The Trend Of Popularity For Canadian Coin Collecting?

I believe at the RCNA convention this very topic will be discussed in one of the sessions.... would love to hear if anyone plans to attend...

I was talking with a few people awhile back about collecting and they didn't collect per say. They have the little dish at home with the random coins in it and nothing more. What seemed to be the biggest problem for them to want to collect was that the coins were not worth the effort, being the composition they're made of these days. That alone seemed to be the big turn off in wanting to start collecting. Rusty old junk was mentioned lol.

So I wonder if that alone puts a sour taste in the possibility of some new collectors coming aboard.

electronic payments - rather than cash - I think has played a big part. along with designs that remain unchanged for decades (/yawn). these 2 alone is why I got really interested in early/mid 1800s issues. still affordable, variety of designs without being overwhelmed, and very possible to start right from the beginning of the creation of our nation.

the population might be growing, but much of the growth is coming from immigration and the new citizens are unlikely to share our appreciation for our heritage, or can't wrap their heads around having spare hard currency that you save just for the fun of it. most home grown Canadians are in a disposable mindset - tangible goods, or saving anything in general just isn't in their DNA

the collector base is shrinking and as a result so are the prices. I would venture to say that auction results where coins have held their value are likely from older collectors buying from older collections.

we might have to skip a generation, or 2, of the current 'coinless kids' and wait for the new guard to show an interest in the good old days when grandpa used to actually carry REAL money.

This certainly illustrates the key difference between the current philosophy of today. The trend toward spending and borrowing money in order to make money is continually being reinforced. Saving, what's the point..... we are constantly reminded that the role of "the government" is to take care of us.

Thinking about that, yes it certainly could have a great impact on how the hobby of coin collecting is viewed. Possibly new collectors quickly lose interest, particularly if the initial attraction was due to a misguided notion that any connection to accumulating money ought to be lucrative.

Another challenge might be, considering Canada is a young country, we are in a era of numismatic growing pains. Perhaps the hobby hasn't yet matured or, for that matter, become fully recognized in a respectable way. I say that because it never ceases to amaze me how many people, even older people in my age group, have odd ideas of what it involves. To them coin collecting is perceived to be something akin to compulsively stashing away and hoarding coin, a hobby that ranks somewhere as uninteresting as say, collecting recyclable bottles.

I think this conversation is missing the arrival of the internet.

In terms of declining prices, I think the internet has played a major role in this, in the 80's and 90's your access to coins was limited to the occasional show, LCS and a few auctions. Now you can buy almost any coin, in most grades at any time of the day from multiple sources. This eliminated the false scarcity that previously existed and brought competition to the market, especially for common coins. Prices for many coins probably never should have been as high as they were.

In terms of collectors, many people no longer need to attend a show or LCS to purchase coins or supplies. I have never been to a show and have only set foot in an actual shop a handful of times. While I am young and use both hands, I just don't have/make the time or am unavailable to make most of the shows. Yet I frequently participate in online auctions (ebay, HA, CNC etc...). If the numbers feel smaller and there are not that many young people, it is probably because we are online and mostly invisible.

Another possibility, assuming the young are not around, is because we lack the resources to collect. The ARP has sucked up the cheapest and sometimes most enjoyable part of collecting, leaving only new steel coins or the occasional lucky find. It is not the most exciting time to be CRH, especially as a new collector.

@AgcoinAu
I have booked my hotel and will be there for all of the convention. In fact I hope to exhibit at the convention. I have filled out the form but I need to send it in. Maybe I will see you there.

If I was young, knowing what I know now (yeah, how often have you heard that!) as opposed to the scatter approach, I'd focus on collecting only one complete denomination or era. Most likely 5c including all major varieties, eventually working backward to 1858. After deciding how to attractively display and store them, I'd take a breather and maybe in a few years pick it up again and work towards collecting something else. Much like any other hobby, the level of interest is not generally constant.