I see the same thing, days of set building(I am not referring to high end customers, your avg collectors) are decreasing at a rapid pace. I see more and more type coin assemblage than ever before. and coins that are just eye-appealing in general. this will continue to evolve I 15 IMO.
this actually hurts me collection value wise a little because I am a better date collector, not type. My only recourse to this is, that now I will not buy a key coin that is marginal, if the damn thing aint smoking, I pass. I will no longer settle just to have a specific date.
Don't know what trends will develop, wish there was a way to make the hobby trendy like a new phone/handheld device. I see so many staring at a device all the time, everywhere I go.
I see more type and birth year collecting (it could ones self or family members) - sets are way too expensive and a thing of the past. One of my earliest clients collected coins the year his son was born (1980). He purchased many MWG issues along with the year of the child world coins - many beautiful silver issues.
The popularity of mods will increase especially with the new stickeri service for mod perfectionists. As a bulk accumulator I will stick to mainly 69's (silver and gold) I can get close to melt as these are good enough for me.
Something like an early 20th Century Type Set which would contain Barber, WLH, Indian Cent, Lib 5c, Buffalo, Merc, SLQ, Peace Dollars, and Gold Issues (4 pc set) would be a nice set to put together and then upgrade as time goes by. One dealer I recently visited with is doing this (inventory) along with large size type currency from the period. It makes an impressive bourse display especially multiple issues of each type.
Wages over the last ten years have remained stagnant for many people. This is through no fault of their own or anything in their normal span of control simply one unfavorable non controllable event after another. Corporate Downsizing, a coming oil slump have decreased the payout of jobs. Furthermore coins compete with many other venues - sports, entertainment, sugar dating, and hobbies like model railroading. Many times coins are at the bottom of the list for spending of disposable income, especially myself. The coin business has suffered for many resulting in decreased cash flow. I see the trend towards online increasing compared to the high costs, time requirements of shows (setup, travel, uncertainty of retail sales to make it even worth the time).
I see more electronic media and data access availability growing. It really helps the collector and small guy to have better pricing and visual information.
Retired United States Mint guy, now working on an Everyman Type Set.
Classic commems are still dead in grades 66 and below (and I am nearly finished my set)...there are still quite a few people in denial over this, look at the price spreads for similar coins on eBay. Crazy bust and copper collectors are still crazy and collecting. AU early type is still climbing so somebody must be buying them.
"AU early type is still climbing so somebody must be buying them."
I agree, but what is going on is not sustainable going beyond another decade or so, and this does concern me. Who will buy my coins 20 years from now? Just consider a (no longer in production) DANSCO 7070 album: the coins needed to complete this (sans gold page) did not include all of the major 19th-century varieties, and this was deliberate. This album became quite popular because collectors of modest means could fill the holes with nice-looking AU type coins and not break the bank. Now, these collectors will struggle when they need to buy the early large cents, Seated dollars, 1853 arr half dollar, etc.
It is disturbing to think that my collecting interests are becoming seriously influenced by my perception of what will remain liquid during the next decade or two.
Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
2015 will see a surge in Colonial era coins. There are more Colonial coins coming to Market in the next 12 months The trend will spread to Spanish and Portuguese Colonials that circulated in Americas and of course top quality will lead the parade
Continued focus on the details of grading, with a likely change to add decimal grading. Continued fervor for tarnish - not necessarily because it indicates originality (though certainly this is questionable at best), but because many collectors just 'follow the herd'. Coin doctors will continue to refine their art, to the detriment of the hobby. Very possible addition of a 'fifth' party grader which may focus on cosmetics or possibly compete with CAC. Cheers, RickO
Type collecting will continue to increase in popularity, due to increasing costs associated with assembling sets of classic coins.
Has type collecting been increasing in popularity? If so, I haven't noticed it. What I have noticed is a constant increase in more specialized collections, and a shift away from more easily completed collections. I attribute this, in part, to the way that TPGs and the internet have made all series much easier to collect, which affects the choices we all make in choosing what to collect.
Then again, I can't say I'm positioned well enough to really know what's popular with most collectors these days, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
Andy Lustig
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Comments
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
this will continue to evolve I 15 IMO.
this actually hurts me collection value wise a little because I am a better date collector, not type. My only recourse to this is, that now I will not buy a key coin that is marginal, if the damn thing aint smoking, I pass. I will no longer settle just to have a specific date.
The popularity of mods will increase especially with the new stickeri service for mod perfectionists. As a bulk accumulator I will stick to mainly 69's (silver and gold) I can get close to melt as these are good enough for me.
Something like an early 20th Century Type Set which would contain Barber, WLH, Indian Cent, Lib 5c, Buffalo, Merc, SLQ, Peace Dollars, and Gold Issues (4 pc set) would be a nice set to put together and then upgrade as time goes by. One dealer I recently visited with is doing this (inventory) along with large size type currency from the period. It makes an impressive bourse display especially multiple issues of each type.
Wages over the last ten years have remained stagnant for many people. This is through no fault of their own or anything in their normal span of control simply one unfavorable non controllable event after another. Corporate Downsizing, a coming oil slump have decreased the payout of jobs. Furthermore coins compete with many other venues - sports, entertainment, sugar dating, and hobbies like model railroading. Many times coins are at the bottom of the list for spending of disposable income, especially myself. The coin business has suffered for many resulting in decreased cash flow. I see the trend towards online increasing compared to the high costs, time requirements of shows (setup, travel, uncertainty of retail sales to make it even worth the time).
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
I agree, but what is going on is not sustainable going beyond another decade or so, and this does concern me. Who will buy my coins 20 years from now?
Just consider a (no longer in production) DANSCO 7070 album: the coins needed to complete this (sans gold page) did not include all of the major 19th-century varieties, and this was deliberate. This album became quite popular because collectors of modest means could fill the holes with nice-looking AU type coins and not break the bank. Now, these collectors will struggle when they need to buy the early large cents, Seated dollars, 1853 arr half dollar, etc.
It is disturbing to think that my collecting interests are becoming seriously influenced by my perception of what will remain liquid during the next decade or two.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
2) Stickering moderns gains traction.
- Ike Group member
- DIVa (Designated Ike Varieties) Project co-lead and attributor
<< <i>Type collecting will continue to increase in popularity, due to increasing costs associated with assembling sets of classic coins. >>
+1
The trend will spread to Spanish and Portuguese Colonials that circulated in Americas and of course top quality will lead the parade
Has type collecting been increasing in popularity? If so, I haven't noticed it. What I have noticed is a constant increase in more specialized collections, and a shift away from more easily completed collections. I attribute this, in part, to the way that TPGs and the internet have made all series much easier to collect, which affects the choices we all make in choosing what to collect.
Then again, I can't say I'm positioned well enough to really know what's popular with most collectors these days, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.