Poll: Top 10 events in the last twenty years that have helped numismatics the most/Top 10 most dama

wingedliberty

While driving the other day, I thought about how our hobby has been revolutionized since I began
collecting twenty or so years ago. Here is what I came up with. Please feel free to contribute.

I believe the following ten have had the most positive impact on the hobby.


1.The internet in general.
2.Ebay in particular.
3.Grading criteria have become more standardized.
4.Professional coin grading and encapsulation.
5.PCGS and NGC in particular.
6.Stronger anti-counterfeiting measures.
7.Collector's demand for quality
8.Collector's demand for eye-appeal and greater appreciation of toned coins and cameo/dcam.
9.Statehood quarter program.
10.United States Eagle bullion coin program.


Here are the ten most damaging.

1.ACG
2.TV coin programs.
3.Dealer fraud and corruption.
4.Poor dealer ethics.
5.Coin colorization.
6.Key date replica coins.
7.Mint employees smugling mega error mules out of the mint.
8.ICG overgrading of modern proofs.
7.Quasi mints passing off coin rounds as actual coins minted by the US Mint. These are the magotts
we see in airliner magazines and in USA Today.
8.ACG, I feel they deserve another entry.
9.ACG, I could not resist another entry again.
10.The mints poorest advertising campaing in history. The failed promotion of the SAC dollar.


Please feel free to contribute.

Best regards,
Brian.

dan1ecu

Brian,

I'd add Heritage to your list of most positive.

Dan

wingedliberty

I agree about Heritage. I love their site, I use the my collection feature alot.
Also, Jim Halperin and Stevy Ivy are an assett to the hobby.
Did you guys know that Halperin is a successful scifi author. He's actually very good.


Brian.

its4real

Yes he is - - I have read several of his novels.

airplanenut

<< <i>7.Quasi mints passing off coin rounds as actual coins minted by the US Mint. These are the magotts
we see in airliner magazines and in USA Today. >>


Now I'm insulted- you see them in SkyMall Magazine- Airliner magazines refer to great publications like Airliners Magazine, which is EXCELLENT.

To your worst things list:
ACG
ACG
ACG
ACG
ACG

You didn't give them what they deserved...

wingedliberty

Jeremy:
The derogatory reference was to the advertiser and not the quality of the airliner magazine.
I enjoy the magazines also and am a great fan of military and civilian aviation. ACG does deserve
the added listings you gave them in the negative column.


Brian.

its4real

My 2 cents worth,

While the internet and the proliferation of information technology has definitely helped expand the marketplace for coin collecting and collectors in general, it has also provided a ready and willing proving ground for all of the fraud we see almost daily on e-bay and other auction sites - EVEN TV.

It was only 2 days ago that the members HERE, in the coin forum, prevented one of these fraudulent dealers from auctioning fake - no - non-exsistent coins on E-bay (I know they exsisted - just in places other than "in the sellers possesion").

While many of the positives you have mentioned have greatly expanded the hobby and the market, they also have, IMO, caused the easy proliferation of most of the evils you have mentioned, too. Without E-bay - the fraudulent dealers wouldn't have an audience to pander to. Same for ALL of the internet auction sites. Without the quick and easy information exchange, ACG, the MOST inexpensive "grading" service, would not really be able to show it's services so inexpensively.

The internet, IMO, is a Pandora's Box of sorts....it is SOOO wonderful...

And yet soooo completely corrupting.

So much for my 2 cents worth....anyone have any $1 1849 to 1889 gold coins?

airplanenut

Mike... take it to the BST forum

Brian,

I don't mind you insulting SkyMall... it is is overly expensive to buy ANYTHING in the magazine... just for the convenience of calling free from a plane (on Continental, dial *759 )

You might as well buy a treadmill at Ben Gourion in Tel Aviv!

Jeremy

wingedliberty

Jeremy:
On my last trip I noticed that Skymall was advertising a Widow's Mite for $49.95.
Any ancient's dealer will sell you one for $12.00


Brian.

JJacks

Brian, I agree with your list almost completely! The interesting thing to note is that sometimes the positives and negatives get inter-mixed. For example, many of the low ethics T.V. shows (No. 2 negative) will sell slabbed coins (No. 4 positive)! Also, for example, ebay can be used as another venue for rip-off artists to defraud people (or another place to sell ACG coins!). Of course, I still beleive the hobby is better off because of the items you list as positives.

JJacks

wingedliberty

You're right , thats a good observation. There is a dark side to any positive I guess.

Brian.

oldcameoproofsguy

The NGC and PCGS Registries aren't on the list and have for now have helped numismatics in a profound way.

One very detrimental aspect to numismatics IMO is that the designs on our circulating coinage are so dismal.

goyankeez

Good List. I think there's a lot of bad associated with the positives, but the net result would be a positive and worthy of the category. For example ebay is great for buying coins (IMO), but there is a lot of deceit and fraud going around. PCGS/NGC have helped me tremendously in the hobby, but some collectors think that there is too much emphasis on the slab and not the coin.

Overall, I believe these events to be steps forward in numismatics.

The SAC advertising campaign is just SAD.

Twowood

What affect do you all think the economic recession has had on coin collecting?
It occurs to me that there is a tremendous amount of cash out there that's been withdrawn from the stock market and I suspect, some of it has found it's way into gold in the form of coins and bullion.
This may be a temporary condition ,nevertheless, there are investors looking for safety and the gold/silver market is usually their choice. Twowood

Tade

We seem to focus on EBay as a potential negative because of some selling practices, yet the internet provided all of us a way to
buy and trade coins that did not exist before. Also, this forum is a hugh positive for the collecting of coins.

Tade

cladking

You could start about twenty threads for this subject. The non-listing of modern
commems on their 20th anniversary is surely an oversight.

It's hard to believe coin colorization so far has been more than a non-event to the
hobby. It is still limited to items which are in ample supply or made primarily for
this purpose, so it has minimal effect on collectors who choose not to participate.
Should a method ever emerge to truly authenticate colorization then there is some
chance that these coins could gain value!

Just as there is no such thing as bad press, it's difficult to believe that the failed
campaign for the Sac dollar harmed the hobby. And bear in mind, had it been suc-
cessful then large numbers of quarters would have been displaced from circulation,
and mintages of states quarters would have plummeted and stayed low for years.
This would have had serious negative impact on the hobby.

At the risk of appearing to support or condone the antics of the TV coin hawkers:
They are showing the public what coins there are available. It would have taken
years for the hobby to disseminate as much information as they do in a few seconds.

It's difficult to believe that grading is any more standardized today than ever before.

ricardouno

I think a negative has been the decision by the grading services (PCGS in particular) to abandon their practice of paying a small fee for the return of the little slips inside their capsule holders (from the multitudes of "crack outs" and re-submissions). This has decreased the accuracy and reference value of the population reports significantly.

wingedliberty

Thanks to everyone for the excellent feedback and valuable insight.


Brian.

PTVETTER

Here is a good one,
The poeple on this board help to promote and protect the hobby.
Hats off to all here.

wingedliberty

I agree, when you consider that the people on this board are very serious and informed collectors.
After all, if we were not, would we be willing to spend hours talking about coins?
Its important to stay vigilant, and share information to protect the hobby from vile influences
like ACG.


Brian.

dddangerousdan

the biggest thing to happen to the coin hobby far and away is the state quarter program. It has brought more people in than any other thing. over half the people I know have started collecting them and are looking forward to finishing the set. The next thing that could boost our hobby is changing the coin design. as far as the coins them selves I don't think any of them have hurt, they have all brought in new collectors, some more than others.

DAN

ARCO

The Internet and internet Auctions hands down number one...IMHO

Tyler

fcloud

I think the re-introduction of commems has to be on the list. Could you imagine if the 1982 Washington half was a failure. We wouldn't have commems, or state quarters.

Tony

braddick

ACG's impact is only on the beginning collector- and even then, only to a degree.
I don't know anyone here that is fooled by ACG.
While the other negative events have been damaging to me, ACG is a non-issue and if not for the fact they are discussed here frequently, would be a part of the hobby I would have no contact with.