Do the big numismatic publishers ever solicit collectors' opinions as to which books we want to see

Longacre

I am just curious if any of the Corporate Suits at the big numismatic publishing houses ever solicit collectors' opinions as to which numismatic books should be written and published? Or do they use focus groups or other means of getting the public's opinion on what is hot and desirable? Or do the numismatic publishers have their fingers enough on the pulse of the market that they know in advance which books will sell like hotcakes?

PrivateCoinCollector

As with any publisher I believe they keep track of what is "hot" but also keep an ear/eye open to new ideas and manuscripts from authors themselves.

Dentuck

Longacre, if this is a subtle inquiry into the review of your manuscript proposal: I've received your 501 Numismatic Questions I Have Loved: Socratic Dialogues Captured Over the Course of Several Millennia; it's gone through a battery of focus-group tests; and it will be sent to the "Question and Answer" Department tomorrow morning.

I commend you on the bald-eagle-skin leather-bound cover, papyrus interior pages, and gold-powder ink. Most prospective authors these days just use email.

Longacre

<< <i>Longacre, if this is a subtle inquiry into the review of your manuscript proposal: I've received your 501 Numismatic Questions I Have Loved: Socratic Dialogues Captured Over the Course of Several Millennia; it's gone through a battery of focus-group tests; and it will be sent to the "Question and Answer" Department tomorrow morning.

I commend you on the bald-eagle-skin leather-bound cover, papyrus interior pages, and gold-powder ink. Most prospective authors these days just use email. >>





Not to mention that writing it with a quill pen was murder on my hands.

RWB

Not to mention that writing it with a quill pen was murder on my hands.

Longacre, I thank you also for the copy of you manuscript; however, mine was printed in crayon on old newsprint. Certainly not the opulent "Grand Format" and supple deluxe binding provided to Whitman Publishing LLC. Well, no matter. It started a fire just as well as the leather-bound edition. Please send several more copies. We are going to China soon and have been told to "bring our own necessity paper."

(Now, where did I put that first edition of Dickens’ “Great Expectations?”)

COALPORTER

I still trying to imagine a "focus group" of coin collectors.
You put four collectors in one room and observe from another room....could be quite amusing.

CoinRaritiesOnline

<< <i>I still trying to imagine a "focus group" of coin collectors.
You put four collectors in one room and observe from another room....could be quite amusing. >>



Isn't that what this chat room is all about?

speety

<< <i>

<< <i>I still trying to imagine a "focus group" of coin collectors.
You put four collectors in one room and observe from another room....could be quite amusing. >>



Isn't that what this chat room is all about?

>>



Running this forum is a small price to pay for the laughter HRH, Guth, Carol J, and the BJ must get out of watching all of us in here.

RWB

A serious reply:

Several years ago I asked a bunch of collectors on message boards and at club meetings what subjects they would like to see written about in hobby books. All the ideas were either re-runs of books that had already been published, or of such narrow scope that I could never sell enough copies to break even. Most of the published ideas seem to be the product of individual interests and individual energy.

(Book subjects I’m working on now – things like the Annual Assay Commission papers, and Pittman Silver Dollar production – don’t really fit with any specific requests.)

Coinosaurus

Longacre-

If you are signing up to purchase several thousand copies at retail prices, I assure you they are very interested in your opinion.

Eagleguy

<< <i>

<< <i>Longacre, if this is a subtle inquiry into the review of your manuscript proposal: I've received your 501 Numismatic Questions I Have Loved: Socratic Dialogues Captured Over the Course of Several Millennia; it's gone through a battery of focus-group tests; and it will be sent to the "Question and Answer" Department tomorrow morning.

I commend you on the bald-eagle-skin leather-bound cover, papyrus interior pages, and gold-powder ink. Most prospective authors these days just use email. >>



Not to mention that writing it with a quill pen was murder on my hands. >>



And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why I (and I suspect others) always open Longacre's posts regardless of the question. You guys owe me a new keyboard. Mine now has coffee all over it.

JH

WaterSport

RWB, you covered that well by saying folks are either interested in narrow fields of interest or topics to small for a book to be squeeze out. I have something I am working on and still do not know if it will be a book, or just a pamphlet.

WS