Should the auction firms avoid selling numismatic esoterica, out of fear of highlighting a possible

Longacre

Even though the boo-birds on these boards have been chirping up a Coin Recession, we have not really seen it in the marketplace. The last Heritage auction was a barn-burner, and the numismatic industry has no top. Coins are still literally flying off of dealers’ shelves.

But that’s the coin world. Some numismatic firms tend to also sell other peripheral items related to numismatics, such as printing plates, minerals, and other interesting tidbits. Does anyone think that the auction firms should avoid selling these esoteric items as part of big coin auctions, out of fear of highlighting a possible softness in the industry, or buying habits of consumers? If we see a swift downturn in the popularity (and prices) of these numismatic add-ons, would that give a clue that there is some softness in discretionary spending in numismatics, and it is only a matter of time until the contagion sweeps over and infests the traditional coin market?

RYK

I ignore the bric-a-brac, so I do not care whether they sell it or not. It does not influence me in any way, and my guess is that most collectors feel the same. It probably has little bearing on the coin market.

MrEureka

Does anyone think that the auction firms should avoid selling these esoteric items as part of big coin auctions, out of fear of highlighting a possible softness in the industry, or buying habits of consumers? If we see a swift downturn in the popularity (and prices) of these numismatic add-ons, would that give a clue that there is some softness in discretionary spending in numismatics, and it is only a matter of time until the contagion sweeps over and infests the traditional coin market?

There's a bit of truth in there. Still, unless the auction company has a big inventory, they probably have no reason to care.