Hobby publications for some hobbies are doing very well

[DaveG]

There's an article in today's New York Times (don't think I can link it) that discusses how some hobby publications are keeping their circulation strong and, even, increasing.

 

The article focuses on the model railroading hobby ("Model Railroader", "Classic Trains" and "Classic Toy Trains"), but also mentions high-end titles like "Cigar Aficionado".

 

The article mentions "high-quality content" that speaks directly to the hobbyist.

 

Now, I don't know anything about the model railroading world, but it seems to me that, for numismatic publications, the high point for a "general" publication was in the 1960's, when Numismatic Scrapbook was really fat with articles of all types, most of which were very good.

 

However, by the 1970's, Numismatic Scrapbook was gone (or going) and its niche was mostly filled by the specialty club journals, like The Gobrecht Journal and others, while monthly magazines (particularly Coins) mostly migrated to beginning collectors.

 

The one bright spot lately seems to be The Numismatist, which has had a number of interesting articles about all sorts of subjects in the past year or so.

 

Do you prefer the specialty club magazines?

 

Do you read The Numismatist or other "broader" numismatic publications?

 

Do you think there's a niche for a really high-quality publication, like Roger Burdette's Journal of Numismatic Research?

[TonerGuy]

I think there is a huge hole in the electronic publishing sphere for coin mags to make a huge impact but no one is doing it.

 

A well developed Ipad app with a strong rich multimedia presentation could make coins and history come alive for so many YNs and potential hobbyist that it could be a game changer in the business.

 

I cannot tell you how may guys I know that are in their 20-30s are huge precious metal guys and love BitCoins. Its a small jump to US coins and we are losing them.

[wdrob]

 

A well developed Ipad app with a strong rich multimedia presentation could make coins and history come alive for so many YNs and potential hobbyist that it could be a game changer in the business.

 

There are a couple I have found. Coin World iPad App is a fairly nice presentation of articles and various other information.

 

I was also pleasantly surprised that Roger's book, 'From Mine to Mint', also came with a CD with the digital format of the book in PDF. I was able to just open the plastic just enough to take out the CD, install on iPad, and then put it back. The book may never have a finger on a single page.

 

 

 

 

 

[DaveG]

TonerGuy,

 

Would you elaborate on the young guys who "are huge precious metal guys and love BitCoins" and what they're interested in and what about numismatics would appeal to them?

 

edited to add: because I don't know what one does with precious metals and BitCoins other than trade them and I haven't had much luck getting traders interested in numismatics.

 

 

 

I have to say that "From Mine to MInt" is a multi-media universe unto itself - I can hardly get through a page or two before I start wanting to read the sources that Roger leads to in his copious footnotes and bibliography.

 

(Now if I just had two screens on my desktop at home, I could but the book on one screen and find his references through Internet searching on the other - that would be fun!)

[e1cnr]

Bitcoins?

 

everyone loves investment bubbles when they are going up ->

not so much if they just got in at the top before the crash....

[TonerGuy]

For the guys that I know Bitcoins arent about investment - they are in the online merchant payment business so its more of a business solution then an investment or collecting...

 

As for precious metals - almost all of the same guys are/were strong buyers of gold and silver. Most are offshore and dont trust banks in the country where they may be located and want hard currency and hard investments that can easily be moved and liquidated. While numismatics dont exactly fit the bill but these are also guys that buy Lambos and like to brag - young single guys with a lot of disposable income that would be in group of collectors that want to show off their latest acquisition.

 

If someone can reach out to those guys there is potential for new money flow into the industry. But almost all of those guys are going to want to see some cutting edge tech in this area since that is their background.

[Catbert]

TonerGuy - I'd prefer the plastic collectors who have no real appreciation for what they have to stay away from our hobby. If enough came in droves, it would create a coin market bubble that might bring more harm than help.

[TonerGuy]

TonerGuy - I'd prefer the plastic collectors who have no real appreciation for what they have to stay away from our hobby. If enough came in droves, it would create a coin market bubble that might bring more harm than help.

 

I can certainly understand that but new blood is vital and new money is always needed. Some of the guys I speak of will stay and develop into true collectors and lovers of the hobby, And as you suspect some will come and go... bubbles will always occur.

 

Being elitist about who should and should not collect coins is not an answer to the long term needs we have. I would hate to see coin collecting go the way of stamps because we dont like guys that dont read treaties on the minting process buying coins.

 

Sorry but if more isnt done to bring in the 20-30 year olds with money I think we are slowing going to see a depreciation in value across the board. I would hope that when your heirs sell off your coins that yes - they get past on to a new generation of collectors that will not only appreciate the beauty of your collection but also be able to pay top dollar as to their worth.

 

I dont think of coins as an investment but it would be nice to at least break-even when that day comes and of course we would all like to see our heirs see an appreciation in the money spent on these shiny little discs.