Whats the State of the Coin Collecting Hobby?

[@SSS-bd6li]

I went to my first coin show last year (Orlando Summer FUN) and took my family with me. The kids had such a good time that we went back. Prior to this, my only interaction with coin dealers/community was mostly online. This last time we showed up on the last day of the show and I noticed lots of other kids and families not just the older 'seasoned' folks. I also teach middle school art and incorporate coins by teaching a lesson/project whereby we discuss how coins and artistic style changes over time and across other civilizations/cultures. The students create their own currency or coin design. At the end of the project I let them pick out a foreign coin (or two) from a bulk lot that I purchased off eBay. Even 8th graders get into it. Hopefully the hobby continues to see more kids entering it.

[@silvertopaz509]

Just speaking for myself, I collect what I love, study, research and enjoy for my life time. I don't buy to sell, I buy to hold. I don't care what it's worth, because I'm not selling. So if the market goes to crap, I can buy more of the coins I'm missing. If the market stay's the same or values go up. I will stay the course.

[@billdriscoll770]

I have to agree with you. I'm in a town without a coin store, but I'm into a few video coin auctions platforms. Coin Crew and Ravinhawk Coins. I know I'm paying too much for the coins I get but I try not to pay way to much. I've been collecting for about twenty years. I'm trying to get my grandchildren into the hobby. I love it and thanks for the information and have a great day..

[@sonnygunz9207]

I live in a large city with a population of 1.5 million (SA, TX) and not a single coin shop worth a second look that I know of. Many of them went under because of the Coof. Luckily I’m part of two coin clubs but that doesn’t make up for a place where I can get my hands on tons of different stuff. I want to find those gems that I can keep or flip up.

[@IrisFinch1930]

I'm glad you mentioned the different coin collecting social spaces. KZbin was the platform that helped me to grow as a numismatist. Yes, there were clusters of hobbyists like stackers, collectors, and what I call "flippers" (folks who buy coins wholesale and flip them for a higher price). KZbin served as an amazing platform for community building, especially between the years of 2014 and 2018. I truly miss those years because I felt welcomed as a young Black girl in a predominantly white male hobby. Although I decided to delete my channel, I still checked in from time to time. Overall, like with any hobby, there will be changes and it's good to learn how to adapt.

[@Ontario100]

I appreciate these talks. I like your level-headed and calm approach. 👍

[@arthurskim7898]

Been hearing the Doom and Gloom for coin collecting since I started collecting in 1966.

[@davidho2977]

I read somewhere that numismatics (and plastic model building) were at an all time high in the mid 60s.

[@silvadelshaladin]

Philately isn't dead, just sleeping. Stamps will gain novelty as the letter goes away completely, when all communication is electronic and people view the aesthetics of covers and postcards and the postage on them as relics of an earlier time, when things were slower. First Day covers by Fluegel and others are also works of art in their own right. Also bunches of stamp items are being destroyed, leaving fewer to be collected. They'll be back.

[@Cole1998]

I agree that Philately is not dead, however, it certainly has been dying a slow death for many years and the future does not look bright. The average philatelist is probably in their 60s and stamp prices trade way below half of their catalogue value

[@EricK-ms9tc]

@@Cole1998 I'm in my 40's and got back into philately during the pandemic. But when I goto shows, i'm typically one of the youngest people at them. It's possible they will be rediscovered but who knows. I enjoy it, If I get half of my money back it will have been worth it.

[@monetarnie3841]

I can't see philately coming back. Numismatics and bullion got popular again because people are hedging against inflation. Gold and silver are precious metals. Stamps are just paper. Yes, they are collectible but kids are not getting interested in stamps because they don't send any letters anymore. Gold is a store of value.

[@josephhicks4743]

I think the Coin market is Safe and is Growing. I have old friends calling me weekly who are getting into the Coin Hobby. I also think one thing helping the hobby is the advertisement 's to buy stock in Works of Art, and buying a percentage of a Babe Ruth Rookie Card. The new collectors like the old want to hold there own Riches. Which you can do in this hobby. Thank you for what you do.

[@TheCoinGeek]

Thank you

[@Brooks0511]

i just picked up my first athens owl ! in au !!!

[@edwardaustin740]

Ben always gets a thumbs 👍.

[@silverfoxfinance]

I appreciate the video response Ben! Cheers

[@davidho2977]

If I had a billion dollars, I could assemble the world's greatest coin collection.

[@TheCoinGeek]

If I had a billion dollars…I’d be rich 😜

[@Wyominggoldbug]

Working a lot with coin shows lately. I'm seeing a pretty balanced mix people from all walks of life. And a whole lot of people telling me they're new to the hobby.

[@jeffreyarbogast4735]

Superbly crafted . . . well considered, and well-supported. I could not agree more. You have delineated several reasons why the hobby can continue into the foreseeable future in a robust sense. Glad I am a subscriber.

[@coincollectingfun]

Big like number 549! Excellent video and thank you so much for sharing

[@joeybeamon2828]

25yrs. ago there weren't any Black Numismatist 😅

[@davidho2977]

Why is that? I don't see anything about the hobby that has anything to do with race. Am I missing something?

[@sparechangekeeper]

I always enjoy your insights. Thanks for the video.

[@robertscagnelli1011]

Thank you Ben!

[@MakeNumismaticsGreatAgain]

I think the hobby is getting more popular and still strong. It will be interesting to see how it does with inflation getting worse. As far as there being so many different platforms for enjoying/purchasing coins & currency, my fear is that the population will get spread too thin. It's like coals - when they're together, the fire burns...when spread out, the fire goes out. Thanks as always, Ben!

[@WondyCoin]

Ben, I agree. To help you a little about the perspective you were trying to create displaying the difference between the numismatic market and stamps and beanie babies and sports cards, etc., the numismatic market is the 2nd biggest collectible market in the world, next to fine art. As you mentioned, people have been collecting coins for well over 100 years. It has already withstood the test of time. I do still think there has been a massive bubble in the US coin market, valuations of modern coins, Franklin halves, Ike dollars, ASE's, are WAY too high. That bubble will pop when more and more collectors see the huge disparity in valuations compared to non-US coins. Why spend $800 on a 1950's Franklin proof when you can instead buy a mint state 170 year old beautiful French 5 Franc? That said, there has also been a huge bubble in the world coin market, there is way too much money chasing modern gimmicky coins, odd shapes, movie themed, colorized, junk. As for crazy markets, prices going way up then way down, bubbles forming and popping, it will all continue as govts print and devalue. You simply cannot have a stable economy functioning on an unstable form of money.

[@TheCoinGeek]

Thanks!

[@weststephan5253]

Slow and steady wins the race!

[@don951]

Agree. When the pandemic hit and the economy crashed coin collecting boomed. But now that things have recovered and life has returned to normal - life goes on. A lot of people have other things to do. I'm in San Diego and the economy is thriving -- people are traveling and spending. But we haven't lost all the gains. It is still a lot more popular than it was pre-pandemic from what I see.

[@tedlawrence4189]

Both stamp and coin collecting have huge competition from Sport Card collecting-investing and games. This is especially true with those under 30. The National Sport Card convention in Chicago is huge. I have never seen as many people in either a stamp or coin show. Many visitors at coin shows are just there for bullion of all types. Coin collecting will be around in the future,I just do not know,how big it will be. I do know that Philately in the US is nothing like it was years ago. If it were not for ebay it even be smaller yet.

[@davidho2977]

I do both coin and stamp collecting, but never got into Sport cards.

[@williamgrimes668]

I think the hobby is strong but unfortunately it appears bullion and mint products (coins just made to be collected) are more popular than actual old business strikes that were actual money with actual character from being circulated and spent. And I don't think price has much to do with it. Really nice pre 33 gold coins can be bought for slightly over melt. Yet a hunk of shiny gold made last year will command multiples of melt just because it gets a high grade. These coins to me are not special because they are produced just to be high grade. I think it is only because of marketing and all of these doom and gloom stackers.

[@sandiahead]

I think some of those high price bullion buyers likely shift to numi pieces at some point.

[@SilverCpa]

@@sandiaheadthat's me!

[@don951]

There was a big fear push during the pandemic. But now I am seeing the opposite. The recent coins shows I have gone to have gone back to mostly numismatic. All the tables pushing colorized modern superman bullion rounds are gone.

[@kitnye5729]

I totally agree with you it blows my mind watching people go stupid over the new Morgan's and piece dollars. You can buy real ones that were real money cheaper than the new one's that were created for a money market hype. Just my opinion good day to you and yours 🦗🦗🦗

[@williamgrimes668]

@@don951 that is really good to hear. Maybe what I am seeing is mostly on social media. There are numerous channels that focus on bullion and modern mint products. But the only guys I see talking about actual old collector coins are the coin geek and coin help you guy. There may be more but these are the only ones I can recall. And 2 of my long time coin dealers no longer even advertise coins. but they are now big in the bullion. Maybe because it is low hanging fruit. And they even collaborate with the stackers to sell to that audience.

[@PoorRichardsAlmanac]

I doubt I’d have become a collector pre-internet, pre-eBay, pre-KZbin. It’s a LCS desert here. I feel pretty “Rock Solid Collector” now and if the grid went down forever I’d still be a collector.

[@RomanReece22]

Lovely background change today!!!

[@StevenSportsMD]

Great points

[@fifteenbyfive]

Today threre's so much noise and distraction out there that puts a wall of thick schmear on theoretically everything. We're all closer than ever in terms of connection/convenience but more distant than ever in terms of focus. Perhaps eventually we won't even have to figure out what to do with our spare time anymore because the corporate AI and the nice police robot will decide that for us. Stay safe in that heat! What a summer this has been! 🌡☀😎

[@typeviic1]

What I dont like about coin shows I go to is that 75% of the crowd is always over 60 yo. Not a good sign.

[@jeffw1267]

Part of that is because old people are retired and have time to go to coin shows.

[@andybusard6694]

Then stay away from stamp shows! 60 is young there!

[@douginnewmexico8166]

I think your right on the age breakdown but I set up at some of the regional shows in the Southwest and sell mostly paper money, what has surprised me is the amount of young people that come through the turn styles. I always start out my show with about 50 silver certificates of not much value that I hand out to kids as they walk by, I almost always run out by the time the show ends. I put each certificate in a plastic holder with my business card, a form of advertising which has paid off with parents who were not collectors getting the interest in paper money. Doug In New Mexico

[@TheCoinGeek]

@typeviic1 I don’t have an imperial study- but if todays crowd is 75% over 60. Then pre-Covid it was 85% over 60.

[@wolfgangfegelein2450]

@@jeffw1267 And my local shows schedule accordingly, unfortunately for me. I can't justify taking a day off just to go to a coin show, as much as I'd love to do it!

[@silversurfer1986]

Couldn’t agree more Ben!

[@zzyzxRDFwy15]

No man is an island, except when it comes to coin collecting and making a profit off your fellow coin geeks.

[@rossacohen314]

Thank you, Dr. Peale! LOL!!

[@sandiahead]

Nice shade tree.

[@simhicmt7577]

In Asia, there seems to be growing interest in coins, banknotes...

[@silvadelshaladin]

Now if you want a forward looking collectable -- it will be, and it is hard to word this in a way that won't have it vanish, 2020 ephemera. Those signs were NOT made to last. In 50 years, some of them will be quite valuable.

[@arminave7234]

Wonder full

[@williamguirl7735]

Prices on Rare Coins have almost doubled since the end of 2019, yes, older, much older, life isn’t a bowl of peaches right now; affordable Housing does Not Exist within 30 miles of where I live! The internet brought in more idiots than informative folks, if you’re New to Numismatics, you can become very confused until you read the book!

[@LongLivedCoins]

👍

[@jedimindtrick8966]

Florida

[@donaldinnewmexico]

✋Hand raised. Older than you, Kiddo.

[@donaldinnewmexico]

NOT FIRST!

[@RomanReece22]

🤣🤣🤣

[@jbohanon2]

Show me a coin collector/dealer who thinks the hobby is dying and I'll bet he still has an AOL account and has never used Facebook or Instagram. You can't make new customers if you don't go where they are.

[@wolfgangfegelein2450]

To add on to your point: Some dealers haven't updated their website format since the late 90's - early 00's, which puts younger collectors off because we can't be sure that our payment will be safe on such an archaic website. It doesn't cost much to put a decent website together anymore, so take advantage of it!

[@borisperez3129]

I left Minsk when Chernobyl was a month old. Newfoundland re birthed me in that anus horribilis until 2020 the true anus horribilis. In Cuba I grew up semi barefoot with broken up hand me down shoes, no toys for Xmas, in fact Fidel canceled Xmas and instituted instead a quota system for Kings day alla Spain. My toys were tires, marvels, ball bearings self made carts, broken legs from tree climbing. A mom haulering at dinner time throughout the hood and me getting the message without a beeper, priceless.

[@MorganHoard]

It is definitely worse out there for coin collecting. Less people have extra money to spend on coins. Of course Morgans are still hot, but most other areas are seeing a decrease. Just throwing my two copper out there.

[@monetarnie3841]

Top coins will always be in demand

[@Patriot1777]

Buy bullion😊 period!, Coins are a luxury.

[@kitnye5729]

Oh yeah we love that luxury

[@Patriot1777]

@@kitnye5729 deep pocket then

[@paulbegansky5650]

Ben, you are living on Fantasy Island..with Tutu yelling the counterfeits Boss the counterfeits. China and other agencies are just cramming the market not only with raw coins but HOLDERED counterfeits. The other issue is the inconsistent and non communicative Grading of coins. The coin world is in jeopardy but that was not in the form of a question.