Is Coin Collecting Really The Hobby Of Kings?

Faroud.

Yes, this is the hobby of kings. It's also the hobby of peasants. That's the beauty - it's not limited by income, but by interest and commitment. A few dollars and the recognition that you hold history in your hands are the only prerequisites; it only scales upwards from there according to the value of your monetary investment, which has nothing to do with your emotional investment.

In that respect, we are equal to kings.

I think it is because the "great collections" that were put together in past centuries - particually in the 15th to 18th centuries, were acumulated by the very wealthy - the aristoracy of the time - ie, kings, dukes, etc. These coins tended to focus on ancients - some ancient Greek coins are works of art in their own right.

The ability of everybody and anybody to collect coins today bears no resemblence to the ability back a few centuries ago.

Interestingly, there developed a large sub industry in creating plaster casts of rare coins to satisfy the collecting craze among the rich during this "hobby of kings" time. Many of these casts are still available and can fetch a few quid in their own right.

Another reason it was the hobby of Kings was they were the only ones who HAD the surplus coins. Even in this country in the middle of the 19th century the mintages were such there were only a couple of US coins available PER PERSON. In 1798, the first year that the Mint produced over a million coins, that mintage only amounted to about one per coin for every ten people. US coins did not really start becoming commonplace until the latter half of the 19th century.

I am far from making a kings living but I am able to support this hobby none the less.

Surveys always ask such personal questions and I suspect about 95% of the answers are fake. I really can't see anyone giving out any personal information today. Birthdates, credit card numbers, salaries, etc. I know many think a web site is sscure but not true. Almsot any decent hacker can find out many things about anyone. And for a few dollars, those people search web sites can zero in on anyone with the slightest bit of info.

If it was The Hobby of Queens,would I need a new wardrobe?

It is the hobby of kings and somewhere in my box of oddball stuff, I have my burger king coin to prove it.

Doesn't say much for my income.