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I really don't like the new look of the new Coin World...
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
I received the latest issue of Coin World in the new format yesterday. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed with the finished product. All of the same content was there, but for some reason, the edition looked "messy" and not well organized. I am not sure who to blame for this (perhaps the editor). The articles all seemed to merge into one another, and the layout just didn't seem right.
Additionally, the headers for the regular articles (like QDB's Joy of Collecting) were too small, and it was hard to determine whose article you were reading (other than viewing the disembodied head of the author buried at the bottom right of the page). As is typical, the whiny letters to the editor were included with reckless abandon, and the usual irrelevant editorial added nothing to the paper's content.
Personally, I didn't think the print quality was any better than the old style, and all of the different colors on each page added to the confusion, in my opinion. The one highlight of the new paper-- the CoinRaritiesOnline advertisement. It showed a toned darkside coin with the caption, "brought to you in living color" or something similar. Very clever for the debut issue of the "improved" colorized Coin World.
I just renewed my subscription, though, so I have 51 more issues to review and determine if any improvements are made.
Additionally, the headers for the regular articles (like QDB's Joy of Collecting) were too small, and it was hard to determine whose article you were reading (other than viewing the disembodied head of the author buried at the bottom right of the page). As is typical, the whiny letters to the editor were included with reckless abandon, and the usual irrelevant editorial added nothing to the paper's content.
Personally, I didn't think the print quality was any better than the old style, and all of the different colors on each page added to the confusion, in my opinion. The one highlight of the new paper-- the CoinRaritiesOnline advertisement. It showed a toned darkside coin with the caption, "brought to you in living color" or something similar. Very clever for the debut issue of the "improved" colorized Coin World.
I just renewed my subscription, though, so I have 51 more issues to review and determine if any improvements are made.
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
Embrace change... it is inevitable. Cheers, RickO
<< <i>"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson"
Embrace change... it is inevitable. Cheers, RickO >>
Sometimes a U turn on a change is a good thing, anybody remember "new Coke".
<< <i>"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson"
Embrace change... it is inevitable. Cheers, RickO >>
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Cheers, PerryH
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>
<< <i>"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson"
Embrace change... it is inevitable. Cheers, RickO >>
Sometimes a U turn on a change is a good thing, anybody remember "new Coke".
I agree. To make progress, change is necessary. But that does not mean that all changes are good!!
We went through that BS at my workplace about a decade ago. We got in a new group of manager that insisted that ' all change is good'. They even implemented a policy that everyone had to change something on a weekly basis! As you can imagine.... a very stupid edict. True, some necessary things did get changed for the better. But eventually things trended to chaos as 'stupid' changes were implented... just for the sake of change. Thankfully, eventually that philosophy was booted out after about a year.
<< <i>It strikes me as an odd change. I wonder what the reason for the change really was? >>
Publications often do these things to "freshen up" the look of a magazine or newspaper when they feel the old format
has gotten a bit stale, they also have to sell the new format to advertisers as a good thing that will attract more attention
to their ads, they probably also feel it will help CW stand out on newstands more than the old format.
There might be some cost savings as well for CW.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson"
Embrace change... it is inevitable. Cheers, RickO >>
Sometimes a U turn on a change is a good thing, anybody remember "new Coke".
I agree. To make progress, change is necessary. But that does not mean that all changes are good!!
We went through that BS at my workplace about a decade ago. We got in a new group of manager that insisted that ' all change is good'. They even implemented a policy that everyone had to change something on a weekly basis! As you can imagine.... a very stupid edict. True, some necessary things did get changed for the better. But eventually things trended to chaos as 'stupid' changes were implented... just for the sake of change. Thankfully, eventually that philosophy was booted out after about a year. >>
Do you and I work at the same firm?
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)
I don't believe the change will affect me greatly, and I will still spend about the same amount of time reading it as I always have.
All change is NOT for the good... but change is inevitable. Cheers, RickO
I agree. To make progress, change is necessary. But that does not mean that all changes are good!!
We went through that BS at my workplace about a decade ago. We got in a new group of manager that insisted that ' all change is good'. They even implemented a policy that everyone had to change something on a weekly basis! As you can imagine.... a very stupid edict. True, some necessary things did get changed for the better. But eventually things trended to chaos as 'stupid' changes were implented... just for the sake of change. Thankfully, eventually that philosophy was booted out after about a year.
I think you were in my school system!
Denga
<< <i>This is a tough crowd.
I don't believe the change will affect me greatly, and I will still spend about the same amount of time reading it as I always have. >>
I haven't been able to sleep a wink since receiving it.
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)
<< <i>"Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer. " ~Shunryu Suzuki
All change is NOT for the good... but change is inevitable. Cheers, RickO >>
Change is inevitable . . . except from a vending machine!
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
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.
eBaystore
maybe later they will offer a choice of formats, like they once did with the TV GUIDE!
in the end it'll just take some time for everybody to get used to, for our eyes to find the new style familiar enough. progress rolls on.........................
<< <i>for a group that routinely complains about things, this seems about right!!! strangely, if the fine folks at CW had kept using the old equipment to keep everything the same and subsequently charged a subscriber more, we'd hear complaining about that. i figure the quality of the product is better now, the quality of the pictures is better now, if i choose to save old copies it'll take up less space now, it'll be less notecable to prying eyes now, GEEZ, what's not to like??
in the end it'll just take some time for everybody to get used to, for our eyes to find the new style familiar enough. progress rolls on......................... >>
True but a nice .pdf version would take even less space.
The new one is so much more practical imo.
<< <i>I am not crazy about it either. I think that I would rather read a newspaper than a magazine. >>
I agree with you. It's sort of odd when you think about it-- the content is basically exactly the same, but it is just in a different format (newspaper versus magazine). But for some reason it seems totally different. I don't want to get too metaphysical about this, though.
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)
a cheaper, smaller product, that screws the consumer.
Camelot
while that might be true sometimes, it seems in this case they had been using the same machinery for quite some time and it's plausible that the explanation of it getting old and cumbersome is valid. i don't think it's really fair of us to criticize CW for staying modern, is it?? i can't see this as screwing the consumer if my cost stays the same, maybe it's actually saving me money from stopping an increase in the subscription.
I like it.
The only thing I'll miss about the old version is the newsprint that used to get all over my hands.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Damn the new format is GREAT
Camelot
ZeroHedge makes debut at White House press corps briefing
The press used for the old version was ancient and on it's last legs:-)
The idea of color is a benefit. I know certain varieties and such will appear more clearly using color.
The new presses are geared for that size and that style of copy.
It is progress based upon a need to retire the old press.
myurl http://www.foundinrolls.com
Do a poll!
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
<< <i>Not sure if there is a post that answers the Why...
The press used for the old version was ancient and on it's last legs:-)
The idea of color is a benefit. I know certain varieties and such will appear more clearly using color.
The new presses are geared for that size and that style of copy.
It is progress based upon a need to retire the old press. >>
I was working for Coin World when the old press was installed, in the Spring of 1974. Absolutely state of the art at the time.
They must have made it out of the stuff they made ball parks out of back then, that needed to get torn down after 30+ years......
TD
<< <i>I'll bet it's now considered a "magazine" rather than a "newspaper" Many distributors don't deal in newspapers, which is why you often see Coinage and Coin Prices in grocery stores and bookstores, but seldom CW or NN. >>
Bingo!
<< <i>In the market place, new and improved usually means
a cheaper, smaller product, that screws the consumer. >>
YOU NAILED IT BEAR!!
<< <i>
<< <i>I'll bet it's now considered a "magazine" rather than a "newspaper" Many distributors don't deal in newspapers, which is why you often see Coinage and Coin Prices in grocery stores and bookstores, but seldom CW or NN. >>
Bingo! >>
The last thing I saw in newspaper print at my grocery store
was ShotGun News. Haven't even seen that in years now that
it's been mentioned about distributors.
Jerry
Is it just me, or does the print itself seem smaller?
I think Amos Publishing is doing the same thing to all it's publications. I recieved my latest copy of Linn's Stamp News today and was SHOCKED at how small it had become. It used to be a stamp NEWSPAPER-meaning about that size. Today it was about a third of it's original size. They say it's bacause its a NEW FORMAT, smaller with MORE COLOR PICTURES. Apparently, what collectors want...I don't know. I think they are just responding to the cost of publication issue and shrinking the darned thing down, yeah the color is nice but for the same price I was paying for the BIGGER paper before. The APS just sent me my latest renewal notice and they raised my membership dues 10 dollars. Jeez, I gave up coins, now I can't afford to collect stamps either!
However, there are a few things to remember in all of this change.
This is the second downsizing of this publication within the last 10 years, and there were color advertisements before this new downsizing. Having color appear in all printed publications has come down in price with the new technology available to publishers. This same technology was already in use at Amos press in their Coin Values monthly magazine, which came with Coin World if ordered to be included with a yearly subscription.
Speaking of subscription, the price was $41.95 for 52 issues in 2004. This was after the first downsizing. With the color magazine size, Coin Values included, the subscription went to $47.95, as seen in 2006. That wasn't a bad increase at $8. for 12 issues. In the January 1, 2007 issue, new colorized front and rear covers were added; so was a subscription rate increase to $49.95. Interestingly, with this newer smaller size and all the color added to the ads, the subscription has remained at $49.95.
Why? or How?
Because, the biggest impact of this "new format"has to do with advertising prices. They have increased significantly, while the space in the publication has been considerably reduced.
There is no longer a rate chart printed in the back of Coin World. Hasn't been one for years. You now have to call an account representative. The people who advertise are the ones that will have to charge more for their product to pay for all of this - nothing new. This only supports higher prices in the end.
I remember when CW used to print the circulation number of copies sent out for each issue. To me, it was an indicator of the market. Now, that information is gone as well.
We'll just have to watch the number of pages in each issue. That should be a key factor on whether or not the new CW format is a benefit.
I do find it very interesting that Coin World is now the same size and basic format as the publication from the American Numismatic Association, now called "Numismatist". Surprisingly, at the start date of this new format for CW (11/5/2007), they have nearly the same number of pages (CW is at 125, while Numismatist is at 120).
What will the printed competition be like in the future for the numismatic dollar?