Apology from Coin World...
RichR
Posts: 3,870 ✭✭✭✭✭
Did anyone else receive an apology from Coin World today...for cutting the number of pages and the US value listings last month...to reduce costs.
Apparently lots of readers threatened to not renew their subscriptions...because they don't have computer access to check values online.
Which raises the question...is the Mint missing out on potential sales by not providing an offline avenue to purchase coins directly...by mail, for instance..like in the good old days?
Discuss...
PS...here's the note from Coin World:
Last month in this column, I had the tough duty of explaining that rising production costs had forced us to reduce the page count (to 140 pages) for the May monthly issue of Coin World, with the necessary cuts in editorial content being made to the U.S. Coin Values section. We anticipated negative feedback but hoped that the reminder that the full valuing system was online would mollify readers. It did not.
Beginning in this 132-page issue, the full U.S. Coin Values section is restored. You told us that you did not like the changes, and many of you said that those cuts would factor into future decisions about renewing your subscriptions. Many of you we spoke with responded that you lacked computer access, making the full digital price guide inaccessible. The complaints came from both dealers and collectors.
With the full restoration of the valuing section and the loss of eight pages when compared to the May issue, this June edition features necessary cuts in other sections.
The World Coins section has shrunk from May’s 28 pages to this month’s 12 pages. The amount of advertising is roughly the same between the two issues, but we have had to cut the editorial content. Gone are the columns “Ancients Today,” “Topical,” “European Report” and “Photo Finish,” and the “New Issues” coverage is reduced considerably. The amount of editorial content in this section totals what is supported by the paid advertising offering world coins. For years we have subsidized editorial content in an amount unsupported by advertising. In today’s publishing reality, that is no longer financially possible.
Comments
No. The added cost would not be recouped.
PCGS did the same with their publication recently, and I don’t recall any uproar about it.
I doubt the Mint is missing out much by not offering mail sales—small audience and extra costs.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I canceled by subscription to CW awhile back. I looked for a copy to pick up at B&N and I couldn't find one at two locations...
How many is a lot? 10? 100? 1000? My suspicion is the loss of whatever number of subscribers is hugely offset by the cost savings. It's not like the print magazine business is exactly thriving and they have to do what they have to do.
And for those who don't want computer access, they can always pay for a Greysheet subscription instead.
Many companies are encouraging paperless options. What will become of our libraries?
My box of Fruit Loops went from 14 OZ to 11 OZ, and the cost was the same.
So, yes.
I DO feel your pain.
peacockcoins
I subscribed to Coin World for 50 years but dropped it a few years ago.
I subscribed for over 30 years, but cancelled around the time they went to the magazine version, vs the newspaper version.
Dave
I thought the Mint DID have a direct offline sales vehicle -- telephone sales! Of course, they also sell through dealers. They also mail out catalogs periodically. No, they do not lose a single sale by not offering mail sales in 2023.
My college library doesn't have or need many books. The only books they have are of the artifact variety. They provide digital access to material. Libraries are not really about books, they are about information.
Greysheet doesn’t list value for moderns. CW cut the Roosie dime values and well Greysheet doesn’t list values either. Jefferson nickels we’re removed from CW. Lots of modern collectors and there’s my 2 cent. Thanks 🙏
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"Shrinkflation".
This is common throughout all venues at this time. Costs have risen sharply, as a result services, quality, quantity has been reduced or prices increased, to cover the shortfall. What we see now will become the new normal. Cheers, RickO
Someone at the top wanted a raise. Thought it wouldn't be noticed, but it was.
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We used to sell CW in our shop for a while but frankly it wasn't worth it for multiple reasons. The few people that did buy one usually would only do so once or twice before either quitting or subscribing; before long diminishing returns kicked in and we were eating more copies than we sold. Combine that with the fact that the articles were generally old news by the time the print copies hit the shelf, and that they were usually full of advertising, meaning we were essentially paying for the privilege of allowing competitors to advertise to our customers inside our own business. It seemed rather counterproductive, thus we quit carrying both CW and NN. As to the pricing part of it, most of those numbers weren't overly accurate anyway.
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Yep, my dog food went from 20lbs to 16lbs with a higher cost.
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Once a year a magazine that is distributed through the mail has to publish information that includes the number of subscriptions distributed through the mail and the number of newsstand sales. That would tell you whether 10 or 100 is a large %.
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