Average Collector at Disadvantage

By Larry Steinfeld

I’m afraid that I am like all the rest of the people in this country who have to depend on large coin collectors to receive the coin I received today. All the big coin collectors have us small collectors at a disadvantage. We are unable to get these coins at our local banks. I was very lucky when they came out with the new nickel by being able to attain several rolls from my bank.

Unfortunately, the average collector is unable to acquire these coins through their bank. Me being a disabled Veteran, I find that coin collecting is only one of the few hobbies I truly enjoy. But I have come up with my own idea of how to honor all veterans, and that is to have some shirts made up.

Usually, t-shirts say this: “All Gave Some, Some Gave All.” I would have an American flag at the bottom of the writing. They are simple little words that have a powerful meaning to all veterans of all wars.

Not taking anything from the WWII veterans, which my father was apart of, but it is dealing with the way the Mint distributed coins today. Until Congress and the Senate takes hold of the matter, I am afraid that coin collecting will continue to go downhill. As for getting the young collectors to replace us old people who now are dying off, they are leaving their collections for large dealers to grab ahold of because the young ones in their families do not really care for old or new coins.

This worries me as I leave years of collecting to coin dealers to grab instead of them making $200,000 or $300,000 from my collection, they will make about $10,000-$20,000. That’s all I have to say on the subject.

A lot of your advertisers do not have the coins that you see advertised in your Numismatic News, but my checks have never been cashed after several months.

This “Viewpoint” was written by Larry Steinfeld, a collector from Poplar Bluff, Mo.

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