Something to think about

[Elcontador]

I took a look at the Heritage and Superior catalogues. It seems that there are few coins in the $500 to $1,500 range being offered. With more and more attention being paid to registry set material, where does this leave either the new collector, or the college kid without much money available for coins? Let's face it, these are the people that the hobby will look to in 10 or 15 years to maintain enthusiasm for numismatics

[RobertB]

I noticed that too, and even worse for me, literally NO coins under $500 . I usually find a few commem.'s to get in on between 150 and 300. This time.........NONE !! I guess I'll be hitting the tables and skipping the auctions.

[JamminJ]

where does this leave either the new collector, or the college kid without much money available for coins?

 

I don't think a Heritage or Superior Galleries auction is a coin buying venue of choice for new or low dollar collector. Plenty of collector coins are available at regional shows or at a quality coin shop (if lucky enough to live near one). For fairly common stuff why bother with buyer's premiums, reference checks and waiting for the auction to finish when it can be obtained with less hassle?

 

-JamminJ

[jtryka]

While I can understand your concern, I just don't agree that it's such a big deal for the future of the hobby. I think most new collectors still collect coins that way I started and the way you started and the way virtually all collectors started since the founding of the Mint. The first place to find coins is your pocket! After that, there is the Mint, local dealers and coin shows. It seems to me that auctions are mostly a hunting ground for more experienced collectors anyway. I never really bid in auctions until I was much more seasoned than I started out. Plus, the eBay phenomenon has captured a lot of the market for lower-end coins that may have once been auctioned by one of the big houses. Finally, I take the flip side and view this as a sign the market is improving! There is now enough demand from collectors willing to throw down $500 or more per coin that the houses are less inclined to include the lower priced coins (though they are still there, it just takes longer to find them!). Just my corroded old dug up from my back yard...

[bigd5]

I don't think "new" collectors in any generation gave the auction houses much business, so I'm not sure how the price levels of the auction material being offered at FUN will effect them.

FUN is a huge/active show, and a lot of the houses try to "gear up" for this event, to get the new year off on the right foot. Lesser coins from some of the noted collections will probably be offered in different auctions later on in the year.

For the under $500 material, the bourse floor probably can't be beat, depending on exactly what it is you are looking for.

[jom]

Ah...the heck with auctions! I found THREE gem 2003-D Arkansas quarters today in change from Barnes and Noble. Auctions? Who needs 'em?

 

jom

[Leothelion]

Let's face it, these are the people that the hobby will look to in 10 or 15 years to maintain enthusiasm for numismatics

 

You make a very interesting point! Let's also face it, those who are shelling out 10x, 20x a coins worth ain't gonna be around then either.

 

Leo

[Wihlborg]

Ah...the heck with auctions! I found THREE gem 2003-D Arkansas quarters today in change from Barnes and Noble. Auctions? Who needs 'em?

 

John

[EVillageProwler]

I think for these big auction houses, they used to have a "value" portion. For Heritage, they have the EI and Bullet auctions. For either Goldbergs or Superior, they have (or had) a "value" section in the main auction catalog. For Stack's, they have their Coin Galleries mail bid sales. For B&M, they have Kingswood. Smythe also have "value" stuff mixed in with their regular auctions.

 

BTW, there's a large segment of the big fish collectors that don't give a rat's patootie about the registry. Of course, that's not to say that the registry hasn't made its fair splash in the numismatic pool!

 

EVP

 

[Leothelion]

BTW, there's a large segment of the big fish collectors that don't give a rat's patootie about the registry.

 

There's no mistake about that! And make that 99%!

 

Leo