London Coins Today

[1949threepence 3,367]

I want to take a better photo, but here it is:

It's absolutely stunning

[Peter 615]

Stunning 1d's gents

[1949threepence 3,367]

Stunning 1d's gents

Thanks Peter, much appreciated.

[Garrett 76]

yes very nice bun head pennies there !

[azda 979]

I did not bid on the 1864 Penny

I didn't think it was you, Bernie. I sat next to a penny collector who knows you well. There were other buyers in the room, 2 more on the phone and lots of proxy bids.

Possibly our newest member then, Rashenly2? I know (if its the same man) that he's a serious penny collector also

[VickySilver 830]

Hmm, don't want too much more competition!

Seriously, great to have new blood.

[Colin88 54]

What we need is new young blood.....unfortunatley very few people in their teens/20's/30's are remotely interested in coin collecting.

I get quite sad when I go to coin fairs and see the same old dealers that I've been talking to (or not talking to in couple of cases) since the 1970's....(apologies to Arthur Briant if he's reading this...!)....and we're the same old blokes on these forums.

[NRP 38]

I agree however I do think it is an older persons hobby, I still get plenty of new collectors, it tends to be males 50+ who's children have got older and now have more disposable income and are looking for a hobby as they begin to think about retirement, having said that I have noticed a few more ladies entering the hobby in more recent times!!!

[RLC35 288]

I agree however I do think it is an older persons hobby, I still get plenty of new collectors, it tends to be males 50+ who's children have got older and now have more disposable income and are looking for a hobby as they begin to think about retirement, having said that I have noticed a few more ladies entering the hobby in more recent times!!!

Interesting observation about the Ladies Neil. Not only do more Ladies seem to be interested in the Hobby...but at large coin shows here in the U.S. I've noticed a increase in Lady Dealers!

[just.me 23]

What we need is new young blood.....unfortunatley very few people in their teens/20's/30's are remotely interested in coin collecting.

I get quite sad when I go to coin fairs and see the same old dealers that I've been talking to (or not talking to in couple of cases) since the 1970's....(apologies to Arthur Briant if he's reading this...!)....and we're the same old blokes on these forums.

Nice to hear someone saying 30's is young, I'm 34 and my 10 year old daughter is always asking me about what things were like when I was 'young'

She has a small accumulation of coins (mostly taken from my bulk lots) she has found curious, holed, scalloped edge, square, triangle etc, and she also collected the olympic 50 pences and the WWF 50p. Her latest 2 were the poppy £5 coin and also a silver coin from Cook Islands I think? which had the clear capsule in the middle with the jewels, whether this will stem into collecting when she is older, only time will tell.

[davidrj 194]

I gave my 7yr old granddaughter a holed Elizabeth I penny when her class were asked to bring in something "really old", think she beat her classmates by several hundred years

Pleased to say she still has it as a treasured possession a year on, so she might look after my collection when I'm pushing up daisies

She still thinks the world was in black & white when I was her age

[Colin88 54]

I think that decimalisation killed off a lot of young people being interested in coins.

Until then you had so much history and so many interesting and historic designs passing through your hands on a daily basis...100+ year old pennies, silver back to 1816 etc, real silver, gold, bronze.

Then we got this stuff.....and it coincided with the start of the increased churn of all the ripoff coins from the Royal Mint (on going)

I know that when I started collecting in my mid teens in the 60's, there were loads of us doing the same thing and interested in collecting things generally, like coins, cigarette cards, bottles, pot lids, beer mats, matchbox labels,dinky cars,bird's eggs,records ...all manner of affordable things...no-one under 50 collects any of this any more (ok so, the bird's eggs thing might illegal these days).

What do they collect now....porn? tatoos?...Asbo's?..........I dont know...

[jaggy 528]

I think that decimalisation killed off a lot of young people being interested in coins.

Until then you had so much history and so many interesting and historic designs passing through your hands on a daily basis...100+ year old pennies, silver back to 1816 etc, real silver, gold, bronze.

Then we got this stuff.....and it coincided with the start of the increased churn of all the ripoff coins from the Royal Mint (on going)

I know that when I started collecting in my mid teens in the 60's, there were loads of us doing the same thing and interested in collecting things generally, like coins, cigarette cards, bottles, pot lids, beer mats, matchbox labels,dinky cars,bird's eggs,records ...all manner of affordable things...no-one under 50 collects any of this any more (ok so, the bird's eggs thing might illegal these days).

What do they collect now....porn? tatoos?...Asbo's?..........I dont know...

Good points ... I remember that we always would check our pennies to see if there were any with Victoria's head on them.

[Accumulator 52]

I do think there's a basic desire amongst many of us to collect things. Whether it be stamps, coins, teapots or anything else. This introduction to the psychology of collecting (from Wikipedia) possibly sums it up:

When people think of collecting, they may put in mind expensive works of art or historical artifacts that are later sold to a museum or listed on ebay. But the truth is, for many people who amass collections, the value of their collection is not monetary, but emotionally valuable—and often not for sale. Collections allow people to relive their childhood, connect themselves to a period in history or time they feel strongly about, to ease insecurity and anxiety about losing a part of themselves, and to keep the past present. Some collect for the thrill of the hunt. Collecting is much like a quest, a lifelong pursuit which can never be complete. Collecting may provide psychological security by filling a part of the self one feels is missing or void of meaning. When one collects, one experiments with arranging, organizing, and presenting a part of the world which may serve to provide a safety zone, a place of refuge where fears are calmed and insecurity is managed. Motives are not mutually exclusive, different motives combine in each collector for a multitude of reasons.

So it's likely that the need to collect will always be present. The big advantage of coins over many other 'collectibles' is that they span a huge slice of our history, are readily identifiable, naturally divisible into 'sets' and are very practical commodities for trading. Whilst it's unlikely nowadays that many under the age of 30 will seriously begin collecting, I believe the attraction to those looking for a more relaxing hobby in later life is enough to maintain the pastime for a very long time to come.

[1949threepence 3,367]

What we need is new young blood.....unfortunatley very few people in their teens/20's/30's are remotely interested in coin collecting.

I get quite sad when I go to coin fairs and see the same old dealers that I've been talking to (or not talking to in couple of cases) since the 1970's....(apologies to Arthur Briant if he's reading this...!)....and we're the same old blokes on these forums.

Yes, and that's a pity. I'm 35 and I have yet to meet anyone of my own age who is interested in coin collecting. I do think that decimalisation had a lot to do with it. There really isn't that much collect worthy post 1971, and as you said, Colin, the Royal Mint churn out rip off material, which is contrived, rather than natural and unplanned in advance.

Maybe Bob can tell us what the situation is like in the States, with regard to coin collecting and age distribution. I'm not even slightly knowledgeable about US coinage, but I imagine they have more circulating coins going back much further than ours do.

[Accumulator 52]

Things can't be too bad. There are 156,000 coins on ebay right now. Most of them seem to sell, so that's a lot of collectors!

[1949threepence 3,367]

I do think there's a basic desire amongst many of us to collect things. Whether it be stamps, coins, teapots or anything else. This introduction to the psychology of collecting (from Wikipedia) possibly sums it up:

When people think of collecting, they may put in mind expensive works of art or historical artifacts that are later sold to a museum or listed on ebay. But the truth is, for many people who amass collections, the value of their collection is not monetary, but emotionally valuable—and often not for sale. Collections allow people to relive their childhood, connect themselves to a period in history or time they feel strongly about, to ease insecurity and anxiety about losing a part of themselves, and to keep the past present. Some collect for the thrill of the hunt. Collecting is much like a quest, a lifelong pursuit which can never be complete. Collecting may provide psychological security by filling a part of the self one feels is missing or void of meaning. When one collects, one experiments with arranging, organizing, and presenting a part of the world which may serve to provide a safety zone, a place of refuge where fears are calmed and insecurity is managed. Motives are not mutually exclusive, different motives combine in each collector for a multitude of reasons.

So it's likely that the need to collect will always be present. The big advantage of coins over many other 'collectibles' is that they span a huge slice of our history, are readily identifiable, naturally divisible into 'sets' and are very practical commodities for trading. Whilst it's unlikely nowadays that many under the age of 30 will seriously begin collecting, I believe the attraction to those looking for a more relaxing hobby in later life is enough to maintain the pastime for a very long time to come.

That's a very good and concise summary, which well defines the collecting mindset.

[Bernie 203]

Did Rashenly win the 1864 ??

It wouldn't surprise me, he is most dedicated and a very nice person

[Bernie 203]

What we need is new young blood.....unfortunatley very few people in their teens/20's/30's are remotely interested in coin collecting.

I get quite sad when I go to coin fairs and see the same old dealers that I've been talking to (or not talking to in couple of cases) since the 1970's....(apologies to Arthur Briant if he's reading this...!)....and we're the same old blokes on these forums.

Steady !!! I'm only 62

[Accumulator 52]

Did Rashenly win the 1864 ??

It wouldn't surprise me, he is most dedicated and a very nice person

I'm not sure who Rashenly is? He may have won it. Certainly it was no one in the room.

[Sword 1,473]

I do think there's a basic desire amongst many of us to collect things. Whether it be stamps, coins, teapots or anything else. This introduction to the psychology of collecting (from Wikipedia) possibly sums it up:

When people think of collecting, they may put in mind expensive works of art or historical artifacts that are later sold to a museum or listed on ebay. But the truth is, for many people who amass collections, the value of their collection is not monetary, but emotionally valuable—and often not for sale. Collections allow people to relive their childhood, connect themselves to a period in history or time they feel strongly about, to ease insecurity and anxiety about losing a part of themselves, and to keep the past present. Some collect for the thrill of the hunt. Collecting is much like a quest, a lifelong pursuit which can never be complete. Collecting may provide psychological security by filling a part of the self one feels is missing or void of meaning. When one collects, one experiments with arranging, organizing, and presenting a part of the world which may serve to provide a safety zone, a place of refuge where fears are calmed and insecurity is managed. Motives are not mutually exclusive, different motives combine in each collector for a multitude of reasons.

So it's likely that the need to collect will always be present. The big advantage of coins over many other 'collectibles' is that they span a huge slice of our history, are readily identifiable, naturally divisible into 'sets' and are very practical commodities for trading. Whilst it's unlikely nowadays that many under the age of 30 will seriously begin collecting, I believe the attraction to those looking for a more relaxing hobby in later life is enough to maintain the pastime for a very long time to come.

That's a very good and concise summary, which well defines the collecting mindset.

I agree. Good summary.

Coin collecting appeals to me as it combines my two main interests: history and art. Hence I don't collect decimal coins as the history element is absent. Owning something rare is certainly satisfying but I don't like old rarities in worn condidtion due to lack of artistic value.

Another main reason for me collecting coins (now that I am in my late 30s) is that I used to collect in my teens. So it does reconnect me to a period of childhood.

[Peter 615]

I have many hobbies/interests.

My coins suit me when I want to relax in the lounge with my laptop,phone switched off,TV in the background with the dog at my feet.

I can buy coins,browse forums and generally enjoy myself.

I haven't ever got into modern games consoles (my last one was a Sega mega drive in the early 90's)

Both my daughters have taken a slight interest in coins but seem to be on facebook or twitter all night.

When I go to coin fairs Mrs Peter has commented on the average age of collectors,predominance of couduroy trousers and leather soled brogues.

She says I look out of place in my high waisters,brutus shirt and platforms.

There are a few young lads crowded around the dealers cheap tins but the cost of anything half decent must discourage many.

Even the entrance money!!!!

At least Ebay helps the youngsters to get a few coins cheaply.

I was blooded with the Farthing Specialist who also sold coins that youngsters could afford and took time to occasionally write a covering letter.

A few youngsters that have visited this forum I have sent old Coin year books,coins,loupes etc to.

I know of other members who have done a similar thing (including tickets for the London coin fair)

These youngsters have just disappeared.

About 10 years ago my daughter took approx 50 veiled head 1d's to school.They went down a storm and feedback from the teachers was excellent.

Consider this in the late 60's a coin from 1920 seemed old.

That would be a late 60's coin now.

I happen to sneer at late 60's coins.

Stamps on the surface of it seem to be having a much worse time.

I also believe potential collectors are immersed in the antique TV programmes.

I can't see how this can change in the near future.

[Peckris 579]

Yeah, but don't forget : the youngster of today is huddled over a computer, smartphone, or tablet. So let's thank goodness for eBay once in a while, as it's the main (only) outlet for coins those kids will see.

[VickySilver 830]

You know, I've thought about that crosslet 4: I think the price not so bad when one considers the 1869 that sold on Heritage this last year for 9.6k USD ( I believe plus comission). I only saw the net pictures so I guess the real life view would have told the picture.

[Colin88 54]

"Rashenly" is a super guy..I sold him some very rare pennies many years ago.....anyway,,,,,very bizarrely and for reasons that I dont fully understand, I've started collecting Sex Pistol's posters???....