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Posted

The parallels between this topic and the world of old electronic gear and 'ham' radio are amazing.

If you put two pictures side by side, one showing the crowd at a coin fair, and the other showing the crowd at 

a radio rally,  I bet they would basically be identical - a very high average age....

Posted

With regard to coin fairs, auctions and the like, another factor to be taken into consideration is how expensive the hobby can be. Older people tend to be the ones with the spare cash, hence you probably won't see many young people there as they just can't afford it. I wouldn't mind betting that was also the case 50 years ago.   

  • Like 1
Posted

Good point.

Unfortunately, the peddlers  of overpriced slabbed tat still manage to attract buyers....

  • Like 2
Posted
1 minute ago, blakeyboy said:

Good point.

Unfortunately, the peddlers  of overpriced slabbed tat still manage to attract buyers....

Don't even get me started on the total rip off that slabbing is.

Posted

Good point about fairs and money - but you should see the membership at "coin clubs" - NO younger people and this with free memberships! Locally BTW the Baltimore show or fair is entirely free to all with scads of "Young Numismatist" meetings, giveaways, etc. One time I dragged my son and they gave him loads of dollar coin commems, quarters, halves, books, stickers, bags, cell phone covers - brought back an entire bag of schlock.....

Posted

There used to be a coin club in this town, which met once a month in a local church hall. But unfortunately they seem to have disbanded. 

Countrywide, there are some very well established and thriving coin clubs, but I've no idea as to their demographic breakdown. 

Essex numismatic society is one such club, and they hold their monthly meetings in my home town. But I never joined when I first became interested in coins. I just assumed I was too young and never enquired. I always imagined they'd have refused me. If I moved back down there now, I'd definitely join.  

Posted

I do side with Groucho on this sometimes....a lot of it it stems from not feeling welcome at any club when young.

An erroneous view, sure, but easy to have when the world is big and disconcerting.....

Posted

The other issue with coin clubs is that numismatics is a very, very wide topic. As a result. most of the time they'll be discussing areas you're not necessarily particularly interested in.

Although I do think you'd need to partake and present something yourself. Probably a lot of hard work and preparation would need to go into even just a 20 minute talk to other members. 

Posted

My boys (9 and 12) are nuts about collecting Pokémon cards. They have no real interest in coins, but they fully grasp the collecting passion.  I suspect that passion is part of the human condition, affects a small minority more than most - and perhaps men more than women. 
 

I don’t think money evolving from gold to coins to cheques to credit cards to something else will have any impact at all.  I don’t think the association between money and what we collect is relevant - unless you collect the coins of your youth.  I collect mainly Victorian. 

I expect premium tangible artifacts from pre-digital times will only become more sought after as the world becomes evermore virtual -  and as networks evolve to better connect sellers and buyers. In this context (short term bubbles apart) coins are well placed for a host of reasons: scarcity, size, prettiness, durability, sophistication of the numismatic art. 
 

I also think numismatics will benefit from the inevitable end of woke historical revisionism, once it has run its course - as many societies go through cycles of embracing or rejecting their history.  (Perhaps numismatics are already beneficiaries as a refuge to that.) I don’t see woke revisionism lasting in my kids’ generation. They and their friends seem as mythed by it as me.  A renaissance may be due … 

  • Like 1
Posted
On 12/22/2022 at 1:20 PM, 1949threepence said:

Yes.

Page 46: "FARTHING 1717, 3a. CORRECTED ERROR. R - An N has been lightly cut where the first A is and shows plainly below the correct letter."

Described as rare.

 

 

If its dated 1717 it has to be rare anyway

Posted
On 12/25/2022 at 10:18 AM, 1949threepence said:

With regard to coin fairs, auctions and the like, another factor to be taken into consideration is how expensive the hobby can be. Older people tend to be the ones with the spare cash, hence you probably won't see many young people there as they just can't afford it. I wouldn't mind betting that was also the case 50 years ago.   

Well young folks these days would be far better off concentrateing on putting a roof over their heads than obtaining a coin collection , so I see their point

Posted
2 hours ago, copper123 said:

If its dated 1717 it has to be rare anyway

Just to clarify for Old Copper, as 3b was described as very rare.

2 hours ago, copper123 said:

Well young folks these days would be far better off concentrateing on putting a roof over their heads than obtaining a coin collection , so I see their point

Absolutely. I think it's got to be the same for vast majority. In your late teens, twenties and even thirties, you're making your way in the world (jobs, marriage, kids etc), and hobbies might have to be put aside.    

Posted

Looking back at https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-v-penny-1933-ms63-brown-ngc-a/a/3105-32230.s it says that year sets (as opposed to just single pennies) were interred under new buildings. My understanding was always that it was the penny but I guess that explains the 1933 proof being from a proof set. I wonder if the under foundation stones have proof sets too and the other four examples are circulation coins.

Posted
7 hours ago, Mr T said:

Looking back at https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-v-penny-1933-ms63-brown-ngc-a/a/3105-32230.s it says that year sets (as opposed to just single pennies) were interred under new buildings. My understanding was always that it was the penny but I guess that explains the 1933 proof being from a proof set. I wonder if the under foundation stones have proof sets too and the other four examples are circulation coins.

Exactly.

  • Like 1
Posted
19 hours ago, Mr T said:

Looking back at https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-v-penny-1933-ms63-brown-ngc-a/a/3105-32230.s it says that year sets (as opposed to just single pennies) were interred under new buildings. My understanding was always that it was the penny but I guess that explains the 1933 proof being from a proof set. I wonder if the under foundation stones have proof sets too and the other four examples are circulation coins.

Indeed - there wouldn't have been any point minting a few pennies for that purpose unless they were to make up a set!

Posted
On 12/26/2022 at 8:18 AM, blakeyboy said:

I do side with Groucho on this sometimes....a lot of it it stems from not feeling welcome at any club when young.

An erroneous view, sure, but easy to have when the world is big and disconcerting.....

Who is this "Groucho" you speak of?

As far as collecting goes, one thing is becoming very noticeable in recent years, and that is the absolutely massive hike in rare proof prices. For example the 1861 Freeman 37 proof penny sold at the Copthorne Auction in 2016 for £1800 hammer (+17% buyers premium = £2106). Absolutely superb specimen. Another F37 (not quite as good IMO) is now being offered by another dealer for £4250 cash. So roughly a doubling of value in 6 and a half years, although must take some inflationary effect into account in the intervening period.

I've absolutely no doubt it will sell and soon.

Other proof specimens - notably at the recent Australian Noble Verene proofs sale emphasise this quite profound rise in proof coinage values over a short period.

Also, take a quick dekko at the popular George V 1937 four coin gold proof sets (five pounds to half sovereign). They too have seen a massive hike, although again, some of this may reflect a rise in bullion prices.        

Posted
32 minutes ago, 1949threepence said:

Who is this "Groucho" you speak of?

Probably Groucho Marx who famously said that he didn't want to be part of any club that would accept him as a member !

  • Haha 1
Posted
3 minutes ago, secret santa said:

Probably Groucho Marx who famously said that he didn't want to be part of any club that would accept him as a member !

Thanks Richard - forgive my ignorance. 

Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, 1949threepence said:

Who is this "Groucho" you speak of?

There is only one "Groucho"!

Or, as he was introduced on "You Bet Your Life", the quiz show that he hosted. Here he is, the one, the only, Groucho Marx.

Groucho Marx of Marx Brothers fame. Although probably most famous on his own in later years.

Edited by Bronze & Copper Collector
Posted

As far as collecting goes, one thing is becoming very noticeable in recent years, and that is the absolutely massive hike in rare proof prices. For example the 1861 Freeman 37 proof penny sold at the Copthorne Auction in 2016 for £1800 hammer (+17% buyers premium = £2106). Absolutely superb specimen. Another F37 (not quite as good IMO) is now being offered by another dealer for £4250 cash. So roughly a doubling of value in 6 and a half years, although must take some inflationary effect into account in the intervening period.

I've absolutely no doubt it will sell and soon.

Other proof specimens - notably at the recent Australian Noble Verene proofs sale emphasise this quite profound rise in proof coinage values over a short period.

Also, take a quick dekko at the popular George V 1937 four coin gold proof sets (five pounds to half sovereign). They too have seen a massive hike, although again, some of this may reflect a rise in bullion prices.        

Posted
10 hours ago, Bronze & Copper Collector said:

There is only one "Groucho"!

Or, as he was introduced on "You Bet Your Life", the quiz show that he hosted. Here he is, the one, the only, Groucho Marx.

Groucho Marx of Marx Brothers fame. Although probably most famous on his own in later years.

Sorry - been busy - yes- his comment about not going any clubs....and yes, there was only one Groucho...

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