Coins vs Stamps

[Mat 2]

Just thought I would share this with you all, while gathering info for my masters I found a a US based text extracted from an annual report of an auction house outlining the average age of their buyers. (I think they were trying to predict their future)

Pottery 67

Stamps 64

Post cards 61

Cigarette cards 61

Bottles 61

Paintings 50

Coins 49

Vintage cars 44

Exotic fish 41

Rocks and fossils 37

Furniture 35

So were not doing to badly really!! I am only 23 and sell more than I collect for a second income, but I feel there were more influencing factors to collect stamps when I was 8-12 years old. This was a US based article so I don’t know how much we can apply it to the UK. It would be interesting to see how old all you guys are on here. I believe the age of coin collecting is becoming younger which is influenced by the investment power behind coins.

[scottishmoney 29]

I know people collect stamps, and I did for a short time when I was a kid. Now I see stamps as something to mail the bills into the perfidious credit card companies. I don't care if they are 70 years old or whatever, they have a purpose and they are used for it.

[Mat 2]

That list is not complete by the way, it was very extensive, I just noted a few of the obvious collectables.

[Chris Perkins 228]

What's the average age of a Pokemon card collector?!

[£400 for a Penny ? 0]

Is it just me, or do 'Exotic Fish' not sit comfortably with the rest ?

I'm 44 Mat.

Started collecting coins about 10 years ago. Took my 3 young sons to Ibitha and we had a salt pool. As one of my objectives at the time was to get everyone comfortable in water, I invented a game whereby I took all the shrapnel out of my pocket, took all the 1 Euro pieces out save one and chucked it in the pool. The game was then, whoever could dive down and 'find the Euro' won.

The water got whipped to a foam and we had to play it 24/7. Over the course of the week, the salt in the pool cleaned the coins and I got more and more interested in how a 20 cent piece from Ireland came to be in Ibitha, or how each country chose to depict itself etc, etc

I'd studied History and Economics and in that week it all came together in coins.

Been obsessed ever since.

[Hussulo 6]

I've had tropical fish ever since I was a child. I don't know if they are considered "exotic" enough though?

I did fancy keeping marine fish but I think it would be hard when it comes to holidays as I already have to ask family to come in and feed the cat and tropical fish. If I had to ask them to monitor salt levels etc they may feel slightly put out.

Edited to add I'm 30.

Edited July 31, 2009 by Hussulo

[Red Riley 2]

I'm a bit older than average apparently. Oh go on then, I'm 54.

[hertfordian 0]

Well I started back in 1977 when schools gave our Silver Jubilee crowns to everyone and my parents sent off some dog food wrappers with special coupons on to get a set of Silver Jubilee medallions. These two things together with a 1965 crown and a sixpence (as I recall) are what started me on the slippery slope of numismatics - and 32 years later, now aged 41, I'm still collecting! Prior to that, I'd flirted with philately but found it a bit boring - looking back, on the whole, I'm glad with the choice I made!

[1949threepence 3,367]

I started collecting coins when I was 12, and I'm now 31.

I'm not sure age is a relevant factor. Collecting anything is a product of a certain mindset, which may well linger for life. The age range is from very young to very old, and any generational effect for a given type of collection, is at best extremely marginal.