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 Replies: 38 / Views: 9,594 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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Over the years there has been a lot of discussion about the rapidly aging demographics of coin collectors and whether enough younger and middle-aged people are entering the hobby to keep it healthy. Yep, and that discussion has been going on for at least the last 70 years or so, probably longer. And in the last 40+ years that "rapidly aging demographic" has aged about one year. The average age was 55 back when I started collecting in 1972, and now it's 56. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1295 Posts |
I'm only 15 ½, so I just barely fit into the millennial generation. I personally don't see the point in buying pricey electronics; every time I get my allowance I spend it on coins. Coins are a tangible asset that you can sell later on, whereas when a smartphone breaks it is as good as garbage.
My only coin club so far is CCF, so I can't speak for other organizations, but it is good to hear that a quarter of the members here are YNs. On the other hand, I frequent coin shows on a regular basis, and so far I have been the only young coin collector there. I think collectors of my generation would rather use the internet to get in touch with other collectors in the hobby.
I believe that there are many YNs out there, who buy coins for their collections online. With this method, however, there is a very good chance of getting scammed into buying a counterfeit. I would rather examine a coin in hand, at a coin show, a shop, or wherever, but that is just me.
I haven't observed enough to make a statement regarding the future of numismatics, but I certain hope my generation becomes active in the hobby, as most of the collectors I've seen are near retirement age.
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Moderator
 United States
189502 Posts |
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I'm only 15 ½... I personally don't see the point in buying pricey electronics; every time I get my allowance I spend it on coins. Wise beyond your years.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1531 Posts |
I'm so jealous. I wish I got allowance to spend on coins.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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I haven't observed enough to make a statement regarding the future of numismatics, but I certain hope my generation becomes active in the hobby, as most of the collectors I've seen are near retirement age. Rollsearcher, I was about your age when I started attending my first coin shows, and I was also about the only young person there and all the collectors seemed to be near retirement age. Most of the collectors that were members of the coin clubs when I joined have now died, and after years of being the youngest member I now see many younger than I am. And it won't be that much longer until I'm reaching retirement age. The clubs are still about the same size and when I was your age, the shows are about the same size or a little larger. I haven't seen any significant change in the collector demographics over that time span. There are never many young people, and they are always changing coming into the hobby and then back out again. But a percentage of them come back later in life and then they stay for decades. That's why the hobby is top heavy with "old white guys". It always has been and probably always will be. if you find pictures of club memberships in old publications, or pictures of convention attendees, you will find out that way back when it was still almost all "old white guys". |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
621 Posts |
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Yep, and that discussion has been going on for at least the last 70 years or so, probably longer. And in the last 40+ years that "rapidly aging demographic" has aged about one year. The average age was 55 back when I started collecting in 1972, and now it's 56. That is extremely interesting. I too have seen that discussion a lot lately and have been wondering. Thank you for sharing your experience. it's rather enlightening. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3843 Posts |
Thanks for the observations. I'm feeling a bit better about the future of the hobby.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4637 Posts |
Millennials: Will They Be The Next Generation Of Collectors? Can They Afford To Collect?
I know what they probably won't collect, STAMPS
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Moderator
United States
189502 Posts |
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I know what they probably won't collect, STAMPS  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10044 Posts |
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I know what they probably won't collect, STAMPS
...or pennies and nickels if jbuck's wish comes true  How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
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Moderator
United States
189502 Posts |
They can still collect them, just not from circulation.  |
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Pillar of the Community
Norway
1358 Posts |
Don't worry, American cents are still the most minted coins in the world and apparently that even gets on to some coin collectors nerves, in such degree that even they just toss them on the street. So there's lots to collect and to collect here...  Anyway, thanks a lot for reviving the zombie thread! It is actually still a very relevant question and a very good topic to have some thoughts on. Which I won't post, as some of this would probably be going against the forum rules.  |
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Moderator
United States
189502 Posts |
For some reason I did not ever realize that this was zombie thread!  |
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Valued Member
United States
263 Posts |
There is still hope for the future! A coworker had some coin questions since she noticed some of my coins. I gave her some duplicates and now her 8 year old is excitedly looking at coins! I'm putting together a pile of different countries and giving him some organizing supplies so he can arrange his new treasures. We hooked another one!
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Valued Member
Canada
458 Posts |
who knows if there be enough of these people to keep the hobby going
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Replies: 38 / Views: 9,594 |
First Page
Posted 04/14/2014 1:51 pm
