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I was wrong on how to hook YNs (ASE collectors rejoice!)
RYK
Posts: 35,790 ✭✭✭✭✭
I should start by saying that when I first became interested in collecting coins, around the time that I was five or six, it was the obsolete coins that hooked me. If you would ask me to choose then between a worn common date buffalo nickel or a nice bright, new Ike or Kennedy half, I would always prefer the obsolete buffalo nickel. I have assumed for many years that this would be the logical hook for new YNs, and when I visit my children's school and do the coin show-and-tell, I pass around obsolete coins and my Dansco 7070 type set. I have even handed out Indian cents and buffalo nickels for the students to keep.
This weekend, my wife's family is a celebrating a momentous event, and out-of-town nieces and nephews have come to town and spent considerable time at our house. Being the diehard coin geek, I trapped a fourteen year old nephew and twelve year old niece and asked if they had any interest in coins and would like to see some of mine. They both answered that they were coin collectors and were indeed interested in seeing what I had to show them. As always, I pulled out the Dansco 7070 first, and they were moderately interested. I pointed out the odd denomination coins, some of the cool classic commemorative designs, etc. There was passing interest.
Next, I pulled out a few branch mint gold coins. They were very interested in the fact that they were gold and wanted to know how much they were, but even the nephew who just moved from New Orleans had little interest in coins from his birth city and barely recognized that there was a Mint in New Orleans. Not good. They could not have been less interested as I went into a brief discussion of the gold coins of the pre-Civil War era.
Next, I pulled some SAEs. There were oohs and ahhs and the affirmation that they owned some of these. I then showed them a few that they were wildly toned and they were very interested. They wanted to see more of these if I had them.
Finally, I gave them each a prized Morgan dollar from the Battle Axe Collection™. Both were appreciative, and my nephew started to describe how he was going to shine up the butt ugly circ Morgan with rubbing alcohol, etc. I sternly cautioned him not to clean his coins but ended by telling him that it was now his coin and he could what he wanted with it.
Bottom line: I always thought that old and obsolete would be the natural hook for new YNs, as it was for me. I now realize that big, new, and shiny (and colorful) might do the trick.
This weekend, my wife's family is a celebrating a momentous event, and out-of-town nieces and nephews have come to town and spent considerable time at our house. Being the diehard coin geek, I trapped a fourteen year old nephew and twelve year old niece and asked if they had any interest in coins and would like to see some of mine. They both answered that they were coin collectors and were indeed interested in seeing what I had to show them. As always, I pulled out the Dansco 7070 first, and they were moderately interested. I pointed out the odd denomination coins, some of the cool classic commemorative designs, etc. There was passing interest.
Next, I pulled out a few branch mint gold coins. They were very interested in the fact that they were gold and wanted to know how much they were, but even the nephew who just moved from New Orleans had little interest in coins from his birth city and barely recognized that there was a Mint in New Orleans. Not good. They could not have been less interested as I went into a brief discussion of the gold coins of the pre-Civil War era.
Next, I pulled some SAEs. There were oohs and ahhs and the affirmation that they owned some of these. I then showed them a few that they were wildly toned and they were very interested. They wanted to see more of these if I had them.
Finally, I gave them each a prized Morgan dollar from the Battle Axe Collection™. Both were appreciative, and my nephew started to describe how he was going to shine up the butt ugly circ Morgan with rubbing alcohol, etc. I sternly cautioned him not to clean his coins but ended by telling him that it was now his coin and he could what he wanted with it.
Bottom line: I always thought that old and obsolete would be the natural hook for new YNs, as it was for me. I now realize that big, new, and shiny (and colorful) might do the trick.
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Comments
I agree with your assessment that bigger and shinier is better when it comes to younger YN's.
When they see a dull coin, it's dull to them, but when you showed them your SAE's it was something that they have never seen before, so they got hooked. That's my assessment atleast.
–John Adams, 1826
to look through to fill it up. Memorials are easiest on the pocket but nic-
kels, dimes, and quarter work fine. If you can get halfs and dollars they'd,
no doubt, work as well.
<< <i>Next, I pulled some SAEs. There were oohs and ahhs and the affirmation that they owned some of these. I then showed them a few that they were wildly toned and they were very interested. They wanted to see more of these if I had them. >>
<< <i>When they see a dull coin, it's dull to them, but when you showed them your SAE's it was something that they have never seen before, so they got hooked. That's my assessment atleast. >>
Minor correction. RYK says they owned SAEs so I assume they have seen them before. They seemed to like the coins they have come across and in conditions that they haven't seen before.
-- Adam Duritz, of Counting Crows
My Ebay Auctions
"THIS coin is worth TWENTY SEVEN Sony Playstations."
I never found one, however my brother found a real nice 55DD but lost it during a seperation/divorce spat with his ex-wife.
The 55DD and the three leged buffalo would likely be the last coins I'd ever part with if I owned any of them.
(The fun back then was if I could just outright FIND one)
If I only had a dollar for every VAM I have...err...nevermind...I do!!
My "Fun With 21D" Die State Collection - QX5 Pics Attached
-----
Proud Owner of
2 –DAMMIT BOY!!! ® Awards
<< <i>Don't forget to answer their "value" questions in a way they can understand.
"THIS coin is worth TWENTY SEVEN Sony Playstations." >>
Don't most people keep coins with that kind of value in a safety deposit box? I'm not sure how kids will respond when you tell them that you can spend that much money and then you shouldn't keep it around.
OR an aluminium can of cola.
OR the new Playstation 3.
Or......
........
Or.....
Or.....
Or....
LOL
TKC!
Proud member of the CUFYNA
Need a Banner Made? PM ME!
<< <i>Just make sure that you show them your gun collection right after you show them your coins. >>
Naw. Just "pat" the one you carry at all times.
<< <i>
<< <i>Don't forget to answer their "value" questions in a way they can understand.
"THIS coin is worth TWENTY SEVEN Sony Playstations." >>
Don't most people keep coins with that kind of value in a safety deposit box? I'm not sure how kids will respond when you tell them that you can spend that much money and then you shouldn't keep it around. >>
I really did not want to lure them with value because that's not what I think collecting is about...at least not for me. I showed them a $10,000 New Orleans eagle that I plan to take to FUN next week, and they were considerably more impressed with the deeply toned twenty buck SAE.
<< <i>Just make sure that you show them your gun collection right after you show them your coins. >>
<< <i> think that it is rare for a seasoned collector to still be collecting the coin that brought them into the hobby. Don't be so worried about what started their numismatic interest. Just be happy that they are interested at all. Their tastes and interests will grow and mature as they themselves do. >>
I think drinking is almost the same - good thing too, or instead of single malt scotch, I might still be enjoying wine coolers!
>>>My Collection
<< <i>As a kid it was the older the better for me. >>
It's so much easier to be impressed when you're a kid. I miss those days. ("This penny was minted thirty years ago!! Wow!!)
-- Adam Duritz, of Counting Crows
My Ebay Auctions
Same here, both then and now. Apparently, a dying breed.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
<< <i>
<< <i>Just make sure that you show them your gun collection right after you show them your coins. >>
I keep my Gun Safe right next to my Coin Safe...
Just think if you would of got them started on ASE's last year, they would of done well with this year's 20th Ann. Set...
Nothing like a little reward to get a keen interest from them in collecting...
Plus now you know what to get them for Christmas Next Year...
There tastes will change in time but they must be allowed to fall there own road...
Currently Listed: Nothing
Take Care, Dave
<< <i>As a kid it was the older the better for me.
Same here, both then and now. Apparently, a dying breed. >>
I think people who like older coins are a dying breed as well though there will always be some. I've been trying to find what kind of coin/token/medal type items people like to collect these days and ran across geocoins used with geocaching (finding things via GPS as opposed to metal detectors). Geocoins are medals and people make personal signature geocoins to trade. I call them the MySpace of coins/tams because of the personal nature of some medals. The first metal geocoin was made by a geocacher with the handle Moun10bike and his base metals geocoin has sold for over $2000 on eBay. I've seen personal geocoins for another geocacher called YemonYime sell for over $300. The Moun10bike and YemonYime medals are generally not available for purchase. I think you actually have to find the Moun10bike geocoins using your GPS. Some people would say this is more in the spirit of true collecting than buying things from eBay, Heritage, etc. The additional personal nature of the medals, i.e. medals created by and representing people you know, could make the concept hard to beat for the MySpace generation. Some Boy Scout troops have also issued geocoins as geocaching has taken off as an activity for the kids.