just sent them a list and a bundle of cash with instructions to "buy these and mail them to P O Box 1234. More money will follow." and didn't sign the letter I guess that would count as not actively participating. Otherwise he would fit my definition of just being low profile.
I have a few coins that my wife knows nothing about. Does this qualify me? Oh snap... hope she doesn't see this post.
I'm glad you mentioned him cause I was going to but didn't because I'm not sure he was so much a collector as he was an investor. If I remember correctly, he was discussing coins with a friend who was a collector and his collector friend said that he believed rare coins had a lot of potential to go up in value, particularly the 1804 dollar and 1913 nickel. Mr Buss asked his friend how much it would take to get those coins. His friend said about a million dollars. Mr Buss then told his friend to find the coins and he would pay it. Needless to say he purchased both coins and sold them for a profit some years later. Perhaps after that he became a collector, but it started for him as an investment.