Your Coin Club...how does it grade ?

jayPem

Back when I was first getting started, my mental picture of what a coin club might be like was a little like this....boy was I wrong !
On a scale of 1-70, how does your local club grade ? I give mine a G6...

ambro51

PO01 no sticker I fled six months ago when we're supposed to sit there an hour and watch a DVD intended for grammar school students.

DennisH

AG03.
Nice people. Informal and friendly atmosphere. Actual collecting knowledge & insight by most members is minimal. No surprise there; that's been my experience at every coin club I've visited. There are a couple people who do know what they're doing, though, and they are why I like attending.

coindeuce

I have been an active member of my home club (Rochester Numismatic Association) for 18 years; the club is the oldest continuously active club in the nation, currently celebrating our Centennial of Foundation (1912). This is a very diverse group of over 100 members, with at least 35 members attending twice monthly meetings from September to June, with an additional annual spring banquet and summer picnic. We're sustainable partly by the diversity of interest, and the partly by the willingness for most members to actively contribute in some small way to the benefit of all. Some members are able to give educational presentations by speaking from experience; some utilize technology to make powerpoint presentations. Our bylaws permit an individual to serve as President for one year only. This element is critical to preventing stagnation or cronyism, and serves to keep members moving through the seats of officers (Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer). Voting board members are allowed a 3 year term limit as well. As for my grade - I'll give it a B+/MS-63.

Rollerman

Our club just celebrated it's 75th anniversay. We meet once a month. We have various levels of knowledge in our club and have had many members do presentations over the years. Happily, we don't have any "Holier than thou" members who look down their noses at guys who are basically horders or collect on the cheap. We all have the same interest, just at various levels of participation. Everyone is friendly and we host an annual show that many claim is the best around!
I give my club an EF 40!
Pete

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bigjpst

I would have to give my club a VF Details. There are lots of friendly members with varying areas of interest and knowledge, but participation in trying to make the club a fun and interesting time is lacking. I and a couple other members are working on "Conserving" the club to get a numerical grade by trying to promote new ideas with the stagnant members. Some things are getting better and some may never change, but with the couple of good active members we have, I have a good time at every meeting. I try to actively promote the club, but it seems that many of the younger generation of collectors today would rather use forums like this than actually go to a meeting.

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Tiny

The club I am a member of runs from a MS 60 to MS 65 depending on a few things.

robkool

AU55 out of 70... Membership is still strong at 80.

RedTiger

When I saw the subject line I thought of letter grades, so B+. For common date Morgan dollars that might translate to MS63.

The Bay Cities Coin Club that meets in El Segundo, CA has a dedicated group of officers. There is an active and growing membership, with 30+ attendees at each meeting. Like most volunteer groups, 10% to 20% of the folks do 80% of the work necessary to run the club. There are only a few members that I would consider to be knowledgeable numismatists. There is some breadth and depth, with one guy that is an expert metal detector guy, another that has expertise in ancients and foreign, another with expertise on colonials, another that specializes in tokens. The club is mostly run by collectors for collectors, with only a couple of part-time dealers involved, and they are not heavy handed with their deals. Only a few, collect the way mostly favored by those on the forum, big ticket, high quality for the grade coins. While a very few do have valuable coins, for 80% of the members, a $100 value coin or lower would be the most valuable coin in their modest collection.

The atmosphere is relaxed. There is usually a good supply of food and snacks, even though it is 20% does the work to feed the hungry group. The other 80% are either too old and frail, too cheap, or too lazy to help out in this important area. There are some beginners, some young folks, even a few women, so it is a healthy club. Despite the doom-and-gloomers on this forum, the average club attendance has increased about 50% since I started attending 3 years ago. During that time, the club decided to eliminate the education program, and I think that has helped. Like or not, educational seminars tend to be boring for all but the most dedicated coin collectors. Even when given by top experts, it is difficult to hold the attention of a crowd for any length of time. Given by amateurs, the information is often spotty, and presentation disorganized.

For those near the Los Angeles airport (LAX) come on down:
http://www.baycitiescoinclub.org/
Meetings are usually the 2nd Thursday of the month, though sometimes the date is different due to scheduling conflicts. I believe Thursday 12/13 is the next meeting at the lower level of the El Segundo library. In December the club plays BINGO with a coin flavor. A bingo card for the night cost $5, and prizes are silver eagles or similar.

robkool

The Long Beach Coin Club (CA)... Founded in 1950 is about 80 members strong with a little less than half of them showing up on a regular monthly basis.
A very diverse group of members ranging from 6 years of age to 92. Half the membership collects world/ancient coins, while the rest collects US coins, tokens, notes, & stamps. Auctions & gold raffle drawlings are the highlights of our club. Our treasurer provides the club refreshments at every meeting. Main focus is to bring in a newer, more energized collectors to the club, including more families & YN's.

JJM

<< <i>I've heard West Chester, PA (Where I live) has a good, decent-sized coin club, but I don't attend. >>



im not a member, but they are very good, they do a nice show yearly as well

Jinx86

With my coin club Ive learned more about how a show runs then collecting insite. There are a few serious collectors there willing to share their knowledge but no time to discuss it. Rather they work on planning the 2 shows a year our club puts on. I think Ive made more business contacts through my club and being a member whos ebay store is listed on their website, then through anything else. I guess it adds another level of trust showing Im a liked member of my coin club. Sometimed the most fun I have is just BSing before or after the meeting.

Oh also Im the youngest member by 15 years. I do what I can to interest people my age, a few actually collect now. Free world coins, buffalo nickels, indian cents or whatever I have on hand to kids. Never know who might be interested off that one experience.

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Billet7

Not sure, been meaning to attend. One day I'll let y'all know.

CoinCast

For Fresno our soicety (If you call it a club people get mad ) is quite nice. We get about 60 people, which quite a few. Auctions are decent, education programs are good when we have them. I have meet some really nice people. Not very much arguing or bickering which was something I was worried about when i first joined. MS 60, credit for being nice, but needs a little more, but it is nice for the area.

johnny9434

theres one in my area and i give it a vg 10. to much on the politics