Imagine if there were no coins struck in gold, silver or platinum...

MrEureka

How many collectors and investors would never have joined the game if it weren't for the precious metals connection?

410a

Yes, the whole scheme of things would look like Rome in 410 AD
Nothing, but scrap yards full of base metal dealers.

FatMan

For me, the precious metal connectioin only relates to the history of the metal (discoveries) and not the intrinsic value. Chances are, if gold were not used in coins I would not be collecting coins from the Dahlonega mint.

CarlWohlforth

I started with copper (Lincoln cents!). I must admit that my first Morgan dollar seemed pretty neat (a freebe given to my dad for buying records from Sam Goody's). I don't think I was concerned with the metal. The first gold coin shown to me by a friend seemed so out of reach! (it was his dad's) I guess that was when I realized that gold was expensive. (duh)

So I'd say there would still be many collectors. I think many of the investors/speculators who might sometimes call themselves collectors would not be in the game.

TheRaven

I would have started collecting anyways, as I started with the state quarters.....

But I would not have forked over the cash for my first big purchase ($365 for a 1927 PCGS MS-63 Saint) if that coin where not gold.....

All of my big purchases except my 1892 Barber Half are gold or platinum.....

mrearlygold

What age group? Or in general?

I'd say most.

WoodenJefferson

PCGS would stand for:

Pokemon Coin Grading Service

Even the finest grade US bullion coins use other metals of lesser values to harden the coins...excluding the modern Gold Buffalo's of course, so I don't know...there will always be a niche for collectors no matter the medium.

The majority of baseball cards are made of just paper and look at the prices they command...why not a ceramic Eagle from 2023?

CAE Ceramic American Eagle?
MS-100 or PR-100

Doogy

<< <i>How many collectors and investors would never have joined the game if it weren't for the precious metals connection? >>




certainly not me. I collect darkside gold for two reasons: the artistic nature of world gold coins/how good a gold coin looks with a well thought-out design, and the gold content of it. For these reasons, i'm not a copper or clad person (although copper has certainly seen a serious spike, it takes a truckload of it to have much money in it)

410a

People collect "stuff" anyways. Consider coin banks, buttons,
Casino chips and tokens, not to mention BB cards and books and
credit cards as well as paper currency. Paintings bring big money.
So, investors will collect and invest, because, they have money.

410a

Damm too many commas

DMWJR

it would be heaven since all coins would then be minted in copper!!!!!!!

roadrunner

While I started with Lincs and Buffs in the early 1960's, I quickly gravitated to Mercs, Washingtons, and some worn early silver type.
I don't think I would have survived into the 1970's if not for silver coinage and silver being hoarded.

roadrunner

Coxe

If an aluminum cent (or steel '44) hit the market, quite a few of us would take our eyes off of gold and silver for a while. The intrinsic bullion value has nearly nothing to do with what I choose to collect. It is about rarity, aesthetic appeal, and history. Just so happens that gold and silver played an important part of 19th century American history. It is like art or any other asset like that.

RichieURich

Then there would be only one date and denomination of West Point minted coin with the "W" mintmark - - the 1996-W dime.

flaminio

<< <i>The intrinsic bullion value has nearly nothing to do with what I choose to collect. >>

I agree, with the emphasis on the word "collect". I have some gold and silver stashed away as "investment", but I don't consider it part of my "collection". Conversely, many of the coins that are in my collection are made of gold and silver, but that's more an intellectual curiousity than any sort of collecting decision.