Coin Collectors - Where Are They?

I'm hiding right here! Lot of collectors including myself don't broadcast the fact that I collect (for security reasons). I'm very selective of the people that I know personally whom I choose to let know of my collecting passion. Shows are another story.

I joined a local coin collectors club about a year ago. It's great. Have you looked for a coin collectors club in your NYC neighborhood? You might be surprised.
The coin virus affects all races, ages, genders, religions, etc, as far as I can tell. I think it's great. I have a blast. Most members I know don't even wear a disguise to the meetings!

And here is my 2 CENTS tooooo. Or is it also? No there are no more coin collectors out there. Just me and a few members of this forum. And sometimes I suspect there is only one person here using many different names just to keep me here.
A future in coin collecting. Of course not. This is just to new a hobby and will certainly fail as with the Beanie Babies.
My solution for you is simple. Take all the coins you now have and send them to me. Of course you pay postage since I'm really helping you out of a hobby with no future.
Now for a serious note. The above is due to me putting together my income tax stuff and two Martini's.
In reality coin collecting has been around for possibly thousands of years. I remember a few Roman statesmen that collected coins when I was a kid. Consider Whitman came out with a thing called the Red Book in 1946 and wondered if it would catch on. Now selling by the millions. New album manufacturers are poping up all the time. Coin web sites and forums are also being created almost daily. I remember at coin shows it was seldom anyone had a book on coins. Now there are tables full of them.
True that some consider those that collect the State Quarters or the baby dollar coins not true coin collectors (Numismatist). They are wrong. Every one starts a hobby somewhere. Some kids that used to make model airplanes now fly them. Some kids that played with cap guns now have real gun collections and go shooting for fun or sport.
As to not finding any. Your in NYC and that should tell you something. Not many people run around in cities with high crime statistics bragging about a coin collection. Younger collectors tend to use the internet for coins. Maybe smarter and get less exposure to possible theft.
I am around the Chicago area. Finding someone that will admit to collecting anything, including Beanie Babies, just don't happen. We do collect but we ain't gonna brag about it nor tell stangers. And true at coin shows you see a lot of elderly individuals. That is mostly due to: 1.Don't know how to use the internet 2. Already know many of the dealers so get some great deals. 3. Don't really care about the internet. 4. Afraid of ebay. 5. When you get old you try to find things to do and a coin show is great for that. 6. Best of all is the ability to actually see what your buying, no mail, no postage, no insurances and once you know a dealer well, you'll get breaks that can't be beat by a stranger on ebay.

I agree with Ratman, I myself also don't tell many people I am a coin collector for the same reasons. I can assure you that there are plenty of people out there who collect and are under 50.

I started with State Quarters in 1999. last year I tried to assembly a set of quarters back to whenever but I only found a 1964 in my change jar and nothing older than 1964. I told my discovery to an old guy at work. He happened to be a silent coin collector and explained briefly the history of US coins to me. He also pointed out the 1964 to be silver and how lucky to find one in change jar. I started to buy quarters on ebay then. Although I haven't finished my Washington quarter set but I finished JFK set and am working on Franklin set.
As for the future of this hobby, if everyone of us introduce a young person this hobby will be fine.

Archraz - you exactly captured my thoughts. BTW - I found a coin store in Munich which I will try and swing by on the way to airport.

Zohar444- well that has just always been my experience. Sometimes it can be especially difficult if you are dating or married to someone who really doesn't understand it (yes, this is referring back to an old post). This might sound rather lame, but all in all what matters is how you feel about it and the joy the hobby brings to you.

And good luck visiting shops while in Munich! I will be curious to hear how that goes.

One thing I forgot to mention previously is when I used to work in a really larg organization that delt with other countries, the employees too were from many different countries. I used to wonder around asking them for coins from their countries. I was always amazed at how many also collected coins. And usually they were on the much younger than me side.
Possibly people from other countries are not as theft concious as we are here. Coin collection robberies are on the increase due to the poor economy lately.