Why are there advertisements in the Whitman books?
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
I don't know when this started, but I noticed that the more recent coin publications by Whitman contain third party coin firm advertisements. Back in the old days, the Redbook didn't have advertisements (or at least I don't remember them). Although there are not a lot of them, the advertisements are sprinkled throughout the Redbook. For the Redbook, it might make sense, however. Maybe some Newbie is buying the book for the first time, and he is interested enough to contact a dealer. Perhaps he will contact one of the advertising dealers. I think it is a little bit more of a stretch for the other Whitman books. One can argue that the Morgan dollar book, the Saints book, and others are in a similar class as the Redbook, and it makes sense to sell dealer advertisements in those books too, because a reader might be looking for a dealer to contact. But overall it just doesn't seem right to me, in my opinion.
Also, does anyone know to what extent the advertisements subsidize the book itself? I assume it is pretty expensive to produce and market a book, but I am not sure how much the advertisements cover the costs.
Also, does anyone know whether the advertising department at Whitman focuses its efforts to certain dealers depending on the subject matter of the book? For example, it someone writes a Whitman book on Early Gold, will the Whitman ad exectutive hound mrearlygold to be the presenting sponsor of the book, or otherwise entice him to pay more for the primo advertising space in the book?
Also, does anyone know to what extent the advertisements subsidize the book itself? I assume it is pretty expensive to produce and market a book, but I am not sure how much the advertisements cover the costs.
Also, does anyone know whether the advertising department at Whitman focuses its efforts to certain dealers depending on the subject matter of the book? For example, it someone writes a Whitman book on Early Gold, will the Whitman ad exectutive hound mrearlygold to be the presenting sponsor of the book, or otherwise entice him to pay more for the primo advertising space in the book?
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
0
Comments
The flip side is that they run the risk of losing their neutrality and perceived bias-free status. Loss of credibilty could equal loss of sales.
It's a tricky game. I don't mind it if it is in the first few or last few pages, like the Stack's ad in the final page of the 2005 spiral bound. But if they are putting ads in with the specific coin signatures, that will make me mad.
--Severian the Lame
Whitman just picked it up because it is additional revenue.
I do not know whether they would have done it first, however.
I firmly believe in numismatics as the world's greatest hobby, but recognize that this is a luxury and without collectors, we can all spend/melt our collections/inventories.
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There is a lot of money going into the venture which includes the new semi annual shows in Atlanta as well as the books, etc.
I think the ads in the books are probably a small piece of the revenue needed to fund this venture. JMHO. Steve
My Complete PROOF Lincoln Cent with Major Varieties(1909-2015)Set Registry
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Yep!
Well there's an advertisement for waffle coins right next to the article describing waffle coins in the current issue of the Redbook.
The ads in the Redbook annoy me, but I can live with it.