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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;cladking, post: 1482851, member: 68&quot;]This is a question we needed to ask 15 years ago&nbsp; when many millions of children were running around collecting states coins.&nbsp; The answer then, as now, is that we needed them.&nbsp; The aging collector base will be selling their collections over the next twenty years and there will need to be younger collectors to buy them. The good news is that we did manage not to alienate all the younger collectors.&nbsp; The bad news is that there might not be enough but only time will really tell.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I was screaming from the rooftops 15 years ago to try to treat the new collectors well but, frankly, I don&#039;t think we did a good job.&nbsp; It could have been worse I suppose.&nbsp; Now, it is what it is and there&#039;s little chance of another big influx anytime soon.&nbsp; We can still work to nurture and encourage the younger folk.&nbsp; This can take many forms but the thing I value most is education.&nbsp; There are ten or twelve million collectors that have been added but many of these will drop out and some will never progress much beyond beginner.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I believe the future is still bright if we can gain control of the big threats to the hobby.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Things will be very different in twenty years no matter how events unfold.&nbsp; This will be a massive demographic change in the hobby.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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