What Has Happened To Our Hobby?

That's the hardest one to deal with. Trying to convince someone who thinks they have something worth value that they actually don't have something worth any value. People just don't like to be told that.

 

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LOL, you think?

 

These examples are ridiculous, but to be fair there were advertisements on the back cover of comic books that offered to pay $9,999 for an 1804 dollar. There were a couple 1804 dollars that had been stolen in the DuPont robbery, but aside from those, all of them were accounted for. Pitch was to order a book that had prices for “valuable coins.”

 

Cheating, lying, stealing, and a get rich quick gimmick seems to be the way of the world today! The sooner the thieves are exposed, the better we are for it.

 

when hasn’t it been? Snake oil salesmen going back hundreds of years. It’s just part of being human. Most of us are smart enough not to do it to others and to avoid having it done to us. The things that has allowed the snake oil salesmen to expand their reach globally, the internet, also allows their targets to do the research to know better. What we lack is the critical thinking needed to use the available tools to avoid the scams.

 

The worst impact of such things is that they might make people enter the hobby for the wrong reasons. Then they quickly find out it's a scam and potentially hate the entire hobby for such nonsense. I think such things can do damage, and likely to the most vulnerable people, the people who don't know any better until it's too late. The pursuit of quick riches lures many people these days. Everyone seems to be looking for the quick and easy solution. To someone who didn't know any better, such ads make the hobby look like a potential windfall.

 

Making money with coins is hard to do, especially if you are a collector. Unfortunately some dealers, "see you coming" and offer low ball prices. When I was dealer, I was high payer if I liked the coin.

 

"YOU CAN RETIRE IF YOU OWN THIS TOY". With a photo of something fairly common.

 

Social media has partially screwed a lot of people,even the good.Also the economy is terrible right now.Most don't have the high end jobs to pay for outrageous rent or to live etc.Laws that only support the rich more and more and if your not it's tough.Desperate times call for Desperate measures and it's sad money has turned into such scum.The average Joe can't even get a good deal on a fair used car,not scrap.

 

I could have done without the personal philosophy, but thanks.

 

Like Hess trucks and Texaco airplanes?

 

Critical thinking! If we only knew how to use it.

 

OMG

I have coins *exactly* like those
now I can buy out BitCoin

 

randy, the web has made it easier to find and obtain treasures some only dreamed of. It has made it possible to trade ,buy, and sell between millions of collectors, sellers,and buyers. The hobby is stronger because of it. Sadly, the crooks use the same web to push their dishonest, greed, and cheating ways. Those buying from these ppl and at crazy prices need to make better use of the empty space between their ears!

 

Well, cashing in seems to be the main draw for purchasing VaultBox issues, although 85% of the videos I've watched result in them taking a brutal loss. I think I've only seen one or two break even or come out ahead.

The unboxing videos I've watched were mostly over series 3-6. The vast majority of those buying the ancients had absolutely no clue about them. One young man who unboxed a red core (which wasn't great) exclaimed, "Duuude!!!!"

One American collector, whom I agreed with, disgustedly opened his. Another ASE, yay. (droopy dog voice)

About the only sure way to profit from Vault box is to resell it, unopened.

I collect purely for the enjoyment. I'm not going to grossly overpay, but I also don't really expect to recoup my money.

 

Numismatic Fake News......

 

I have some coins awaiting ANACS grading. I've been watching adjacent serial numbers to try to get a feel for when they'll get to MY coins. And I've noticed how very many coins that have been already graded are getting the N9 (damaged, altered, etc) body-bag grade. Can it be that people are actually sending in those "parking lot "coins that get posted on etsy and ebay?
Sadly, I already know the answer to the generic "Can people really be this dumb?" question....

 

Many people think they have a rare coin and having it authenticated as an error or as a rare coin will bring them riches. Some even do so after asking for advice here and being told they have nothing.

 

It's not just the internet snake oil salesman, it's also part of the local clubs. I've witnessed some in the hobby sacrifice their morals for a few dollars more. I don't go to those clubs anymore and I see one of the members at the local shows. He always asks why I don't go anymore. Mind you it was very few members, but it ruined the experience for me.

 

Years ago I belonged to a local club where the treasurer was selling counterfeit gold dollars to the president of the club at retail prices. These were really bad counterfeits. They were supposed to be Type I gold dollars, but they looked like the "California fractional gold pieces" that you could buy a Woolworths' for $2 apiece. They were actually worthless.

I finally said something, which got me in trouble, but I didn't care. It was just plain wrong.

I wish I had a decent local club. It's been taken over by a dealer who is using it for his purposes.