In terms of upward professional mobility in the coin world, is bigger always better?

Longacre

There has been a recent thread about why there seems to be so much movement among employees at coin firms. There were several responses which indicated that the possibility for professional upward mobility is probably the chief reason. I am not sure what to think of this response. Usually it is the biggest organizations that offer the most opportunity and upward mobility. In the non-coin world, I think it is safe to assume that there is more upward mobility at a firm like Citibank versus a firm like Anytown Local Bank.

Taking this assumption to the coin world, is it safe to assume that the 800 pound gorilla, Heritage, is the place that offers the best upward opportunities? They are obviously the biggest, and there is rampant discussion as to whether they are the best. On its face, it seems that everyone in the coin world should strive toward getting a job at the largest coin firm in the universe, Heritage. However, on the other side of the spectrum, I think back and remember "the little firm that could", ANR, located in Wolfeboro, NH (has anyone actually been to Wolfeboro and does it actually exist?), and I don't recall any professional leaving that firm. Of course, ANR got swallowed up by a corporate conglomerate (the parent of Whitman) and was merged into Stack's, so it is not that little anymore. But it is still significantly smaller than Heritage.

With these facts, I am not sure that bigger is always better in the coin world, from the perspective of a professional numismatists' upward mobility. Do you agree?

MrEureka

It depends.

If someone is hired by a gorilla to buy and sell, the sky is the limit.

If someone is hired by a gorilla to catalog, it's a dead end.

And so on.

RichieURich

I'm perfectly happy running my own business, without even a brick-and-mortar shop, just doing shows and the new website. Now, of course, if one of the big boys called and it was a super offer, that might change, but for now, I'm exactly where I want to be in the business.

BTW, it was nice meeting you and talking with you at the Baltimore show.

Regulated

I think the only correct answer is that it depends upon the individual. Successful people are successful because of what they do with the opportunities presented to them. I suspect that a truly talented numismatist could find success within this business whether he or she was with a smaller company or with a gorilla.

As MrEureka has often said to me, there are always opportunities.