Who owns the most coins? Dealers? or Collectors?

[James_OldeTowne]

A discussion in another thread got me to wondering about this. Of the population of coins that truly are collectible (in other words, not rolls of circulated clad Roosevelt dimes, or other weird hoards of pocket change), who has possession of the majority of them? Do collectors own most of them? or dealers?

 

I suspect it is collectors, and by a huge margin, but what do you think?

[DirtyGoldMan]

A discussion in another thread got me to wondering about this. Of the population of coins that truly are collectible (in other words, not rolls of circulated clad Roosevelt dimes, or other weird hoards of pocket change), who has possession of the majority of them? Do collectors own most of them? or dealers?

 

I suspect it is collectors, and by a huge margin, but what do you think?

 

I agree. Collectors by a huge margin, especially as measured by total value (not quantity).

[BillJones]

Collectors collectively own far more coins than dealers, and they own the best stuff.

 

This is why condition census data is dependent upon a survey of collections. Dealer’s stocks, while interesting, are no more than a tip of the iceberg at a given time.

 

[winthorpe-migration]

I agree with the above posts, but arent most dealers collectors? what do you define a dealer as? Anyone can sell coins and anyone can be part of the numerous numistmatist organizations, there needs to be a more definate seperation.

[Jeff S]

Of the population of coins that truly are collectible (in other words, not rolls of circulated clad Roosevelt dimes, or other weird hoards of pocket change),

 

First off ALL coins I think are collectible.

 

And that said I think the US MInt owns the most coins?

 

 

[cpm9ball]

And that said I think the US MInt owns the most coins?

 

 

I doubt it! I wouldn't want to add up all of the numbers, but what they have released for circulation in the last 40 years is probably trillions upon trillions. Cumulatively, collectors probably hold the most.

 

Chris

[Jeff S]

Twas a Joke ( kinda)...........

[Oldtrader3]

IMHO, collectors own more inventory. Many large dealers are auction houses who do not own their inventory anyhow.

[Revenant]

It's a simple numbers game. The average collector is not going to have as much as a dealer, but by necessity there are hundreds of collectors to every dealer. Those hundreds of collector's are going to win.

[Doogy]

 

collectors, by a huge margin IMO. There are a lot of really beautiful and rare coins sitting in private safes/vaults out there. When and if they are released, it will be mind boggling to see what abounds. For instance, there is a collector outside of Berlin that is widely reputed to have the finest US and world gold coin collection ever assembled; not bullion stuff, but rare and super-rare stuff in the highest levels of preservation. I'm sure there are many like him that collect other stuff, and are just as tight fisted with it.

 

 

 

 

[just-john]

I would say collectors but not the serious collector but the 10 of thousands of odd and end's

squirreled away in safty deposit boxes across the country that never see the light of day.

 

[World Colonial]

Your assumption is certainly correct for the world coin series that I collect. My collection of South Africa Union and Spanish colonial pillars is better than almost any dealers and both are far from world class collections.