What, of these three choices, has contributed more to the hobby?

SethChandler

1) Set Registry Program
2) State Quarter Program
3) Ebay/ Internet

kieferscoins

Set registry - brought more competition to the hobby.

Cameron Kiefer

Barry

3) Ebay/ Internet

Has blown the market open, allowing collectors to buy/sell without the dealer taking a cut as middleman.

LucyBop

all of the above!

FatMan

I think the State Quarter Program has "contributed" the most. It has created the highest level of interest in coins by non collectors since the JFK Half Dollar. These non collectors are rapidly expanding their interests past the quarters to other series. A real boost to the hobby.

Ebay/Internet has had the greatest "Influence" on the hobby. One can now collect from anywhere in the world without attending shows or visiting a coin store. I do not believe that this "Influence" is necessarily a contribution due to the problems associated with many that use the internet to scam others.

dldallen

Tough, but good topic Seth! I find it hard to say which contributed more to the hobby because each contributed in a different way and could be viewed as both positive and negative.

1) Set Registry - A great idea and forum to both compete and build nice sets of the coins one enjoys (good). However, the competetive human nature encourages us to pay more attention to the number on the slab rather than the coin itself (and I include my guilty butt in this group)((bad)). It also exaggerated prices for high quality coins (and slabs) to the point where there can no longer be real competition(bad). Further, I don't think the Set Registry would be as successful if it were not for the Internet.

2) State Quarters - A great initiative by the US Mint that is a source of enjoyment for collectors and non-collectors alike (good). Encouraged folks to start or return to collecting (good). Combined with the Set Registry, quickly became too expensive for new/young collectors to continue or participate in a true competetive manner (bad).

3) eBay/Internet - Actually, I believe the two should not br lumped into the same category. eBay does contribute to the hobby by providing an avenue of coin commerce that may not be readily available to everyone (good). It does have its share of crooks and scams ready to take away the unsuspecting's money but that also happens on many a big city street in broad daylight (bad). If I had to say one thing that really impacted the hobby though, it would have to be the Internet.

First, none of the three items above would be as successful as they are today without the Internet. The Internet also gives us a much broader information base to obtain data and learns about coins (and any other hobby, news, etc). Along with information, it gives us the commercial medium to purchase coins and such from fellow collectors across continents. For those of us that care about the hobby, it allows us to communicate, share, teach, and learn from other collectors who would probably never meet; and most of us will never meet except via these electrons.

I'll stop my thesis here so others can contribute but I vote for the Internet as the event/medium that has contributed mroe to the hobby. Dave

Nic

The cycles of life and coins...and years of a great economy. K

coinkat

none of the above

keets

probably #3 and it's no surprise that it's contributed to the success of the other two.

al h.

BSqr

state quarter program

Bikingnut

I have to go for number three, not ebay, but the internet. IMO

prooflike

I think ebay/internet, it has made information/dialog more readily available and has also brought a greater variety of buyer/seller matches.

cosmicdebris

3

goose3

#3.

#1 wouldn't exist without the internet (or AlGore). As far as state quarters go they have generated some younger interest but I would say nothing near what ebay and the internet have done for the hobby.

jdimmick

Number 3, no so much specifically E-bay but the internet in general. I think it has brought a lot of buyers and sellers together and has helped some of the people who were afraid to get out and shop, a different avenue of buying. (more secure feeling )

However, with all the positive's there comes the negitives.

It has brought on a whole new list of fraudulent activities and crooks, which I hate with a passion, especailly to younger new collectors an unsuspecting inexperienced collectors.

Also, the one thing the internet did was to take the person to person relationship out of a coin collecting/trading. I used to travel around the country stopping at every shop I could and really enjoyed talking coins, but as time went by fewer and fewer shops were remaining open, because dealers went to on-line sales.

homerunhall

Seth...I believe you have choosen the three major reasons why coins are so hot now. I couldn't choose between the three. The fourth reason is because it is our turn!

smprfi

#3

Julian

State 1/4 program has added more people to the hobby, and that is the primary reason that the hobby should grow.

michael

julian is correct the stare quarter program and all the new collectors thereof starting to buy modern coins and then grow into the older series

sincerely michael

Typetone

State Quarters. They got people in an interested. These folks then discovered the coin internet sites and the set registry program. I have to say the certification is the fourth leg.

Greg

09sVDB

Ebay: Although not all has been positive.