A New Appreciation

tradedollarnut

Was looking at some old auction catalogs the other night and reading Bowers' fine Eliasberg book. As I perused page after page of catalog, it struck me how truly amazing it was that Garrett and Norweb and Eliasberg could put together such extensive collections filled with quality. Coin collecting has evolved since those collections were broken up - the new wave seems to be individual series in high quality. Very few are doing expansive collections anymore due to the very high cost - perhaps the last of that breed was Richmond?

Does anyone know of any current collectors of Eliasberg's ilk? I don't - all the amazing collections I know of are specialty collections: St Gaudens, Early Bust, Barber, Type, CC, etc.

clackamas

Take it into context, Eliasberg purchased the Clapp collection. If a Clapp caliber collection existed today?? Who knows maybe someone with deep pockets could match it? Would Eliasbergs collection be what it was without Clapp? Also take into context that collecting was not as popular when he started and the coins were in real money terms cheaper.

DMWJR

The hobby has obviously fragmented since the days of those collectors. I think you probably have more well heeled collectors involved today, and that has forced them to declare a specialty so to speak. The ability to have the best in one area is valued higher than having a collection that runs across the entire spectrum.

Is there anyone out there willing to make that type of investment in a coin collection? I don't have any idea. What would the Eliasberg collection cost to complete today, if possible?

Silvermonstercoins

"Collect and invest in what you know best".

That was my grandfather's words to me and to this day I live by them. Washingtons and Merc is what I collect and invest in and I believe I have superior knowledge of these series and if I collected others I would not know as much as I know about these series since my knowledge base would be boarder but shallower.

oreville

tradedollarnut:

As one of the few current collectors left who has had the luxury of looking over the entire Norweb collection while sitting and chatting with the Norwebs as a fellow coin collector while they were still in their prime, I can agree and express my sadness in how the hobby has changed.

Yes, indeed there are a few collectors left who have expansive collections! They are now in their 70's and 80's. Their collections are mostly raw as well.

Also there are collectors out there who have kept the spirit of the expansive approach to the field of numismatics including an incredible array of different kinds of numismania, books, etc.

One prime example of such a collector happens to be Dave Bowers, also a dealer.

I wished I had the pocketbook of an Eliasberg or the Norwebs as I would have tried to follow in their footsteps but instead, I am like 99.95% of the rest of the collectors. There is a limit to my funds. I have had to limit my collecting habits to that of a type set and plus plus plus many different things. So many different things that in order to emulate the Norwebs, my collection is now mostly a most eccentric collection.

"Eccentric" may be the only way to go to keep the spirit of expansive collecting alive without having a huge coin budget.

CoinFame

Perhaps coin collecting is changing with the societal shift to more middle-class. The middle-class of society is participating at a level that while intelligent, is limited somewhat on money, hence specialization. The specialization puts much more money into each coin which makes it MUCH more difficult for even someone of Bill Gates' fortune to pick up the coins. One good buyer like that and everyone sees $$$, which in turn limits the possibility of putting a collection like the Eliasberg together. I'm sure it can be done, but the question still remains "Who?" and how could they keep it a secret long enough to buy the coins??? (If they published their intentions, the collection would cost double...)

That's my 2 cents worth of opinion.

MrEureka

Very few are doing expansive collections anymore due to the very high cost

There are still many collectors doing "expansive" collections. However, only a few of them compete for finest knowns, and most of them don't care about slabs.

cosmicdebris

Wouldn't whoever High Desert is be considered a collector of Eliasberg's status?