Featured Numismatic Considerations of a Young Numismatist

A Young Numismatist is generally defined as a coin collector under the age of 18. A YN is also considered usually of lower numismatic budget, and compared to adults, are much an amateur in the field of numismatics. I am here to explain my views on numismatics specifically on the subject of YNs. For simplicity, adult numismatists will be the acronym “ANs” while young numismatists will be “YNs.”

I would first like to start off by showing how I can see both sides. For me being 16, adulthood is rapidly approaching, much sooner than some of my younger counterparts around the shops and shows. I would consider myself in the gray area of the two. I have the main resources, knowledge and abilities to keep up with ANs, to an extent, yet mainly I am still seen as a YN, which I do not mind. I have been given compliments on how my general and numismatic knowledge rival adults, which explains how a person should be less regarded on there age and more on their abilities.

So I will tell a short story. So what I call my alternate dealer, he is a military collectibles seller and he also have a small display of US and foreign coinage. So me and @schepys_coins go by there and he wants to sell the dealer a few mid value coins. Everything he would sell would turn to be about $50 in value. But turns out, the dealer doesn't want to do business with @schepys_coins , he wants to do business with a parent there. Which doesn't seem that big of a deal, except for the fact that I have had multiple transactions with the dealer. I’ve sold coins to this dealer multiple times, and I am only 1 year older than @schepys_coins coins. So the question I ask myself, is the fact that I “appear” older than I am, make me gain approval, and my counterpart whom is actually less than a year younger, is not given the same consideration? That has always struck me funny.

I’ve seen positive connotations of YNs and I have seen negative ones as well. Age has been a key judgment factor on literally everything. Are we considering YNs correctly in this hobby?

 

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Young numismatists are the future of our hobby. We need them. One day I will need somebody to purchase my collection!..... Every person is different. The guys I do business with welcome the YN and cater to him. In fact, they encourage them. I have heard the stories here of dealers that shun the YN. I see these folks as foolhardy..... Just bear in mind that coin dealers are a slice of life like everything else. There are good and then there are not so good. But for the most part I believe that YN's are openly welcomed and encouraged to participate in this great hobby.

 

You say that you have done multiple transactions with the dealer. Has your friend? I am not a dealer, but I can see where the dealer might want to know that an unknown YN has parental permission to be buying or selling coins.

 

I don't recall him meeting my parents but that is a good point

 

Social media and everyone getting sued by everyone for radical and mundane issues has basically made it impossible for anyone to be objective.

 

Age Discrimination...

 

Can you explain? Not sure what your getting at here.

 

that's the most comprehensive, detailed answer on this thread

 

I'm saying that there are so many people following each other and reporting , however innocently, all activities. Do you see how many people are sued or arrested after a post on-line? The dealer is afraid to get sued if a persons parent finds out about a transaction. They will find out as soon as someone says "...look at the deal I got from..." on social media.

 

I guess the key to my statement was 'objective'. That is the ability and willingness to think outside the box. Not following a fixed pattern or protocol. The police have this issue now. If they let a person off by virtue of their objectivity regarding the incident they may be judged by the whole world.

 

Learning to sell and seeing the value of your collection when an offer made makes one wiser of the hobby and a more educated buyer. It’s an important skill for any numismatist.

I recommend his parents visit the shop, meet the dealer, and learn what their child is doing; be supportive and eager to see it themselves. This will not only grow their relationship but will also make them wiser in helping him make adult decisions. Unless it’s being hid from them which is a terrible idea and needs to be set back on track.

If the parents have no wish to go to the shop and he wants to sell his coins. Could you not take them to the shop yourself? This can also help build trust within your friendship if you both can be honest with each other. That is another important lesson learned in this hobby.

 

Unless you can truthfully say that you have accompanied your friend to every interaction he had with that dealer, you can't say with any certainty why the dealer chose not to do business with your friend. We can speculate all we want, but like the person who posts a photo here of a PMD coin and asks us why someone would choose to damage a coin like that, no one except the dealer really knows.

Chris

 

indeed

 

@

@thomas mozzillo Sorry, that was meant to be sent to someone else.

 

How many times have we read about adults being taken advantage of by coin dealers? The message boards are full of them.

With YNs it's not a question of "age discrimination" it's a thing called age of consent. I don't know what state you're in, but in California it is 18 years old.

I'm sure many dealers are very cautious when buying from or selling to a 15 or 16 year old. Does he really want to put himself in the crosshairs if the coins were from an unknowing parent's collection? Or the possibility for being sued by the parents if the 15 year old was perceived as being taken advantage of by a low price?

Just by you agreeing with your friend's comment of "age discrimination" shows you're not in the gray area you think you're in.

 

It is entirely possible that the dealer is concerned about "buying" coins from your friend, because he might be worried that the coins don't belong to him, and actually belong to the parents. It wouldn't be the first time that a kid tried to sell his Dad's coin collection.

Selling coins is less problematic because it doesn't matter where the kid got the money, if he is willing to spend that money on coins, then as long is the dollar amount is commensurate with a YN budget, there should be no problem.

If your friend buys some coins first, and establishes himself as a customer, I think the dealer would be more likely to entertain a transaction where he is the buyer.

 

the thing is that I have bought many things from this dealer.

 

Don't be in a rush to be an adult (over 18). It's not all it's cracked up to be.

 

In this case I don't see anything wrong with dealers being suspicious or refusing to deal with minors alone. The last thing they need is angry parents coming into the shop demanding their property back.

That said age discrimination is very real in this hobby, it just isn't the ages most would think. If you're a teenager or a kid most people think that's great and want to help dealers included. If you're 50+ then you look like what a lot of dealers think a collector should look like and probably grew up around the same time as the dealers.

Now if you are in your 20s or 30s this is where a lot of dealers can't be bothered to deal with you, try and run up the price, talk and get stuff you want to sell for pennies on the dollar talking it down etc. Many dealers see this age group as marks and will treat them very differently than they do someone whose elderly.

 

I was going to coin shows before I was even in high school. Used money Id save up during the summers. I never sold anything back then but buying was always challenging. Most dealers would just ignore me, thinking I was just along with my parents. That is until I pulled out a wad of cash, then it was like I was the only one in the room.

I agree with above posts and have nothing wrong with the dealer wanting parents present for a transaction like that. Heck my parents were standing there the first time I ever dropped $100 on a coin. Point is, there arent many kids buying coins and even fewer selling them.