A celebration Giveaway - win a nice Silver half - winners announced!

ursabear

Folks, to celebrate a major milestone in my life, I'm having a bit of a contest. To the winner, a nice, PR67-68 CAM 1976 Kennedy.

To win, submit a one-paragraph thought about your feelings on how we can best encourage new collectors to love the hobby for the long term. The contest is, of course, very subjective on my part. Runner-ups and honorable mentions will also be considered. Have fun!



Some restrictions apply, some assembly required, batteries not included, no shipping & handling, contest winnings "as-is", enjoy.

ursabear

ttt ??

mbbiker

This may or may not qualify me for the gievaway but the way i get other people into collecting is to give them a few coins now and then (buffs, mercs..) and after doing that i can tell if they are interested in collecting or not by the questions they ask. Once they start asking important questions about grading, storing coins correctly, i will give them an old whitmann holder and an old red book i have laying around. This has seemed to work for me over the years. I have been collecting for about 10 years and trying to get people interested in collecting for about 3 years, in those 3 years i've had over a dozen people join my local coin club.


edit to ask how some assembly required is relevent to a silver half???


congratulations on your achevement

ursabear

Ahhh... the only assembly required is the paragraph! ;D

jtryka

I think the key to getting new collectors in for the long-term is education. Now this isn't meant to suggest that all new collectors attend a seminar, but that us more experienced collectors should take the time and effort to encourage new collectors to learn about the series we collect. After all, how many of us were once intimidated by the cost of some series, yet the coin press and collectors tend to focus on the super rarities that bring the high price tags. What collectors need to know is that most US coins are quite affordable even on a limited budget, and this can be a very satisfying hobbie even if you aren't wealthy. More experienced collectors should be open to questions from newbies, either in person or in forums like these. Finally, we need to encourage younger folks to start collecting. The US Mint has a number of neat classroom programs to learn about coins and history (any teachers out there?). There are many younger folks that we come in contact with each day that might be encouraged to start collecting (and as we've seen with Pokemon, they do like to collect things!), for instance, I just picked up some Whitman quarter folders (1965-date) for my office managers son, as he started with a state quarter map, and I encouraged her to get him into the rest of the series. I let her know how much fun I had as a kid looking through my mom's change to fill Whitmans, and what a great activity it might be for her to bring home a roll of quarters once in a while to fill those holes (a great value for 25 cents a piece!). Lastly, I encourage all of you to spend odd coins. I know some like to put obsolete coins into circulation, but it could be simple like spending Kennedys. I can't tell you how many nice conversations I've had with so many fine folks just be handing them a Kennedy to pay for my purchase. Getting people to learn about the hobby, and focusing on its positive aspects (not the negative rip-off stories, etc.) can make all the difference in the world in bringing forth a new generation to the hobby.

Ursa, congrats on your fine accomplishment!

ursabear

ttt

vega1

How anout this. Give away low grade indian head cents and buffalo nickels for holloween instead of candy. They are inexpensive, easy to get, and may just inspire a new collector as they try to find out what its worth. This is similar to how I got interested, I got a mercury dime in change from a gas station. I was hooked as soon as I started to look around for information on the coin.

Just a thought.

mr1931S

Try to instill in the YN the real joy of collecting.The real joy of collecting is about the thrill of discovering coins and things about coins,and too,discovering things about oneself.

airplanenut

How to encourage new collectors to love the hobby? Do what I did to get hooked

Every coin is historical and tells a story- whether it is the 1793 chain cent that was the first major coin made under our Constitution, or the 1964 coins showing the decline of a precious-metal-based monetary system. Obviously, however, the older the coin, generally the more history it contains. Now think about the time periods coins have seen- the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the great depression, and more (not intended to rhyme ) What would it have been like to live back in the day when those coins, Indian Head Cents, Large Cents, bust dollars, and colonial coins were produced? We can see movies, but that shows a bias of the writer/director, no matter how fascinating they are. What, then, is the link to history? Coins. Holding an old copper lets your imagination soar as you relive the time period when the coin was first produced. You are truly seeing the past when you hold a nice old coin. Copper and silver from the 14-19th centuries, whether world or US, is relatively cheap, depending on the grade. I was hooked when I let my imagination take over, and I am sure many more would be hooked, too.

Jeremy

indianabyron

The love of the hobby.... Learning the history of the coin or coins your after, or teaching somebody about the history of coins . The thrill of the hunt the thrill of showing somebody the excitement in the hunt looking for coins. Its all an adventure in the friends you make the places you will go. This is a hobby you can put down and come back and you will still have exactly what you had when you stopped. This is also the hobby that when you come back to it, it will reignite the coin fire in yor coin loving heart. It gives me great pleasure to know that my nephew is now showing a little interest in coins and currency. And to think it all started with a Ms64 1922 Peace dollar that I gave him. One can only hope that I helped in creating another coin lover.


Byron

StillLurking

Start them young and let them have fun first. Hand them a coin they've never seen before. Better yet hand them a couple pounds of Darkside coins and say "Will you help me sort them?". Turn a 30 minute sorting job into a 2 hour gab-fest with lot's of time for "look at this one" and "hey, what's that?". Show them bi-metallics, edge writing and a Krause Catalog of World Coins. Explain how "Helvetica" is really Switzerland a Stotinki isn't something the dog did. When they see how dirty their hands are let them "honk" your nose and don't wash it off. Drop a silver coin, the bigger the better, to hear the sound it makes. Show them a binder full of coins in 2x2s and ask which is their favorite. Let them pick something to keep as pay for "helping" you. Maybe one or two will remember it as a good time and do the same when they're 50.

Cameo CC

The best way to encourage new Coin collectors, in my opinion, is first to be honest. Second is to provide a certified coin over an un-certified coin. For with a certified coin there is no question about the Grade of a coin. Third, show enthusiasm about what one owns and the joy of collecting coins. Lastly, have great customer service.

Todd

MrKelso

<< <i>How to encourage new collectors to love the hobby? Do what I did to get hooked

Every coin is historical and tells a story- whether it is the 1793 chain cent that was the first major coin made under our Constitution, or the 1964 coins showing the decline of a precious-metal-based monetary system. Obviously, however, the older the coin, generally the more history it contains. Now think about the time periods coins have seen- the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the great depression, and more (not intended to rhyme ) What would it have been like to live back in the day when those coins, Indian Head Cents, Large Cents, bust dollars, and colonial coins were produced? We can see movies, but that shows a bias of the writer/director, no matter how fascinating they are. What, then, is the link to history? Coins. Holding an old copper lets your imagination soar as you relive the time period when the coin was first produced. You are truly seeing the past when you hold a nice old coin. Copper and silver from the 14-19th centuries, whether world or US, is relatively cheap, depending on the grade. I was hooked when I let my imagination take over, and I am sure many more would be hooked, too.

Jeremy >>



I am not going to enter but if i were a judge i would take a close look at what this fellow wrote here, The History, The Imagination all the key's to seed a newbie are right here. good job Airplanenut.

ursabear

Last night for answers folks. I'll be posting the winner tomorrow night...

C U There.

Bulldog

Empasis on Knowledge, Enthusiasm, Education, History with follow up discussions with our Jr's. Desensitize the Profit, Greed motivators. When with the Jr.s, empasize sharing all the positive traits, restrain the negative traits and collect for fun, and have fun. Let them know that the hunt, sometimes is more fun than bagging the rabbit. And if you miss the rabbit, wait, and another will come within their sites! Some times. looseing is winning!

Bulldog

NoviceKris

You all had great posts, from the eyes of a new collector. Thanks for all those good thoughts. I
won't attempt an entry but applaud all of you and hope the ideas you express stick in the minds of
others here. And hope that those of us still deep in discovery get the helping hand we need to keep
up our interest.

But mostly I am posting to thank Ursabear for that pin he just earned. He has always had my respect
as a collector and he now has my respect as humanitarian for his good and altruistic works. Wear
that pin with pride. And thanks again.

Kris

lincolnSence

Ok, I'll take a crack at it for the kids not so much for the coin prize. If everyone of the forum membership volunteers to put on a one hour presentation (which could be about their own collection interest) to their local boy scout or girl scout (brownie?) organization, I can tell you from experience (as I did this once) the level of enthusiam generated is enormous. I still converse (5 years later) with 2 kids who loved the show. The kids earn a badge or something to sit there anyway, and should end up loving it. Besides, it gives the collectors a chance to brush up on their presentation skills.

In the end the number of parents that get interested is pretty good as well! Be prepared to answer all sorts of questions on Washington quarters.

airplanenut

ttt

1jester

Great idea for a thread, ursabear! And great thread too. I like all the entries and ideas. Personally I'm interested in coin collecting for many reasons: it's interesting, informative, profitable, enjoyable, and a constructive way to spend time. I've collected since my older brother piqued my interest at the tender age of 5 or 6. Naturally, I couldn't afford to buy anything at the time, but I started reading the Redbook, and dreaming about all the nice coins I wanted. I love the historical aspect of coin collecting, picking up coins and imagining what the coins would say if they could only talk. Coins aren't only history; they are our history. They are the history of mankind's trading with one another, a tribute to specialization and freedom. They are artwork, too. And they possess intrinsic value--the value of the metals they are made of. I try to share my love for collecting with others, especially new people--all prospective collectors, you never know who will share your interest. I've given away quite a few coins too, and some of the people to whom I've given them have indeed become avid collectors. I think the thrill of the hunt is one necessary component of collecting--if there is no incentive to find something valuable, nobody would collect, but rather simply stick their savings in the bank.

Happy collecting.



PS: what, no winner yet? It's past closing time, I thought.

agentjim007

buy coins............buy coins.....................buy coins..........................buy coins......................................buy coins........


....................... buy coins.....................................................buy coins.....................................buy coins.............................


Buy coins............................................................................................................................................................buy coins. Thank You

LucyBop

You think the Secret Agentman is trying to get a point across?

airplanenut

<< <i>You think the Secret Agentman is trying to get a point across? >>

I wouldn't

ClarkOfKent

agentjim007,

Why did you post a blank message? I thought I saw something there at first, but.... I dunno, it's almost like I was subliminally reading something into that blank page....
Well, I gotta go... I feel like hitting eBay and.... buying coins. Hmmm... I wasn't gonna buy any more coins this week, but it sounds like such a good idea, now....

GaCoinGuy

My personal feelings lie more in the history of coins rather than the value. I show the coins to people, and they get interested.......or not. I've turned a couple co-workers into budding collectors recently.......it's amazing that once you show someone a coin, and they say "I have a box full of old coins at home" and then they bring them to show and then they get real into them.

Clankeye

You know Ursabear, I don't think there is anyway you can guarantee that people will "love the hobby for the long run." I think the best we can do is exposure and education. The people who do end up in the hobby for the long run, often stay in it, and participate in the face of brutal learning experiences. Experiences that drive many away for good. But, those who do stay. They have it in their blood. I find the best I can do, is just spend the time to talk to people who show any sort of interest in coins. It really helps to show and tell. If you can pull an actual piece from your collection and speak to it... tell them what it is, and why it's "a quarter worth more than a quarter" etc. ...people can get interested.
I have given many people birthyear sets. And usually they are struck by the beauty of the coins. Sometimes they start looking at coins differently. I think the state quarter program has had a similar effect.
These are good things to do. Especially with kids.

Well, I made this response more than one paragraph. A good and noble thread Ursabear... congratulations on your milestone.

Clankeye

ursabear

Folks,

Hello again and long time no see. Sorry I was gone and didn't finish out the contest. Life caught up with us, lots of serious software release deadlines, holidays, and other issues at hand. Overwhelming would be putting it lightly. I'm back, and starting to warm up my coin engine again.

I had a truly difficult time deciding who won. So many great thoughts. So many.

So I thought I'd have a bit of fun with this in the spirit of the thread. It actually pains me to have to choose among you all - I think you're great.

The grand prize goes to Airplanenut! Just pop me a PM with your address and I'll send it your way the next time I hit the post office.

Second place (and your choice of a nicely circulated Mercury or Buffalo to):
jtryka, mbbiker and bulldog - please PM me with your mailing addresses.

Wonderful thoughts from all of these and thank you. I wish I had the funds to send each and all of you a little something!
vega1
indianabyron
StillLurking
mr1874
NoviceKris
Cameo CC
Clankeye
GaCoinNewbie
1jester
lincolnSence
and all the others.

RGL

Thanks for the kind giveaway, ursabear, and congrats to airplanenut!

indianabyron

The good luck is shining down on airplanenut. Lucky kid

Byron

ursabear

ttt for those who have not PMd me...