What is more likely to induce new collectors to the hobby...
BLUEJAYWAY
Posts: 10,544 ✭✭✭✭✭
"Regular" non-error coins,Error/Variety coinage, or Toned coinage. Other? What presents well for the initial "Wow" factor to get/keep ones attention.
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Maybe it's different for everyone. My own thinking is that a mentor is the most important factor. Beyond that, the hobby either sticks or it doesn't. The Peace dollar design fascinated me and drew me in. Others think it's hideous. I don't get too excited about errors but others love them. Most newbies don't care for toning. It's not familiar and it's not the way coins in commerce look. Like dark chocolate, toning is a bit of an acquired taste, but once you like it you can't go back.
It depends, but I would like error coins more.
Fan of the Oxford Comma
CCAC Representative of the General Public
2021 Young Numismatist of the Year
Designs is and always will be a factor. Today's coinage leaves a lot to be desired. I'm old, I grew up with buffalo nickels, mercury dimes, walking liberty half dollars along with the peace and the Morgan dollars in my pocket. This most beautiful coinage is absolutely what drew me in. I'm afraid this is what the big problem is.
BORING
I wouldn't say toned coins....
From my experience, if I show a "non-silvery" silver coin to a non collector, they ask what it's made out of, and why it's dirty. I think appreciation for toning, (even run-of-the-mill gray/brown), takes some collector experience.
complete coinage redesign - original designs, grading fee reductions, specials. I wonder does any TPG still have a roll review special - roll reviewed, pieces meeting submitters minimum grade encapsulated at tier price. I believe ICG did this about 10-20 years ago.
Here is a good book on the subject.
Coin Club Benefit auctions ..... View the Lots
A complete shutdown of cable TV, social media and all game sites would give young people a moment to contemplate something else
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
The creation of attractive coins perceived to be of intrinsic value by kids and young people, commonly used in commerce (i.e. $5/$10 coins).
Also, a well-publicized and widely-perceived surge in PM prices and inflation would likely bring much more cash and interest back into hard assets and collectibles.
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
Economic improvement and exposure to U.S. coins made well before any coins they see in circulation.
Colorized circulating coins with modern themes.
A well worn but pleasant 200+ year old US coin, handed to the child raw so they can actually touch it, with a casual comment that it might have actually been in the hands of someone like Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, or James Monroe, and was certainly heavily used by their contemporary early Americans in actual commerce when our country was young.
Or maybe an even older coin that could have been held by Jesus, Caesar, Henry VIII, or [insert favorite historical figure here]
Probably NOT a coin in a plastic slab, which was minted during the child's lifetime, and is shown to them with the story of how it travelled from the mint to a dealer to PCGS to the safety deposit box, no matter how shiny and perfect the item is, or how many numbers, words, pictures or signatures are on the label.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
The dream of profit potential. This is what fueled the great coin collecting boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Sprinkle some low valued old stuff into circulation. No date Buffalo nickels are not that expensive.
Like others have said, it depends on the person, age, etc. If you have an affinity for history, I would say a 200 year old worn coin like Baley suggests. Most a lot of younger folks, I would probably say error coins would peak their interest more. However, I'm not sure how frequently that would result in them actually collecting.
It seems that the growth (or exposure) of coin roll hunting has helped. There have been A LOT of people who get started this way because there is the possibility of finding treasure.
Doing as much as possible for the youth interested in this hobby!!!! Give them coins... give them info...... give them help..... answer questions...... teach them as much as possible. Also do the same for adults that want to get into the hobby. Always remembering that this hobby is all about buying selling and trading coins but everyone starts somewhere and has questions so people willing to help them and make it easier for them to get started
That is what will introduce people in this hobby
HAPPY COLLECTING
It's not the type of coins that will get the younger generation sucked in, it's the delivery of the message about the hobby in general. As a result, only one word comes to mind...youtube (nuff said)
All the answers are very sincere, thoughtful, and genuine. You're all a bunch of nice guys who truly care about the future of coin collecting. The bottom line is this; you all know that you won't live forever and you hope and pray that somebody, anybody, will take up where you left off and preserve and love these cherished pieces of history that you have done your part to preserve for future generations. All we can do is hope for the best. Enjoy your coins. The future will take care of itself.
This hobby is here to stay folks, I have no worries. It was here long before us and will always be. It is, in fact, the oldest hobby and for good reason. It's art and it's beautiful and I might add pretty damn cool too
I never worry about the future of the hobby....though many here do. There are YN's and ON's (old numismatists).... and there are many 'tweens'....True collectors usually find the spark on their own... and of course, some are cultivated. I was the only one in my family with the 'coin bug' (except my Dad did have a few Morgans and German coins in a sock drawer - but was not a collector).... Most people new to the hobby do not like tarnish... they want clean coins... the 'appreciation' for tarnish is an acquired taste - often brought on simply because they learn from others that the phenomena brings a premium (the value angle). I saw a young fellow - about ten - two days ago in the local shop going through the 'take a cent, leave a cent' tray. I asked him what he was looking for.... He said "Old pennies.. .the one's with the old design on the back."... I told him they were called 'Wheaties'... because they were stalks of wheat... He said "Yeah... those are the one's." So, they are out there.... I am not concerned... Cheers, RickO
If they can make tons of money with very little effort and don't have to drive anywhere!
I'm a Coin Collecting merit badge counselor working with scouts. It's something any of us on these boards could sign up for, providing you pass a background check and take a two-deep leadership course.
1). Nothing gets their interest more than their handling a gold coin. They've never even seen any real gold before.
2). Next to that, receiving a silver proof state quarter from upon their fulfillment of all the requirements usually knocks them out, as most never have had any real silver or proof coins before.
3). I give the 2010 proof Boy Scout Commemorative Silver dollar as gifts to new Eagle Scouts...One going out to Utah this morning!