On lamenting the generational trend against collecting: Slobby's World
Weiss
Posts: 9,942 ✭✭✭✭✭
There is a lot of hand-wringing about the end of our hobby: Some people see the mint's endless production of questionable commemoratives and related products paralleling the Post Office's glut of products in the last 2 or 3 decades that nudged that hobby toward the decline.
And I think there is a real, tangible move by Millennials and the upcoming "Generation Z" (those born after roughly 2000--yes, they are becoming adults now) away from big, heavy antique "things" that we grew up appreciating, things like cars and armoires and bookshelves and other stuff that isn't portable, that doesn't go in small urban apartments or on the road with you as you travel the world.
But there is a strong, though probably plateau'd, market for really good vintage vinyl records. And I've seen signs recently of younger kids becoming interested in coins and even precious metals. They seem, as probably we all did long ago, attracted to small, portable, concealable, MEANINGFUL, bright and shiny things. It's understandable that these upcoming adults might not want a houseful of art pottery or a garage of muscle cars when their dream is to live in a 500 sq ft apartment in the middle of a city and have an electric Tesla--if they even have a car at all.
A couple of days ago I came across a TV show on Netflix that maybe reinforced a little that these younger folks aren't not collecting, they're just not collecting the stuff we did. And the things they are collecting are small, portable, vintage or even antique, rare, and if the show is to be believed, require a vast amount of specialization, research, and knowledge to master.
The show is called "Slobby's World". Slobby is the kind of guy you've seen at the record store or coffee shop. Loud personality, loud dress, loud voice. He owns and runs a vintage clothing and accessories store in Tucson, Arizona. It shares a lot with shows like Pawn Stars and American Pickers--the shop's crew hunts for items priced low that they can sell high. That's everything from vintage clothing (sports jerseys, graphic t-shirts) to luxury 80s and 90s luggage to vintage sneakers to high-end sunglasses from 20 or 30 years ago.
The show is not great. It's low budget and Slobby is that faux hip-hop, ubertrendy guy that you'll love to hate (he reminds me of Buddy/Syndrome from the original Incredibles movie). And I don't doubt that some of the exchanges are for the camera only. But if at least some parts of the show are legit, these young adults are really passionate about the things they collect. The depth into which they explore the tiny details of stitching or hang tags, the maker's mark on vintage eyeglass frames, the generations of what looks to be the same exact shoe to an old guy like me. It's no joke to them. And they not only understand what counterfeit pieces are and how to detect them. They actually codify them into genuine, outright fakes, bootlegs, "fugazi"s , etc. and appreciate them for what they are independent of each other.
I can't really recommend the show. The guy's hard to take even in small doses. But I do think it sheds some light on how the idea of collecting isn't disappearing--it's just evolving.
--Severian the Lame
Comments
Oh, and uh, here's a US Coin:
--Severian the Lame
That ain't a COIN !!!
It's gotta be a coin! Or the Lesher of the two.
Good post.
Pete
"A couple of days ago I came across a TV show on Netflix that maybe reinforced a little that these younger folks aren't not collecting, they're just not collecting the stuff we did. And the things they are collecting are small, portable, vintage or even antique, rare, and if the show is to be believed, require a vast amount of specialization, research, and knowledge to master."
I started thinking that too. Then it occurred to me how I began collecting coins.
I too collected bottle caps, stamps, guns, and other stuff.
When I tried coins, things evolved rather quickly. They were REAL... They were precious METAL....They were EASY to buy, sell and trade (especially compared to guns).
There were actual DEALERS of coins. Expertise and encouragement down the street.
And I was satisfying the basic urge to collect. And COINS are ubiquitous among the wealthy.
That was a consideration. I've always considered whatever people with more money than I do as an important factor in achieving any progress in a financial life.
Thus....coins were it.
I think the young will follow this path, too. It's never a bad thing to follow the money. Maybe it will take today's young folks a little longer to come to that conclusion but I think they will and....again... .coin collecting will win the day.
I should add that these pieces aren't cheap. Again, if the show is legit, some of these items are bringing hundreds or even thousands of dollars and the buyers aren't blinking. If it's the one accessory or limited edition jacket they want, they're shelling out for it.
--Severian the Lame
Pawn Stars Chumley seems to be an expert in shoes.
I still wonder at the longevity of appeal of an old clothes collection as fashions change.
Collecting and attention to detail are genetic traits, so there will always be passionate collectors of something. Exposing these people to numismatics and nurturing them is up to us.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
When you're a true collector, usually one field doesn't cut it.
Me? Coins, bullion bars, exonumia, antique silver, pottery, etc. etc.
My YouTube Channel
Collecting coins and doing it right requires something that seems to be in short supply in most of today's youngsters. It is called WORK.
I have 5 or 6 employees below the age of 30 and for the most part they are good workers. One thing that sticks out is that most of them have at least one thing they are very passionate about. Two of them (that I know of) are collectors. One collects exotic plants and will spend hundreds of dollars on some exotic plant from some far away country that is in a pot that will fit in your hand. The other collects basketball cards and is so into them he buys whole cases and then makes videos that are hours long showing him opening every single pack and displaying each and every card. My point is the younger generation is into collecting and are very passionate about it, the key is to just get them interested in coins.
Mercury
Us millennials are collecting, you older collectors just don't want to see it or are oblivious to it. Go on Instagram, facebook, reddit, discord etc. and you will see thousands of younger people interested in coins/bullion and actively collecting.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-17/lego-collecting-delivers-huge-and-uncorrelated-market-returns
Millenials actively collect Legos, Jordans, Magic The Gathering, COINS and BULLION, vintage video games, vintage board games and many other collectibles. I go to coin shows (philly ANA, auburn MA show and Mansfield Numismatic society annual show) and rarely buy items because they're overpriced, they have a smaller selection than Heritage, GreatCollections and eBay and I can buy from the convenience of my home. I have one LCS and one pawnshop that I am a regular at and spend money at and I have good relationships with them. I also have good relationships with fellow "young" collectors as well.
As well as a few other less legal ventures.
The hobby is not fading away... there are many, many young collectors on the internet....This old refrain has been playing for at least three decades.....Nor is the coin market crashing...prices are still high for good material. Cheers, RickO
The concern described by the OP is to the price level, not the hobby. No one knows how many collectors there are now or previously. It's also evident that the coins overwhelmingly discussed here will be owned by a collector who will likely appreciate it, but at a different and probably lower price many years in the future.
I have read many accounts of collectors expressing this concern. For collectors whose financial outlay is material to them, they may be disappointed at sale. (I believe the majority by far will be, measured in constant prices.) For those who treat their collections as an alternative consumption expense, it doesn't matter. Given the sums frequently paid by those who post their coins here, I can infer that they don't.
A nice write up Weiss. Many of us ponder on what the future brings...I myself have seen the youngsters begin collecting AND reading about pocket watches. Has anyone else?
Enjoyed numismatic conversations with Eric P. Newman, Dave Akers, Jules Reiver, David Davis, Russ Logan, John McCloskey, Kirk Gorman, W. David Perkins...
My early feeling on generation Z is that it's an upswing from the one before it.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
But is it coins they will be collecting? .....
Heritage
Charles III Album
Charles III Portrait Set
Charles IV Album
Charles IV Portrait Set
Spanish Colonial Pillar Set
Wondering if there's a connection between this and the steampunk trend of a few years ago.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Nice write up.
"Hard to take" is an understatement.
I was done after 10 seconds.
As a (technically) millenial myself, I can say for a fact that the younger collectors are out there (both us and gen z). They just collect differently. We get our information primarily from online sources and buy from there too. I've probably spent 1/50th at shows this year compared to what I spend online. Plenty of us are passionate and do put in the work!
Remember too that many of us get our information from online sources. That includes here. This forum and how it presents itself may determine whether a young collectors interest grows or is replaced by another hobby.
Aercus Numismatics - Certified coins for sale
Caring about what milinials think and do takes me away from valuable time researching and collecting what I’m into. I’m selfish and stingy with my leisure time.
I have hired and work directly with many millennials and have several on my crews that are very mature and motivated people. I don’t lump them all in the same basket. Millinnial and immature often get compared and confused with each other, just not the case. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care what they chose to be into, but for sure, they are into stuff, they’re not another species, LOL, they’re made of the same things everyone else is.