Building a YN Initiative

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We recently had a great piece from Abigail Zechman on the importance of getting younger collectors involved in numismatics. "Because YNs, or young numismatists, are an integral part of the future of numismatics, it is important that we make a conscious effort to get more kids involved in the hobby. We have to create YN initiative programs to help make numismatics more accessible for young collectors. This can be a daunting but incredibly rewarding task. As someone who has only recently aged out of YN status and is currently part of multiple successful YN programs, I recommend three things when building a YN initiative: Gear the program towards kids, provide opportunities for active numismatic involvement, and offer multiple levels of participation."

Read more: https://www.pcgs.com/news/building-a-yn-Initiative

FlyingAl

I'd add:

Keep them collector focused.

jacrispies

Show them a bust half and they'll come running to numismatics!!

segoja

There are such programs that exist. Check out the PNG NextGen program. A very comprehensive program designed for YN's that have aspirations of becoming full time coin dealers. There are others out there!

The_Dinosaur_Man

I've inspired several dozen if not a couple of hundred youngsters to get into the hobby. Energy and phrasing is key, but the idea is to spark their sense of wonder.

Some of my go-to techniques include questions like what is the oldest penny they have ever held? Then putting in their hand a large cent from 1824 or earlier, letting them look at it, and then tell me about the coin. Usually, it confuses and amazes them, then I ask them fun questions like "Did they have internet back then? How about phones? How about electricity?"

Then I might follow up with one or two other old time pieces. Typically I go right to a type set laid out in a grid, ask them to point out the coins they recognize, and start walking them through the rest. I will show them the half cent, let them look at it like the Large Cent, and then figure out how many they would need to buy a snack or something today. Same for 2 cent pieces, three cent nickels, half dimes, and a general overview of the design changes for the dime, quarter, half, and dollar.

If they or their parents decide to buy a coin, I'll make it an indian head cent or a barber dime from a 100 years before they were born, something they can connect to. Then I'll throw in a bonus steel cent, and let them find out what it is as a homework project.

For collectors that come back for subsequent visits I'll start them off on Whitman folders or a date set based on their birth year, along with the Red Book. And I'll start showing them eye candy that's generally out of their price range, something I do anyways with seasoned collectors too.

olympicsos

I think instead of having new circulating commemorative programs, maybe the best trick in the book bringing back classic designs but this time in circulation might work

OAKSTAR

I did my small part about a year ago. I'm hoping some small kid found it.

Conshyboy

The kid at the local convenience store had given me an ATB quarter proof in my change, I then explained to him what it was and he was very interested in it and I told him to always check the coins in his register as long as it was permissable. I returned the next day and gave him a few coins, IHC, V nickel, a merc, SLQ, and the first and last year of the Wheat penny. Now anytime I go in the store he usually has some coin he has found and we always have a coin discussion I hope I have set him on the path into the hobby as he seems to have a little more knowledge every time I see him.

WCC

Hobby has a noticeable reduced footprint vs. the past but is simultaneously more accessible than ever. Far more recreational alternatives now and recently vs. the past too for time and budget.