I think CoinWorld is the biggest rag.

saintguru · December 12, 2005 4:29AM

Who cares about these people who continually whine about their mint sets being late or their orders getting botched?

Have any of YOU ever sent a letter to the editor?

HTubbs · December 12, 2005 4:30AM

Nope,but the letters section make good TP

kranky · December 12, 2005 4:32AM

saintguru, you should write them a letter about that!

saintguru · December 12, 2005 4:34AM

I'm too busy on hold with the mint!

Longacre · December 12, 2005 4:35AM

I've sent letters to Numismatic News, because they basically print anything. I have not sent anything to CW yet.

saintguru · December 12, 2005 4:38AM

Well think of the stupidest most trivial coin anecdote you can, and they will gladly put your name in print!

Barry · December 12, 2005 4:40AM

I sent them a letter once asking why the big news of a major dealer and full-page advertiser in CW being booted from the ANA (Ken Pines) was never covered. They didn't print it and didn't respond, either.

coppercoins · December 12, 2005 5:06AM

I quit bothering with the letters to the editor quite some time ago because they are all gripe sessions and vey few ended up being positive in any way. I see and hear enough negativism elsewhere, why bother spending the time to read it?

ziggy29 · December 12, 2005 5:10AM

The LTTEs in Coin World today are almost nothing but complaints about the Mint or the ANA.

I actually miss all the "I'm sick of the dead presidents on our coins" letters.

seanq · December 12, 2005 5:13AM

I stopped reading the LTTEs when the catfights over eliminating the cent and how to properly round off purchases broke out. I stopped reading the rag altogether when my subscription ran out in October and I declined to renew.

Sean Reynolds

TommyType · December 12, 2005 5:24AM

I had a "letter" printed in CoinWorld.....And I never intended it to be printed.

It was a few years back when QDB's column touted the value of Red Book, and how everyone should buy the latest version. It had a list of facts and trivia that you could answer from the latest printing. (This was before the recent modifications).

I sent a comment to the editor from their web page, and complained that you could essentially answer the same questions using a 1963 version of Red Book! They printed it. YIKES!!

Unfortunately, I didn't spend a lot of time word crafting, and I think I came off sounding pretty silly.

saintguru · December 12, 2005 5:26AM

The editorials are always so fascinating too. Seems like there's all hell in the ANA thee days~!

Clankeye · December 12, 2005 5:31AM

<< <i>Have any of YOU ever sent a letter to the editor? >>

I actually wrote a guest editorial for them some fifteen years ago.
They printed it.

It was about the demeaning way collectors spoke to each other in their letters to the editor. Kind of naive, but hey, this was pre-Internet. The vitriol I see here occasionally makes it look like the Hugs and Kisses Society Newsletter.

I used to be very excited about getting my CoinWorld every week. It really was my only connection to the numismatic world. I haven't read it in quite a while now.

Clankeye

Scavenger · December 12, 2005 5:36AM

I dont believe this, I just started a subscripton to Coinworld as well as Numismatic News a couple of weeks ago and now I'm hearing that it's a crap rag. C'mon now, I recall reading a very interesting article in Coinworld about sunken treasure (incuse gold coins) a few months ago.

paigowjohnny · December 12, 2005 5:39AM

I like Coin Word.....but I do agree that all the whining about the Mint in the Letters is pretty old.

airplanenut · December 12, 2005 6:00AM

I've sent CW one letter to the editor and one editorial--both published.

I've also had my picture on the front cover, right next to QDB

Woodwind · December 12, 2005 6:17AM

Good to hear I'm not the only one who hates those whiney letters in Coin World complaining about the US Mint.

vega1 · December 12, 2005 6:27AM

Regarding CoinWorld, I believe the old saying "If you have nothing good to say about something say nothing at all."

.........

I subscribe to Numismatic News.

INXS · December 12, 2005 6:31AM

I gave up my subscription, its 90% advertisement and 10% news which is usually not that interesting anyway.

SDCollector · December 12, 2005 6:34AM

I didn't renew my subscription. That was over 2 years ago and I haven't missed it a bit. If there wasn't an internet, then I probably would be subscriber. Come to think of it, the internet has basically replaced all my periodicals, from magazines to newspapers.

And Coinworld should be renamed U.S. Mint news.

Bochiman · December 12, 2005 6:43AM

It's easy to whine and blame the paper (and they aren't blameless) but instead of whining, is anyone writing GOOD letters to the editor?
I didn't think so.

I skim those now as most of them aren't worth the time, but occassionally there are good ones. Seems that the only things people write about are complaints with the mint, complaints with each other, or when new coins come out and are found in change.

The thing about CW is that it isn't aimed at the high-end specialist, imho, but rather for the masses. I find some articles good and others stupid and boring. Much like I would find some seminar about gold Saints......not my thing.

Now, I have sent information, and requests, to the NN about the section that deals with the sales volumes of certain issues from the Mint (Proof SAEs, Nickel sets, etc) and Peter Lindeblad replied back asking if he could print my email. So, I have been in the letters page before, but it isn't a big deal.
I've actually thought about sending a letter to the editor to rip all the dumbarses that go on and on about the same old thing there....but figured I would just ignore them instead (kind of like some of the people here...particularly some (not you Jay) who hide in the OF and come here at times.....they are just negative and stupid so I prefer to ignore them...to a degree).

But, Jay, do tell us....if you find CW to not be worth your valued time, which magazine would YOU recommend? Do you have a solution for your complaint or just a complaint?

Barry · December 12, 2005 6:45AM

It shoud also be called MOneyworld. Seems like they're devoting more space to currency lately.

BTW, nice Type Set, SDCollector!

SDCollector · December 12, 2005 6:47AM

Barry - thanks! I have your set bookmarked...I use it as a collecting goal!

ChangeInHistory · December 12, 2005 6:49AM

The griping and the letters are sometimes entertaining, but it's really a weekly list of coin dealers/ads. And MOST, not all, of the advertisers are dealers that are to be avoided. It's nice to catch up on the current events and news, but other than that it's not that useful.

mojorizn · December 12, 2005 6:56AM

I only pay attention to the Colonial column and the website listings. The QDB article is entertaining as well.

mojo

Michigan · December 12, 2005 7:01AM

<< <i>I've sent letters to Numismatic News, because they basically print anything. I have not sent anything to CW yet. >>

I sent a letter to NN a long time ago (1994 or so) complaining about the hypocrisy of a certain dealer (not named in the letter) who was
campaigning to not have the ANA convention in Detroit
because the city was too dangerous and yet when the Rodney
King situation erupted into riots Long Beach exploded in violence
while Detroit was calm. So Long Beach had a riot yet no complaints
about having a coin show there while Detroit was calm and there
are complaints that the city was too dangerous.

NN never printed the letter. I think they were afraid of offending
their advertisers or something.

JadeRareCoin · December 12, 2005 7:07AM

I wrote a letter to the publisher of Coin World when I was 15 (way back in the early 80's) and they published it. It was a commentary on how rude most coin dealers were to kids. I had many bad experiences with dealers in my area, especially at shows, so I wrote a letter. I wrote another letter that did not get published. I wrote it in 1985 and it was basically a prediction that computers and electronic games would hurt the hobby in the future, since it would pull kids from coin collecting. I was right about that!

Manorcourtman · December 12, 2005 7:12AM

<< <i>Who cares about these people who continually whine about their mint sets being late or their orders getting botched?

Have any of YOU ever sent a letter to the editor?

>>

If it were not for Coinworld all the complaints about the Mint would never see/hear the light of day. CW is about the only forum that exposes The Mint and its flaws......and it has many.

cladking · December 12, 2005 7:31AM

I like Coin World and think they're doing a really good job so I hate to complain about
them. Their letters to the editor suck though. They rarely print anything unless it's a
complaint and they seem to prefer baseless complaints or complaints about things
which are nearly impossible to change. They also will heavily edit letters to fit their style
and lenght. In their defence the editing will often preserve the gist of the letter but can
be heavy handed. They've printed a few letters of mine and one time a columnist (Bill
Murray) even responded to it.

They've been the top paper for nearly five years now though Coinage is a great monthly.

Conder101 · December 12, 2005 7:33PM

I don't now what you folks are complaining about. Take a step back and look at THIS forum. This is just a big 24/7 "letters to the editors" itself, and we get a TON of those same whine about the mint "letters" (threads). Yes we get same serious threads but let someone get a backorder notice, or take an hour trying to get through to the mint when they want to order some new item at 12:00:30 on the first day of taking orders, and they will be on here screaming bloody murder about how incompetent the Mint is. They got their new coin rolls in from the Mint and they aren't all MS-65+ or better and its "How can the mint foist this junk off onto us and charge a premium price!!" Forget the fact that they never promised anything more than typical run of the mill circulation coinage. If you are going to complain about them, just remember that we're not that much better.

LucyBop · December 12, 2005 7:36PM

i likie coinworld....

MrEureka · December 12, 2005 9:37PM

They rarely print anything unless it's a complaint...

That's because that's what people send them.

I have on several occasions suggested to CW that they be more selective in printing letters. I was told that their philosophy is to print it all if possible, that the LTTE page is pretty much an open forum. Of course, if more letters were received, CW would have no choice but to be more selective, and I'm sure they would do a good job of that. So send them more letters!

RYK · December 12, 2005 9:46PM

Coin World has its strengths and weaknesses. Overall, I enjoy scanning through it and learn at least one new numismatic pearl from it every week.

Mark · December 12, 2005 11:49PM

I really like Coin World. The once monthly article about colonials is always interesting as is QDB. Coin World is currently are running a weekly series on modern commemoratives, telling the histroy, mintage, designer(s), etc. Yeah, this series is nothing too profound, but it's interesting nonetheless. And, fairly often, they have an in-depth article about a topic I find interesting. Of course, I like all sorts of coins, so it doesn't take much for me to find something interesting. As far as their letters go, so what? Skip them if you don't like them. I read them for 100% entertainment...much like I read many of the threads here.

Mark

Michigan · December 13, 2005 12:54AM

I believe that people are more inclined to make the effort to write a letter if they are angry and want to
complain about something. That is why CW and NN letters tend toward the negative.

ziggy29 · December 13, 2005 1:06AM

<< <i>I really like Coin World. The once monthly article about colonials is always interesting as is QDB. >>

True. Reading QDB is just about worth the subscription price in and of itself.

saintguru · December 13, 2005 1:30AM

But, Jay, do tell us....if you find CW to not be worth your valued time, which magazine would YOU recommend? Do you have a solution for your complaint or just a complaint?

There are NO professional style publications. I guess the problem is that there are various echelons of collectors. You really would have a task to publish a periodical for the collector of ungraded circulated coins AND a collector of high-grade rarities, as one instance.

I suppose that I just find the mag to be trivial, although there are good articles from time to time. Maybe my sarcasm wasn't as evident as my cynicism...I was really mocking the letters and the editorials, which I think almost everyone agrees with. They did quite a nice job on the articles regarding the revelation of the stolen, (that's right, I said stolen!) Izzy Switt 1933 Saints.

Maybe HUSTLER should publish a coin magazine?

Just imagine the possibilities!!

And I am NOT bringing Laura into this train of creative thought.

messydesk · December 13, 2005 4:31AM

I wrote a letter a few years about how it was possible for certain nefarious, though unnamed, grading services to damage the hobby. They printed it as a guest commentary. I do get tired of seeing all the itchingbay and moaning though. It makes me wonder if they're hurting for reader participation in letters, and the traditional "I'm p.o'ed and this is why" letter to the editor has hijacked the editorial page. If they're overwhelmed with interesting viewpoints, they might not have to print the whining. Also, they don't have the luxury of having a topic die after 6 hours. It may take a few weeks for something to run its course in print. Maybe I'll write them a letter itchingbay about all the whining.

ColonialCoinUnion · December 13, 2005 4:56AM

Of course Coinworld has its flaws, but I still am genuinely excited to see it in my mailbox and I still read it every week. I just like coins, looking at coins, talking about coins, reading about coins, complaining about coins, etc.

MickeyD · December 13, 2005 10:40AM

I like Coin World and besides, what percentage of the paper is devoted to letters. One half of one percent. Coin World is also written to appeal to a "broad audience" If you want "professional" articles perhaps you could submit them. They are much better than NN, Coinage, and Coins. My 2 cents (not to be confused with fact or reality)

Andy

michael · December 13, 2005 10:51AM

Have any of YOU ever sent a letter to the editor?

no

coin world is a great weekly paper the best coin paper out there currently

much information gives you a feel for the market if you know how to read in between the lines
and also some cool coins for sale in some ads
also the buy sell trade back section is really interesting and informative for me

also the internet web address dealer scetion i bet is one of the most read sections

the point counterpoint guest editorial is always good

majorbigtime · December 13, 2005 11:32AM

I sent a letter to editor complaining about being ripped-off by a Coin World advertiser.

Guess what--their policy prohibits publishing such letters!

That sucks.

goose3 · December 13, 2005 11:39AM

It's a perfect magazine for the crapper.

that's about it.

the information in it that is decent is usually posted on here DAYS if not weeks before it's printed there and the coins that are advertised are usually long gone by the time it gets out.

Coinosaurus · December 13, 2005 12:20PM

I look at who writes the LTTE. If I recognize a name I might read it.

DeepCoin · December 13, 2005 9:44PM

My only issue with CW is that newbies have no idea that certain full page advertisers are selling cleaned, whizzed coins. Then when they get burned, the hobby loses another collector. I really think this hurts everyone more than we think in terms of losing potential long term hobbyists.

I do like to laugh at the LTTE as they are so predictable. The price is low and there are always some nuggets to be found inside if you look closely.

I think CoinWorld is the biggest rag.

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