Coin Dealers, Numismatists - college degrees
kieferscoins
Posts: 10,017 ✭
As I am sitting here in the library of my local junior college I was thinking about what degrees a numismatist or coin dealer really needs to survive. I know we talked about a Numismatist degree a few days ago, but to those coin dealers/people who work in the coin business on the board:
What type of college education do you have? Major? Was it beneficial or would you have done something different? Do you know ohers that think the same way? Thanks for any help. I am a business major right now, but as I sit here I am thinkin to myself "half of this stuff I don't even need or will ever use. Is this the right major or should I do history or something else?"
Cameron Kiefer
What type of college education do you have? Major? Was it beneficial or would you have done something different? Do you know ohers that think the same way? Thanks for any help. I am a business major right now, but as I sit here I am thinkin to myself "half of this stuff I don't even need or will ever use. Is this the right major or should I do history or something else?"
Cameron Kiefer
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Comments
What do you want to do in life? I love coins, but would never want to be a dealer. Ruins the hobby part of it.
Cameron Kiefer
I have a marketing degree and a law degree, though neither was obtained with the thought of becoming a coin dealer. I didn't make that decision until about three months prior to graduating from law school, when a coin dealer put the idea in my head.
Lookig back, I think that each degree has helped, at least in some regard and made me more attractive to potential employers when I first got started. Your concern that you might never need much of what you are learning is probably shared by people in most all other fields as well.
Cameron Kiefer
I'd say that a business degree would be the best thing you can get. I have an accounting degree, and it has saved me from having to hire a bookkeeper. You can pick up the history part thought private study. I've published articles on American history, and I only took European Civilization in undergraduate school. Economics training can help you write numismatic articles as well, and you will have to take those courses to get your business degree.
I think that college degrees in numismatics are useless if you are really going to practice the profession. Having a degree on numismatics only impresses a few newbies who don't know the ropes.
Treasure your education; learn as much as you can. It may or may not effect your bottom line but it will make you a better informed and interesting person. What really counts is what you see in the mirror each morning.
Ron
dont use either degree. I think it taught perserverance in completing something against all odds. My advice in looking back is go to college if you have what it takes. If not, be a plumber, electrician or auto mechanic- we really need those guys more than a bus load of mba's. PS i also have a mechanical contractor, plumbing and gas fitters liscense. What has that got to do with coins? You will know more in one month of running your own business than you will learn in 5 years of college.
For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever.
-Laura Swenson
In memory of BL, SM, and KG. 16 and forever young, rest in peace.
Edited to say - Thanks Mark, I just saw the typo.
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
I remember trying to decide if i wanted to be president or an airline pilot when i was in high school. I really admire the freshness of youth and the dreams of high school seniors. We didnt dream a lot back in the 60s when I was in school, we all thought we would get the big ticket to asia. I was spared that trip. Good luck on that ceo thing, you might just make it!
For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever.
-Laura Swenson
In memory of BL, SM, and KG. 16 and forever young, rest in peace.
roadrunner
I have a BA in Chemistry, a BA in Economcis, an MA in Economics, and a PhD in Economics. As you know, I teach at the University of Florida. And I see a lot of students with questions similar to your questions. I think the bottom line is that if you study certain "vocational" majors--accounting, computers, etc.--you definitely will use what you learn. The way I put it is that if you study accounting, you darn well better like accounting because you will be an accountant...at least for some part of your life. Most majors, however, are more general. Most students who study economics do not become economists; most students who study marketing do not go into marketing; and so forth. I describe these majors as "manangement trainee" majors. These majors train you in a subject and ho to approach issues but, as others have indicated, more importantly they also train you how to learn. The olkd cliche about "life long" learning is a cliche because i is true: I think the people who get the most out of life and are generally the most successful are life-long learners.
Now, based on starting salaries, on the average some majors are a LOT better than others: On the average, business subjects such as economics or finance are VERY good majors, on the average hard sciences are good majors, but on the average majors such as sociology are to be avoided. Marketing generally is not the strongest major nor is mangement, probably because they don't teach you much in the way of analytical thinking. But, 10 years out after your degree, whatever you decided to major in has a tiny effect on your life. The major effect at that time is what you have accomplished in the previous 10 years!
So, my advice is that you should choose a major that you enjoy. If it's in a business area (as long as it's not management) you'll do OK. If it's outside of business, say history or math or chemistry or political science or ...., be sure to take some business courses. These business classes probably will help you get a job if you decide to go outside of numismatics; if you stay inside numismatics, you already are earning credentials that will be more important than your classes. And business classes definitely will help you a bit once you start your job.
Good luck.
Mark
I got a degree in Theater Arts and then joined a rock band. Somehow I don't think that's the path for you...
For example, my undergraduate degree is in art. It earned me the right to become a USAF helicopter pilot in 1971. The recruiter said I could use my degree as a helicopter pilot. I asked, how? With a straight face, he said I could go to Vietnam and "draw fire." Are you through laughing at me? Good. The point is, I enjoyed what I did and who I did it with and as a result, performed well. I did later get an MBA and am president of a company today but being a company president wasn't the direct objective.
While there is nothing at all wrong with being a specialist in something, I highly recommend not overlooking the development of transportable skills--abilities that can be applied in a variety of industries and occupations. These are communication skills (oral and written), negotiation, finance and math, speed reading, people skills, organizational abilities, time management and the like. This ol' world will toss and turn you more than you can ever anticipate. Transportable skills will help you always (or at least more often) land on your feet.
WH