Making coin club more fun and meaningful?
Rollerman
Posts: 1,897 ✭✭✭✭✭
We have a good club in my area, but it seems we are in a rut when it comes to our meetings. It seems those that could present a talk have done so, many seem to shy away from a grading clinics we've tried and others don't seem to care about coin trivia when we've tried that. We have an auction, but much of the material is overgraded, or overpriced and only a few put stuff in the auction. At our last meeting, we sold only 10 out of 27 pieces.
Do any of you have suggestions as to what adds spark to your coin club meetings? Once in a while, one or two guys will actually set up and try to sell their stuff. Anymore, the most fun for me is a show and tell with a couple other more serious collectors in the group.
Any suggestions will be given serious consideration and many thankis!
Pete
Do any of you have suggestions as to what adds spark to your coin club meetings? Once in a while, one or two guys will actually set up and try to sell their stuff. Anymore, the most fun for me is a show and tell with a couple other more serious collectors in the group.
Any suggestions will be given serious consideration and many thankis!
Pete
"Ain't None of Them play like him (Bix Beiderbecke) Yet."
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
0
Comments
At my club, the auctions are often full priced listings with single bids, so 10 of 27 seems about right. My club has attracted a lot of new people by advertising on Craigslist and local newspapers. Some of the newcomers bring stuff to sell and put it in the auction. Often times auction items are priced optimistically, but once in a while someone really wants to get rid of their coins and does no reserve auctions, and sometimes that pays off with strong bids, sometimes not, and items go cheap.
As with most clubs and such about 20% of the people do 80% of the work, and that won't likely change no matter the organization.
In the past I thought a "mini bourse" coin club meeting was a good idea. Although actual outcomes may vary, they don't normally turn out as good as you'd imagine.
I can't emphasize enough the negativity that comes with a boring speaker ranting about a subject nobody else cares about. Not only is the entire presentation more aggravating to sit through than a foreign language karaoke party, it sets a negative perception for the casual meeting attendee and could dissuade them from attending future meetings. If people stop attending the meetings, then it's over for the coin club.
Basically the best methods to keep coin club meetings fresh is to keep the coin club and its ideas fresh. Give talks about subjects people in the club actually care about and make sure those talks are presented by people who are worth listening to and have personalities more exciting than a lawnmower. Just like in media where content is king, it's the same way at coin club meetings.
Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
1. Hold an end of the year party with a pot luck and a band (Our sister club meets every other month in a bar/restaurant for some real fun)
2. Bought a roll of Canadian silver dollars and they have a give away for one coin each meeting, they also give away an IKE and wooden nickel (Gave away Morgans prior to the Canadians and some Silver Ikes and halves)
3. They do a 50/50
4. Had a local newspaper come in to write a story about the history of the club and what it is all about - this got some new members
5. Hold two local coin shows a year with about 10 dealers in an empty storefront in the mall in town (members help set up and tear down with the dealers)
6. Next year, they are going to have one free table at the show for non-dealers from the club to try and sell some extra stuff
7. Had a YN present a topic on their favorite coin series
8. Hold an auction every other month (Most stuff sells and is reasonably priced with a low start)
9. Watched a video on the history of money (We also watch ANA videos and have guest presenters)
10. Our club also has an email list with all the members - The Treasurer sends out reminders on the meeting dates, times and topics two days before each meeting
11. Have each member bring in their favorite item for "show and tell"
12. Review articles of interest from Coin World and Numismatic News
13. We always discuss PM prices and predictions for the future
14. Had members bring in items to be displayed in a showcase at the local library
Our club has a meeting on the second Monday of every month. People start getting there
around 5:30 and at 7 the pres. calls it to order. Before there is a lady that cooks super for
a good price and most par-take. The members spread coins out on the folding tables in front
of them for people to see and B S T. Each member gets a free door prize ticket when they
sign in for the meeting and then the club sells the 50 / 50 drawing that the club gets half and the
winning ticket drawn gets the other. During the first part of the meeting the club business is
brought before the members and the drawnings are held. After that one member gives a
presentation about coins or some part of the hobby. Afterwards we have an auction with 70
or 80 lots and maybe 60 to 70 % sell. Can get some good deals sometimes. There is also a
"Dealer of the Month" which sets up one full table with cases and sells their coins. It is not
limited to a dealer, any member can set up. We also have a club mim show a couple of times
a year along with our yearly big club show at the Shrine Temple which by the way is coming
up at the end of May. All Ways a great show, don't miss it. Hope these ideas can help. We also
have a seperate meeting for Y Ns before the main meeting.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Our club hosts a very successful annual show, we have an annual dinner right before Christmas and once in a while we'll have an ice cream and cake treat during the meetings. We encourage some better material for the Annual dinner meeting, but I think bidding isn't as aggressive as it might be since many guys bring their wives to that one.
To perk up the auctions, I've put holdered Morgans and Walkers in our auction with reserves around bid (approximately 70% of retail) and still don't get bids! The last auction I had a MS63 Morgan with a low reserve that only bought silver money.
We have a flat $25 door prize, and a 50/50 drawing for a coin plus some money. We also have an attendance drawing each meeting. If the member is not present it grows by $5 each time. I think the most it ever grew to was $45 (starting at $25).
We've played coin trivia (some of us really enjoy that, others, not so much), we've had talks on various things, some more interesting than others, of course. I've covered up the grades on slabs and passed them around asking the members to write down the grade they think the slab will show. We later announce the grades and display the coins again for them see.
Despite all this, our meetings seem flat to me (hey, maybe it's me? Huh?). The problem may be in the approach different people take in the hobby - some are serious numismatists/ collectors, some are merely hole fillers with no real concern for quality, only price, and some are more or less horders who grab anything that's cheap? It's hard to please such a diverse group.
My next move is to develop a questionnaire asking for ideas from the members themselves as to what they'd like to see in their coin club. We'll see how that works.
Best wishes to all,
Pete
Louis Armstrong
Some items sell well in club auctions, especially silver eagles and very cheap slabs. Certified coins worth more than $20 don't, regardless of perceived value.
To prove my point once, a few years ago at a local club auction I put in a PCGS slabbed Morgan with a Greysheet value of around $700 (Bluesheet around $550). I reserved it at $120. There were no bids.
Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
<< <i>Thanks to those who wrote offering suggestions.
...
Despite all this, our meetings seem flat to me (hey, maybe it's me? Huh?). The problem may be in the approach different people take in the hobby - some are serious numismatists/ collectors, some are merely hole fillers with no real concern for quality, only price, and some are more or less horders who grab anything that's cheap? It's hard to please such a diverse group.
... >>
I think it is you expecting too much from a local coin club meeting. It is a casual gathering, with a few serious collectors and many not so serious. Sounds like you are one of the more serious ones. I'd skip the questionaire, as that is the serious route. Besides, many will suggest things that involve a lot of time and energy but don't want to do any of the work. That is a recipe for more resentment, more disappointment, not a better club. Many more will take the opportunity to complain about this that or the other, or some person they don't like, and again, that is not the way to build a better club.
A person seeking serious, might join one of the national specialty clubs and attend the meetings at the bigger shows. However, even for those specialty clubs, the attendance is sometimes surprisingly low, and the presentations are sometimes dry.
I really don't understand the adversion to learning at times. It came to a head for me a few weeks ago when, at a 500 lot auction with coins valued up to $14,000, I was the only attendee for a ANA seminar on problem and counterfeit coins!! A few guys drifted in later, but we were about 4 people out of a crowd of at least 50 to 60 people (maybe a 100, didn't actually count them). Guess the rest knew it all already, huh? I've been at it off and on (mostly "on" the past 11 years!) for 57 years and I'm still learning.
It really does take all kinds, I'm sure.
Pete
Louis Armstrong
<< <i>Yeah, I am a more serious one.
I really don't understand the adversion to learning at times. It came to a head for me a few weeks ago when, at a 500 lot auction with coins valued up to $14,000, I was the only attendee for a ANA seminar on problem and counterfeit coins!! A few guys drifted in later, but we were about 4 people out of a crowd of at least 50 to 60 people (maybe a 100, didn't actually count them). Guess the rest knew it all already, huh? I've been at it off and on (mostly "on" the past 11 years!) for 57 years and I'm still learning.
It really does take all kinds, I'm sure.
Pete >>
I don't get it either. I've seen so many cliches about buy the book, and knowledge is the key, and many others, that I thought most coin collectors were in favor of learning. Only in the past year or so, has it become clear that most coin collectors, even the smart ones here on this forum, have little to no interest in seminars, presentations and the like. I posted a poll a few months back, trying to gauge interest in an education only event (
link). About 75% polled little to no interest in that kind of event. Combine that with the low attendance at the free seminars and presentations at most major shows, and folks are clearly voting with their feet. There are plenty of show reports on the forum, maybe 5% ever mention attending one of the seminars or club meetings.
Like I said, my local club in El Segundo, CA has done away with the education/presentation segment. Perhaps other clubs would do well to do the same. It is difficult to find folks to present, and a good many club members have little to no interest--that's the harsh reality.
Our little club has also gone through a transformation. Back in the 70's and 80's we were a very active club, especially during the meetings. Some of our 'spark plugs' have passed on and the internet, eBay and forums such as this, in particular, have made it easier to interact with other collectors instead of getting out of the house. There are still some things a small club can do to entice people to attend the meetings.
The first thing a club needs have is a newsletter. It doesn't have to be professionally done, just a one page reminder of the next meeting will do. The newsletter can include whatever you want such as program information, new coin releases, dates on area coin shows, website of the month, short biographies on club members or anything else the editor dreams up at the time.
The second thing is a 'draw' to the meetings like a guest speaker or an interesting program on the hobby. The program part can sometimes be hard to put together. There are hundreds of topics which can make a good program and it's important to keep it simple as everyone in the club is not a VAM collector for example. Also, most people just melt when they get in front of a crowd and try to speak, this is normal, I know from experience as I used to be just a typically shy Norwegian. We have asked members what they want to learn about with very little response. Every meeting can have a 'Show and Tell' and this should be encouraged. Even the shy ones can show a favorite item with the audience chiming in on their knowledge of it, making that piece a program in itself.
Our luck at auctions at the meetings is similar to what I've read here. It's hard to even get face value for most items UNLESS the auction lots are published in the newsletter before the meeting. (This allows members to research the prices and check their want lists.) A very successful auction is when 25-50 lots can be put together, listed in the newsletter and set up with a deadline for phone bids. Of course, it's time consuming for someone but someone may like to try this. A 'model' auction could have the lots available for viewing at the meeting BEFORE the auction itself..whether it be a floor, phone or a mail bid type. Even with over fifty years in the hobby, I'm often caught off guard at club meetings when someone asks what their coin is worth so how would I know what to bid on something?
New members often bring new ideas to clubs. It's important to get these people involved in club activities immediately. Find out what their interests are, encourage them to come up with a program on those interests and introduce them to members with the same interests. Another very important thing to do is to welcome them to the club by chatting with them and MAKE them feel like they should come to the next meeting. Ignored guests will NOT return.
Special meetings centered around seasons or holidays are also an attraction for many. We have a Christmas dinner (Sorry PC's) and a summer picnic which is catered at a local park. Being that most people like the outdoors in the summer, we often skip a meeting during the warm months as many are on vacation anyway. This relieves the 'spark plugs' from some club work too and allows them to recharge their batteries. The catering also allows EVERYONE to relax and enjoy the picnic.
Club officer positions are difficult to fill too. Our club seems to have overcome this problem by having four of our monthly board meetings at a reasonably priced restaurant. These board meetings are where the club's business is done, keeping it out of the regular meetings. (The ONLY reason to bring up club business at a regular meeting is to get membership approval for MAJOR board recommendations. NO member cares to sit through the business end of a club when they come to have fun. IF they want to get interested in club business, they are always welcome to attend the BMs!.)
In summary, keep the regular meetings FUN. Order a bag of coins from the Mint and search for errors. Ask members to always bring something for Show and Tell. Make everyone feel welcome. Don't mock the beginners or their interests and just enjoy the hobby for what it is. It's too important to take seriously!
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Other clubs, which are made of advanced collectors, survive on meetings with formal presentations by one member or a guest speaker plus a “show and tell” by each member who chooses to bring something in for a show and a short speech. I belonged to one stuffy club that frowned on any trading, buying or selling between the members. Many of those guys hated the “commercial” aspects of the hobby. My own view is that you need a balance between the two.
Many clubs do well with refreshments and chit-chat between the members after the meeting. BUT that can only last for so long IMO.
The current local club to which I belong has a monthly auction where nearly everything sells. The material is almost always low priced, but the members seem to enjoy it any way. A dealer, a couple of collectors and yours truly put up most of the lots at low minimums, and since I’ve had some of this material for a while, and don’t have much in it, I’m happy with the results.
I also write an article for the club newsletter and present an educational forum almost every month. I thought that they would get bored with me, but so far that has not happened. One time when I was late for a meeting, they almost cheered when I came through the door. That really makes you feel good!
Even though a lot of what I show is material the members have never seen or read about, they seem to be genuinely interested. Of course my approach to numismatics is different from most people. I weave history and stories into almost everything, and don’t talk much about filling holes in albums.
<< <i> I weave history and stories into almost everything, and don’t talk much about filling holes in albums. >>
Can I come to your clubs meetings?
In reading these comments, it looks like we are doing a lot of things well with respect to activities and how we handle our auction etc.
I guess I'll still keep salting the auction with good stuff and even if it doesn't sell, the members will get to hold them in their hands and who knows, maybe a few more will get a bit more serious about this wonderful past time!
Thanks to all who contributed thought to this subject!
Best wishes,
Pete
Louis Armstrong
You almost feel the need for two rooms, but then the latter question pops up. I dont know. Keep the suggestions coming
Ive been thinking of a Gift Box. Everybody would take ONE item (coin hopefully) with a set value, say, $10-$20 dollars. Wrap it in a ball of newspaper...and drop it in a big box. After everyone has put in their "gift", the box is well scrambled, and you come up and PICK a 'gift' out and its yours!
<< <i>The difficulty we have with our club in a nutshell is there are two strata of collectors. The auction takes up half the time, 3/4 of the people there NEVER bid or buy anything, yet we must remain QuIeT out of consideration of others, so we cant even talk 'shop' without disturbing others. To have half the group get up and WaLk out as the auction goes on...grossly unfair to consigners. Yet, they woudnt be buying anyway...probably, but it just looks bad
You almost feel the need for two rooms, but then the latter question pops up. I dont know. Keep the suggestions coming >>
You could have auction and socialization sessions at different pre-set times with an intermission to ensure the 2nd session starts at the stated time. This way people can just show up for the sessions they care about.
We start with the club business after a short coffee and donuts break we have a speaker followed by a auction.
Our speakers are both clubs members and guest.
As for the auction it is a 100 lot and we send a copy of the lots with the new letter. (most of the lots sell)
I have been a member of the club for over twenty years and never seen a meeting with less then 50 members at the meeting.