I'd greatly appreciate your (numismatic) help & ideas.
Owen1793
Posts: 368 ✭✭✭✭
Hello everyone. It's likely that most of you are familiar with me by now, from reading my other posts here on CU forums. If you happened to miss my other posts, my name is Owen Seymour, I am a 19 year old coin dealer in Pennsylvania. I buy most of my material physically (shops, shows, auctions etc.) And sell virtually entirely online. Online I sell through various platforms such as my wholesale email list, Instagram, and occasionally eBay.
I have always had an interest in, and enjoyed writing. I love to create pieces that are easy to digest, enjoyable to read, and hopefully even educating to some.
My threads here have always received thousands of views and pages of comments, and while you can't satisfy everybody all the time, the responses are generally very positive!
I would like to get more serious about writing. What I've come to ask for guidance on is, what numismatic related topics would you like me to write about, and where/how should I go about attempting to have my material posted/published? I should add I am in no way entirely opposed to writing strictly educational material on occasion.
I'm more interested in covering opinionated areas, voicing my ideas on topics, because there is a serious disconnection between the middle aged (and over) people of this hobby and the youth. I believe I have the ability to help bridge the generations of people involved in this hobby, and it would be joy & honor to do so. I think my writing may help to provide insight into the youths opinion on this hobby and of course the topics covered.
Comments
PM sent. Start by writing something simple to get your "creative juices" flowing. Start by writing about your favorite coin, why it is your favorite and how you came to enjoy the series. Remember to outline what you want to talk about first.
Opinionated areas I've read on here is grade variation on the same coin. The topic of cleaning versus restoration of coins. Coins being artificially toned and becoming market acceptable. Over graded coins negatively effecting the price of properly graded coins.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Start writing about what you know. Be interesting, entertaining and above all, accurate. In addition, select topics that interest you and do objective research (not the internet, please) to gradually expand your knowledge. Write about things that interest your customers, too.
You might also subscribe to the various coin magazines.... this way you will have a source of current topics and models of how numismatic topics are presented. That is not to say you cannot apply your own style to your writings. Your concept of 'bridging the gap' between young and old is interesting....That in itself (the analysis, identification and establishment of such a gap) would make an excellent topic. It will take research...and that means sources beyond the internet (as RogerB inferred). Best of luck, Cheers, RickO
Write about the topics that interest you. That's what I have done. I've been published in a number of venues including The Numismatist, and a number of hobby magazines including The Civil War Token Journal, Pennywise, The Political Collector and the ANA Correspondence Course. I also wrote well over 200 scripts for the ANA’s radio series, Money Talks which ran back in the 1990s.
One thing you should realize is that you will never make a living from numismatic writing unless you write a best selling book. Many of the people who have columns in publications like Coin World don't get paid a dime. I know that because of couple of them have told me that.
The late Roger Cohen, who wrote the first popular modern book on half cent varieties. said he wrote that piece because he wanted to read it. That sounds like a great motivation to me.
Perhaps you would want to address the touchy matter of Copy Right?
Many online users simply assume that if something is online, It is open game and can be used.
You may want to be sure you point out that it is YOU, the creator, who holds all the rights worldwide to your creations and that using, copying etc, downloading and using images etc, can consequences if done without permission.
"""I'm more interested in covering opinionated areas, voicing my ideas on topics, because there is a serious disconnection between the middle aged (and over) people of this hobby and the youth."""
For the record, middle aged covers everything up to 110 years old.
Over on the BST there is a thread looking for numismatic writers.
eBay ID-bruceshort978
Successful BST:here and ATS, bumanchu, wdrob, hashtag, KeeNoooo, mikej61, Yonico, Meltdown, BAJJERFAN, Excaliber, lordmarcovan, cucamongacoin, robkool, bradyc, tonedcointrader, mumu, Windycity, astrotrain, tizofthe, overdate, rwyarmch, mkman123, Timbuk3,GBurger717, airplanenut, coinkid855 ,illini420, michaeldixon, Weiss, Morpheus, Deepcoin, Collectorcoins, AUandAG, D.Schwager.
@BruceS said: "Over on the BST there is a thread looking for numismatic writers."
What is BST please?
@OwenSeymour
I recommend your first project in the "professional" world is to write a piece for either "Viewpoint" or "Coin Commentary" in one of the numismatic newspapers . I'll guarantee it will get published!
To be honest money, let alone a living, wasn't even a thought. I enjoy writing and that's my motivation.
@Insider2
The BST is the -"Buy Sell Trade" Thread here.
eBay ID-bruceshort978
Successful BST:here and ATS, bumanchu, wdrob, hashtag, KeeNoooo, mikej61, Yonico, Meltdown, BAJJERFAN, Excaliber, lordmarcovan, cucamongacoin, robkool, bradyc, tonedcointrader, mumu, Windycity, astrotrain, tizofthe, overdate, rwyarmch, mkman123, Timbuk3,GBurger717, airplanenut, coinkid855 ,illini420, michaeldixon, Weiss, Morpheus, Deepcoin, Collectorcoins, AUandAG, D.Schwager.
"According to the Oxford English Dictionary middle age is between 45 and 65: "The period between early adulthood and old age, usually considered as the years from about 45 to 65." The US Census lists the category middle age from 45 to 65."
Thanks everyone! @MICHAELDIXON @1Mike1 @RogerB @ricko @BillJones @YQQ @BruceS @Insider2
What is the "serious disconnection" between younger and older people in the hobby?
I have written several numismatic articles. They all have these two things in common:
1. They are based on a talk I have given to a coin club.
2. They are based on coins I have in my collection.
Write about what you like and what you know and you should be golden.
Of course, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are important.
It's most apparent when you hear older hobbyists exclaim that the hobby is dying / dead, and that youth are no longer involved. I hear it all the time and it's all but true, and from my observations it sounds crazy to even say. Sure coin collecting is not as popular among youth now as it was in the 50s and 60s, but it is far from dead. Youth coin collecting exists on the internet, on social media & forums, there's a lot of older hobbyists who aren't aware of this.
I agree with you...I'm older but do most of my buying online now; that's where the market is going. As the tech gets better, we will eventually get pictures that can show a coin at all angles, with various amounts of light, reflection, etc., and will not need to see in person, even for auction bidding. I do see younger people in my local shop, but they are buying bullion, same as the old timers.
RE:
... we will eventually get pictures that can show a coin at all angles, with various amounts of light, reflection, etc., and will not need to see in person, even for auction bidding.
Yes indeed. Maybe CAC will find a way to issue their stickers based on photo quality.
Try writing stories about individual coins. If the story is worth telling, the coin is worth collecting, even for a kid that happens to like video games.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
everyone seems okay with the idea except Neil
, he double disagreed , I didn't know you could do such a thing
I think to bridge this gap that the reasons for the existence of the gap should be, if not defined, at least shown to be irrelevant to the modern generation of collectors. Those of us who were around in '64/ '65 or were mentored by someone of this era, were profoundly affected by our experiences. Just seeing the passion and vitality of young collectors should go a long way toward healing these wounds and showing other perspectives.