What I am afraid of about the coinmarket (regarding baby boomers)

ChrisRx

Lets face it, When you go to a show nearly 90% are older folks.
There just are not enough people my age to keep the hobby flourishing as much as it is now say in 15-30 years from now.

What do YOU think?

STONE

I think I'm 20 and still have many years to go.

UtahCoin

And just what do you consider "Older folks"??? I ought to smack you with my cane...

And in 30 years I'll either be dead, or in a rocking chair drooling on myself....

mrpotatoheadd

I started collecting when I was a kid, and coin shows were like that back then, too. I think that's just the way it is.

lasvegasteddy

most babyboomers have a litter

so long as the coins you buy make ya smile...it's all good then

ChrisRx

Nothing wrong with the older folks!!!

Just stating the fact that I am outnumbered by far at all the shows.

Edited to add: I don't have a problem if I lose some money on coins but I don't wanna lose a LOT. Ya know?

SpaceMonkey

and let's not forget a little something called....


the I N T E R N E T








-sm

coinkat

demographics is a difficult thing for coins... I recall that I was always one of the youngest even then...

dbldie55

<< <i>Lets face it, When you go to a show nearly 90% are older folks.
There just are not enough people my age to keep the hobby flourishing as much as it is now say in 15-30 years from now.

What do YOU think? >>



I think that when many of these people were a kid like you are now, 90% of the people at shows were older folks.

LindeDad

<< <i>Edited to add: I don't have a problem if I lose some money on coins but I don't wanna lose a LOT. Ya know? >>



Then some advice from one of the old farts. Buy good stuff and it will be better then. Quality and the Keys will still be wanted in a tigher or smaller market.

Coinosaurus

Coin people are always old, even if you look in those old photographs from auctions and ANA conventions a hundred years ago.

SpaceMonkey

<< <i>Coin people are always old, even if you look in those old photographs from auctions and ANA conventions a hundred years ago. >>






though I will say interestingly enough...

up until not so many years ago... people always had "real" money... coins, notes, bills, metal, etc... now... PLASTIC... ELECTRONIC... ETHER...

not sure what that means... but interesting none the less.







-sm

cladking

Thirteen years ago there were almost no younger people in the hobby. Most of
of the newbies are younger but there are also millions of returning baby boomers.

The hobby is going to have almost no active collectors who started before 1995 in
less than twenty years. It will be a new set of collectors.

roadrunner

think that when many of these people were a kid like you are now, 90% of the people at shows were older folks.

But one thing concerns me when attending coin shows:

In my teens I was always called the "kid."
In my twenties I was still called the "kid."
In my thirties, I was still called the "kid."
In my forties, yup, I was still the "kid."
And now in my fifties, I have still been called the "kid."

I have to wonder when I'm 60, will I still be called the "kid?"

Yeah, I may still feel like a kid at times, esp when getting skinned on a deal, but this "kid" think has gotta end.

roadrunner

lkeigwin

<< <i>I think I'm 20 and still have many years to go. >>

Yeah, I think I'm 20 too. But I'm really 57 and one of those old guys at shows. I just act like I'm 20 and immature.

TomB

It may have quite a bit to do with relative disposable income.

TwoSides2aCoin

I am afraid young people won't see what is in front of them until they're old. Then they'll realize it's behind them.

Texast

Back in the 70's, when I was young, everyone at the shows was "Older", now when I go I'm the "older" one. At least the dealers will pay more attention now when I'm looking for something.

micmt

When all of the old timers buck the kicket then I might be able to afford all of those coins I can only drool over right now. So I am not worried if the old timers die off, their hoards will go back into the market and I will have cheap pickings for years to come.

But I doubt this will ever happen becuase of the fact the the "young-uns" are the odd ball collector who started early and kept with it. Many more collectors I feel started when they were young and realized how much life gets in the way. When they get more time and money on their side then they come back to the hobby and all you are seeing is the norm of older people who go to the shows.

AU58WALKERS

I had the same feelings when I was in my early twenties going to shows...........................................
.............that was forty years ago

WTCG

<< <i>Lets face it, When you go to a show nearly 90% are older folks.
There just are not enough people my age to keep the hobby flourishing as much as it is now say in 15-30 years from now.

What do YOU think? >>



I assume that I'm several years older than ChrisRx, but even so I'm often the youngest person on the bourse floor and I am still currently the youngest member of the PNG. In most cases it's the older folks who tend to have more disposable funds, which is basically a prerequisite for buying coins. Coin collecting really isn't a physical hobby like skiing or even bowling, and physicality is a trait that tends to be more attractive to younger folks.

Will the hobby die out, or will other aging collectors take their place 20 years from now? We can only wait until then and see. I don't worry about the baby-boomers as most of them still have at least 20-25 useful years available. Two decades is still a fairly long time.

ProofRainbowRoosevelt

<< <i> I don't worry about the baby-boomers as most of them still have at least 20-25 useful years available. Two decades is still a fairly long time. >>



"Useful years" is a little harsh. Don't forget there are some Baby Boomers in there mid to late 40's. 20-25 years from now they will be in there 60's to late. geez, I don't mean to be an azz but useful?

cladking

<< <i>

Will the hobby die out, or will other aging collectors take their place 20 years from now? We can only wait until then and see. I don't worry about the baby-boomers as most of them still have at least 20-25 useful years available. Two decades is still a fairly long time. >>



Previous generations have generally sold off or curtailed collecting when
they retired. The first of the baby bommers are retiring now.

There's some reason to believe this generation will be different but don't
count on sea change to occur suddenly.

19Lyds

Without reading the entire post (and I know this ALWAYS gets me in trouble) I think you are needlessly worried as there are many collectors out there that are rarely seen and never heard from. A coin show is definitely NOT a good indicator of what types of collectors exist in this country.

I have no fears that the coin collecting business will ever be without support by someone somewhere. For the life of me, I just cannot imagine coin collecting before albums came out or Dansco's or literally anything where you could display a full or partial set! (What did they really do before plastic and the 2x2 were invented??) Yet, enough coins have survived over the past 200 to 300 years to supply the needs of many collectors both now and well into the future.

doh

I think you're a little off base, Chris. There are tons of YNs out there and the dealers I deal with the most aren't "older folks," but rather men (and women!) in their late 30s or early 40s. The coin hobby will be fine 10-30 years from now. I'm 28 and God willing, I'll still be collecting then.