How did Whitman stay in business all these years

dbldie55 · January 13, 2003 4:11AM

It has been continuously pointed out that no one collected current issue coins until the state quarter program, so I wondered how Whitman stayed in business. I mean, they sell these blue folders for coins no one collects, so no one needs the folders. Anyone have an idea how they did it? Be nice to stay in business without selling anything.

baccaruda · January 13, 2003 4:23AM

must be a money-laundering front.

prooflike · January 13, 2003 4:24AM

Don't they also sell chocolate?

airplanenut · January 13, 2003 4:29AM

Don't forget books such as the Red and Blue book, Photograde, and numerous other supplies.

Jeremy

shirohniichan · January 13, 2003 4:32AM

They did it by offering low-mintage collectors' edition folders that people hoarded. When major buyers' estates go up for auction the market will be flooded with them!

It is also a well-known fact that no one collects foreign coins.

Draco · January 13, 2003 4:37AM

I collect lots of moderns, not all, but many. Mainly, I collect proof and uncirculated sets. I belive that the mint produces somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 million sets a year so I'm obviously not alone. One thing I've recently been getting are the prestige sets from like '83 to '98. Has anyone really looked at the production numbers there? We are talking thousands, not millions made. It really baffles me why their value is so much less than the original mint issue price. All the sets I have show no discoloration, spotting or whatever and I pretty much pick them up whenever I can. Some of those sets have some really nice commemorative coins in them (if you like that sort of thing). I love my classic coins and get them when I can, but one day someone in my family will really appreciate the effort I put into moderns (I hope)

As far as coin folders go, I don't use them. Someone must. . maybe it's what the drug dealers use to hide their crack money in

baccaruda · January 13, 2003 4:56AM

Don't they also sell chocolate?

and chocolate has cocaine in it. ah-hah - mystery solved.

MacCoin · January 13, 2003 5:42AM

they are cheap and every store in the world has them? for years we didn't know there was anything else.

sinin1 · January 13, 2003 5:49AM

I am guessing they also have a pretty good mark-up over cost of production, and probably do not need a tremendously large work force.

Barry · January 13, 2003 6:35AM

Whitman folders are like AOL disks - they're everywhere you look. The only difference is Whitman got paid for their folder.

As a side note, I have found a great use for AOL disks. I hang them in my garden to keep the birds out. Works very well!

baccaruda · January 13, 2003 6:39AM

101 uses

DHeath · January 13, 2003 7:02AM

Lucky that guy that just sold the 63 Lincoln for $32,000 didn't use one.

keets · January 13, 2003 8:04AM

..........ah, methinks me smells a bit of sarcasm in thy post. his cladishness will be along posthaste to explain this strangest of phenomenon to thou!!!

it seems the underlying wit with your poser is that almost all young hobbyists got their start pushing pennies or another denomination into one of those blue books. hardly a collector can be found who never did, and the almost certainty when you find one is that his/her hobby started later in life. i was in a Walden bookstore before Christmas and just for the heck of it i wondered into the hobby section and guess what?????!!!!!!! theey had some Whitman folders, mainly lincoln cents and state quarters. what a surprise-----NOT!!!!!

my folders were bought in the mid 60's and except for the dates and a little wear, looked current when i finally emptied them about 3 years ago. a good product. right now i have 2 sons who have 2 pregnant girlfriends and i can't think of a better way to get some new blood into the hobby than to start the grandkids off with some Whitman's!!! pennies of course.

al h.

How did Whitman stay in business all these years

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