Demographics

Blade

Some of the thread on the "Let it ride" note had good discussion on the economics of supply and demand. One of this supply-side factors that may come into play is the changing US demograhics. As the baby boomer generation gets older, all move south and one day pass on, I think we'll see some interesting collections begin to surface. Coin collecting was a massive hobby in the 1960's, when people had a penchant for buying BU coins by the roll. I have a few issues of the Numismatist from 1964 and the prices leave you laughing. For the same reasons that social security may dry up (I'm not banking on it anyway), we could see a flood of nice coins hit the blocks about 10 years from now.

Has anyone looked into potential effects from this demographic shift?

cosmicdebris

Ever since the baby boomers have come of age they have greatly effected everything they touch. Why would coins be any different.

CarlWohlforth

I've looked into it a little from a non-coin perspective. It seemed that in about 10 years baby boomers would have to start selling stocks to fund retirement. This would not peak for many years after that. If these are the people with big collections or accumulations then you might expect them to come to market around the same time they are selling stocks.

I just don't have a great feel for who is collecting. I am getting a little sense of collectors who are interested in posting to these boards. Are we typical collectors?

DeepCoin

I would offer one more perspective on this. The boomers (including myself) are now in a position to take the collecting they started when young, to a higher level with their changed economic status.

This is only anecdotal evidence, but I think we will see demand driven by this group for a while. Just as some people buy the muscle car of their youth, some coin collectors have returned and have some deeper pockets now.

It will be interesting to watch, good thread!

CarlWohlforth

I sold the muscle car and bought coins, maybe I am more typical than I thought?

Fairlaneman

I Kept the Car and also Bought Coins. The Car is By Far a Better Investment if You look at Both Hobbies in that manner.

Ken

DHeath

Well, I never stopped collecting either. See the link.

My real collection

Shiro, hearing your background, you should find this amusing.

Fairlaneman

Don:

No Mid 60's Fords ? Let Down Somewhat.

DHeath

FairlaneMan,

I'm on my second 1965 pony car. Wore the first one out. The 65 conv. is my driver. Love the fords and mercs.

Blade

How many girls were every picked up with a coin collection?

Deep coin - I am in exactly the same situation. I stopped collecting for 15 years, and now in my mid-30's, am having a great time buying those coins I used to salivate over. I must admit that the state quarters got me thinking about the hobby again (I know, suckered in). Now I am allocating part of my 6 month bonuses to coin purchases. I can continue the type set I started long ago, upgrade some to gem and just maybe, if all goes well, spring for that $20 High Relief that used to be ripped out of a Bowers & Merena auction catalog and stuck on my bedroom wall in 1983.

The net - Your line of thinking makes sense. The combination of state quarters and boomers / early gen Xers with disposable income should keep coin values aloft, but when the boomers move into late retirement, I expect to see a nice buyer's market.

Cocoinut

Those mid '60's Fords were good-looking cars. Mine was a red '65 Galaxy 500, which everyone referred to as the "fire engine". Link on the link for a picture from 1972.

Getting back to the subject of this thread, I've been collecting since I was 6 years old, and the only time I've ever sold a significant number of coins was when I bought my house. The house was paid for years ago, and I'm buying more than ever before, having completed the silver Washington set in mint state, and currently working on a Mercury set. I'm toying with the idea of selling my duplicates and going through all the BU rolls I bought in the 60's and '70's and slabbing any knockout coins that they contain. When I'm ready to retire, stocks will be sold before my best coins.

Jim

Blade

Don,
Sweet dealership. My dream car is the new M3 with the paddle shift transmission. If my company's stock returns to it's previous mid-50's range from the current high-20's, it's mine.

cladking

The collectors here on the boards are generally old time coin collectors and newer or returning
collectors. Boomers are generally under-represented in these groups (except returnees). Most
of the old timers exclusively collect classics and or early 20th century issues. Most of new collectors
are young adults and teens. The average age of new collectors will probably drop as promotions
by the mint, dealers, clubs and others begin to have an effect. Boomers will live longer and have a
much longer retirement than previous generations which may mean more active years in the hobby.
The bulk of the monetary value of collectable coins is held by the old time collectors and these people
are dropping out of collecting rapidly. This is part of the reason that the hobby appears to be treading
water despite all the new collectors coming on board. Many of these new collectors will take years
to join the clubs, or branch out from their initial collecting interests.

Old timers are probably somewhat under represented here also, due to some technological resistence
by many of the generation. There are many implications and the future is as always unknowable.

Fairlaneman

Don:

The Pony Cars Caught the Fancy of a Whole Generation within the Ranks of the Car Nuts. Much the same as the State Quarter Program has done now within Coin Collecting. Both have brought many People into the Respective area's they Represent. Time will tell if the Quarters can hold the Attention of the Masses as the Mustangs have through the Years. Personally I believe the Quarters have Sparked a Complete New Generation of Collectors that will eventually Move into the Classic Coin Segment of Collecting thus Keeping the Hobby Alive and Well. Oh Yes My First New Car Purchase was a 65 Mustang Coupe,Baby Blue with a White Vinyl Top,289 CI 271 HP, and 4 Speed. Yes It was a Hi Pro Car and not one that alot of People said they Owned but Really did Not. The Mustang that I Really wish I had back though is the one I traded the 65 in on. Another Blue Mustang 69 Fastback. 351 Windsor,Bucket Seats and 4 on the Floor. Did I Mention it was Built by Carrol Shelby. Have Been Kicking Myself almost from the Day I sold that Car.

Jim:

A Guy I Work with would Almost Kill for Your Old Galaxy. I'm telling You He is a Fanatic when it comes to 65 and 66 Galaxies.

Cladking: I sure Do Not know about Other Coin Series but Within the Mercury Dimes many Boomers are Present, Myself Included.

Blade: My Wife to Be was Totally in Awe when I showed Her My Collection back in 1969. I am Sure that is What Won Her over. Geez at the time I was Flabergasted how Much more She Liked the Dimes over My New 69 Shelby Mustang.

Ken

DHeath

Thanks Blade. Fairlaneman, I never had the privledge of owning anything with a "K" in the vin. My cars were both lo-pro, but the one I owned that you would have died for was a white galaxy 500 convertible. I hate I sold it, but I had a gas leak (right into the carb). Back to the demographics question, I think those of us boomers who collected as kids probably collect all kinds of coins including classics. I believe we'll fuel growth in classics as we approach retirement and have more time and discretionary income. I doubt I'll sell my coins to retire. I plan to enjoy the hobby more then.

keets

i don't know if i'm a boomer or not--born in 55--but some of what cladking spoke of hit close to the bone. i started collecting in the mid 60's and then slipped away for about 15 years till the late 80's and then again briefly till late 99-2000. when i was younger there were a lot of shops in my area, now they are few and far between, but clubs abound. i've recently joined a couple. what really jump started me was when my girlfriend moved her computer into my house. WOW!! i decided to do an inventory and get rid of all the scraps of paper. that led to some intense search discoveries and coins up on the screen i had only read about. a job change, end of a support order, and before you know it i'm hooked into eBay and some of the auction sites, getting dealer newsletters and buying slabs. i had always wanted to put together a type set, but only recently have i been able to do it with some nice-grade examples. most of the guys in the clubs are older and do indeed focus on classics, coins familiar to their generation. they no doubt have a lot locked. fo what it's worth...

al h.

madmike

I suppose I could say that I like US coins and "darkside" cars....

Man, that 911 was almost in my grips 'til the tech crash

mmmmmm..... someday!

Anybody want some 20 cent tech stock... (god, that's not even in US... it's 20 cents CANADIAN! aaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh!)

madmike