ACC Program Area:Reaching Young Collectors - Reference Archive

 

Reference Archive

Young Collectors are the Key to Future for Toys

(by Tom Bartsch, editor, TOY SHOP. From September 5, 2003 issue. Tom can be reached at bartscht@krause.com. TOY SHOP is a Krause publication.)

I have seen the future, and it's a beautiful thing. At a recent PEZ convention in Minnesota, I witnessed something that makes me realize the future of toys is in good hands. And right now those hands belong to individuals under the age of 16.

Michael Hoeft, 14, had never been to a toy show before, and he certainly never knew one existed solely on the subject of PEZ. His parents had a couple dispensers around the house, picked up from restaurants or sporting events, but he never really had a passion to grab some of his own - until he walked into the PEZ convention hosted by Dana and Juli Kraft. He was instantly drawn to the hundreds of dispensers available from around the world. Soon, he had a collection of Star Wars PEZ and was busily looking through a PEZ collecting guidebook to see what others he could add to his new-found collection.

To see this first-hand was quite refreshing. Too often I see people more concerned with values and how to get the best deal rather than being happy just to be around toys. Michael's enthusiasm was a breath of fresh air.

I have seen this at other shows - kids pulling their parents along for the chance to get their hands on another action figure or cap gun. Sights like these make me realize that the true essence of toys as playthings is not lost on today's youth.

I've noticed more and more shows becoming children-friendly with low admission costs, activities, seminars and free gifts. I hope this continues.

As the core collecting base starts to age, the influx of new blood is much needed. Now that toys aren't the get-rich paths like the past, you'll see the true toy fans and collectors entering the hobby, offering a fresh insight.

I hope we start attracting some of the younger readers, too. While we don't have the flash of some other toy magazines, I don't think you're going to find better information or expertise anywhere else... 200309

Let Children Choose What They Want to Collect

(by Harry L. Rinker. Rinker Enterprises. Reprinted from AntiqueWeek, August 4, 2003. Visit Harry's website: www.harryrinker.com)

There is no age limit to collecting. Collectors range in age from 2 to 102. "To Collect" is to be. The need to collect is inherent in the human psyche.

Children are born collectors. They love to handle objects, are filled with curiosity, surround themselves with what they love, cherish and save. If they fail to become adult collectors, the blame rests with parents, family or society.

New collectors, whether adult or child, need to be nurtured. They need guidance and encouragement. They should not be directed, but rather left to develop their own collecting personality. Collecting contributes to an individual's uniqueness.

The antiques and collectibles trade thrives when there is a continuous influx of new collectors. Today's children are our future. With this in mind, here are 12 suggestions on how to nurture a child who wants to collect.

First, allow the child to decide when he is ready to collect. Do not force him to collect. Starting to group like objects together or showing an interest in a specific object group are signs of a child's interest in collecting. Based on my limited observations, this seems to occur between ages two and a half and four.

Second, let the child decide what he wants to collect. This is extremely important. I have lost count of the number of parents I met who began their child's collection the moment the doctor confirmed the pregnancy. Parents make a major mistake when they dictate what their child should collect. The collecting focus needs to be the child's focus.

It is the act of collecting that is important, not what is collected. Parents must resist the temptation to be judgmental. A child's collecting interests should differ from those of his parents, if for no other reason than to prevent rivalry and comparison.

Third, a child's collecting interests will change dozens of times during his toddler and juvenile years. Be prepared to shift with them. Remember, you are nurturing a concept, i.e., preparing the child to become an active member of the adult collecting community.

Children's collecting interests are influenced by many things, e.g., peer pressure and television, during their early years. Collecting is as trendy at the juvenile level as it is at the adult level.

Fourth, as a child's collecting interests shift, preserve their collections for them. When the child becomes an adult and looks back fondly on his collecting history, he will be thrilled to learn that his collecting past is more than just memories.

Adults tend to become nostalgic in their late 30s or early 40s. The antiques and collectibles market is fueled in part by individuals buying back their childhood memories, either real or wished for. Some resist the urge until their early 60s. Few escape.

Fifth, make collecting fun. Nothing destroys the joy of collecting quicker than becoming serious and, even worse, competitive. The collecting world is filled with joy - the joy of the hunt, the joy of holding an object in your hand, the joy of using what you bought, and the joy of sharing your experience and interests with anyone who will listen.

Make collecting an adventure. A sense of excitement should fill the air. Make collecting a family activity. However, when taking this route, avoid rivalry within the family. Life is considerably better when each member of the family has a different collecting focus. Further, this increases the fun of the hunt as each member of the family keeps his eyes open for objects of interest to the others.

Sixth, teach the child and yourself patience. Resist the temptation to rush out and buy your child dozens or hundreds of "their favorite collectible" of the moment. A child does not have to own everything he desires immediately. Allow the child to unearth his own treasures. The story behind the acquisition enhances the perceived value of any object to the collector. Further, collecting is a great deal more fun when it stretches over decades rather than months.

Children's collecting interests can shift on a whim. Increase your level of support in assisting the child to add to his collection the longer he remains focused.

Avoid allowing collecting to become an obsession or, worse, an addiction. Collecting should never be allowed to dominate a child's life. Help your child develop a sense of perspective.

Seventh, encourage your child to use his own money to buy objects for his collection. Not only will he value them more, he will begin to understand that collecting requires sacrifice. When you spend your money on an object, you do not have it to spend on something else. Ideally, collecting should be discretionary income driven.

Allow your child to make purchasing mistakes. A child often buys the first example he sees and frequently overpays. Adults know the value of comparison shopping. The child needs to learn the lesson firsthand. He will learn it when he finds a second, third and fourth example priced well below what he paid.

Also allow your child to make condition mistakes. Initially, a child will overpay for an object based upon its condition. Learning to grade condition properly and relating it to value is a complex concept that takes time to develop. Do not rush it.

Eighth, discourage your child from thinking of the objects he acquires as investments. It breaks my heart to see a group of young boys pouring through a sports card price guide. They do not understand that the prices are retail, i.e., what they would have to pay to buy the card on the open market and not what they would get if they tried to sell it. A heavy reliance on price guides also creates the concept that collectibles are easy to liquidate. Nothing is further from the truth. Collectibles are merely objects, not investment futures.

Ninth, let a child play with the objects he collects. Love comes from and memories are created through handling objects. Concepts such as preserving the period packaging and mint in the box are best introduced at a later date. A child's collecting experience needs to be immediate and personal.

Tenth, provide shelves and cabinets in which your youngster can store and display the items in his collection. Objects packed away are no fun. Make certain the shelves and cabinets are child height so that the objects can be easily removed for play.

Eleventh, encourage the child to learn about the objects he collects. Objects are inanimate. They come alive by delving into the stories they tell. Consider visiting a factory where the objects are made. Buy a price guide, but emphasize that the real value of the book is found in the history found in the front matter. If a collectors' club exists, consider giving the child a gift membership. If a regional meeting or national convention is scheduled for your area, consider attending. You will be surprised at how receptive club members are to youngsters.

Finally, twelfth, assist your child in learning that one of the greatest joys of collecting comes from sharing what he knows with others. The greatest collectors are great storytellers. They know the story behind every object in their collection.

Teach your child to share his collection. Youngsters often have more fun trading and swapping than they do buying. Again, do not interfere with the deal making process, even when you see the transaction is unbalanced. Your view is most likely monetary driven. The child's focus is probably not.

Allow your child to give away one of his collectibles to a friend. Adult collectors pay close attention. Collecting is catalyst driven. Every collection begins with an interest in the first object required. What better gift to give than one that allows another to share the same joys and enthusiasm that you experience? Think about it.

Finally, here is a bonus suggestion. Add an object to your child's collection as a holiday, birthday, or special gift. Ask family and friends to do the same. However, keep the cost of the purchase modest and alert everyone when the child's collecting interest shifts. 200309

Introduction to Coin Collecting

This is an introduction to coin collecting for young people by Brad Coiociola, a Young Numismatist from North Carolina. The article was submitted by Jim Majoros, president of the Ocean County Coin Club (NJ).

Coin collecting has been a hobby of mine for almost 12 years. My dad is a full time coin dealer so I have been exposed to the hobby (and business) since I was very young. I started my collection by building a Lincoln cent collection then moved on to Canadian cents and now on to a U.S. type coin set. I have had many memorable moments in coin collecting from buying the 1909 VDB Lincoln cent to complete my first set to winning the North Carolina Numismatic Association's (NCNA) Young Numismatist of the Year award in 1998, to trips to the ANA headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1999 and 2001. Another great experience for me has been working with Greg Cheek at the NCNA convention's YN Corner since 1997. This is where most of you come in.

Chances are we've met if you're a YN reading this article. All YNs who attended this past year's YN Corner activities at the convention have received a free one year membership to the NCNA. So the following is an introduction to the hobby, the NCNA, and some people who can help you in your collecting endeavors.

As I said, I began my collection with Lincoln cents. This is one of the most easily attainable sets as far as completion as all coins, while some may be pricey, are available in large quantity. This is one idea for beginning your collection, however there are many ways you can start your collection. Some people collect coins by country, for example, I also collect Canadian coins and Italian coins. Other people collect coins by special interests such as sports or animals. I collect coins featuring my favorite sport, baseball. Any time you start a collection you should buy a book on the subject you are collecting to learn more information on it.

For U.S. coins I would suggest A Guide Book of United State Coins, also known as the Red Book. It is released yearly and includes pictures, prices, and information on almost every U.S. coin. There are also books on paper money and foreign coins that are readily available. You may ask your parents for a book as a present. I really suggest reading about what you intend to collect. Honestly, it is time well spent. Another important factor in collecting is caring for your collection.

Your coin collection is an important possession and should be handled as such. Take care of your coins for yourself and for people who may add them to their collections in the future. When handling a coin you should always hold it by the rim or edge, and never by the face. When storing your coins it is best to put them in a folder for coins or a coin album. These are nice for storing your collection and can be purchased at any coin show, coin shop, or hobby store relatively inexpensively. Another way of storing your coins is by putting them in flips, a plastic, folding slot for your coin, or by putting them in two-by-two's. Two-by-two's are a cardboard storage device that you put the coin into, fold over and staple. The coin can then be seen through the middle surrounded by the plastic. Either of these works well for holding coins.

There are many dealers who enjoy helping young collectors get started. A few who helped me in the past and who I feel enjoy working with young collectors are Mickey Smith, of Fayetteville, Bobby Keel, of Elon College, Daryl Rogers, of Durham, and my dad, Barry Ciociola, of Durham. These among many others are dealers who have helped me and others in the past in starting their coin collections. Each of these dealers has supported our YN program at the NCNA convention. Many dealers enjoy helping young collectors like us. Besides we are the future of the hobby that their business is based on. Always remember as much as they like to help this is a business for them and for many a livelihood. Please be curious and respect the dealer's time.

Another way of enjoying the hobby is by joining coin clubs. There are many coin clubs in North Carolina and chances are there is one near you. Besides the NCNA, our state organization, there are clubs in Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Wilmington, Statesville-Iredell and Lake Norman to name a few. I suggest joining a local coin club. Its a great way to meet other collectors and view the hobby from different standpoints. There is also a national coin club, the ANA, or the American Numismatic Association. The ANA provides many opportunities for its young members.

The NCNA has many opportunities for young collectors as well. The NCNA awards the Young Numismatist of the Year award at its annual convention in the fall. The competition is open to all young members. The member must be nominated, and will then be interviewed to better judge their character and numismatic accomplishments. The YN of the Year may also receive a scholarship to attend the ANA Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs, Colorado The seminar is attended by many YN's who attend fun hands-on classes on many subjects in coin collecting. They also participate in many other activities that are not coin related. The YN's attend baseball games, go on museum tours, tours of the Denver Mint, and on a trip to Pike's Peak Mountain. The Summer Seminar is a great trip that I have been lucky to go on twice.

That is about all for now. This section for YN's will appear in every NCNA Journal from now on. Please watch for it four times a year. Also, if you see me at a show feel free to introduce yourself. It's nice to meet people my age who also enjoy coin collecting. 200310

How a True Passion for Numismatics Can Change Your Life

(by Jeff Swindling, the 2003 winner of the American Numismatic Association's Outstanding Young Numismatist of the Year Award. From the Aug 12, 2003 YN newsletter, YourNewsletter. This is an excellent weekly newsletter distributed to Young Numismatists, and anyone else who signs up for it, produced by the ANA. For more information e-mail: YourNewsletter@money.org)

You may not have heard this before, but having a true passion for numismatics can really change your life. Seriously! This has been especially true in my case, and I would like to share with you a few of the ways my existence has been improved by simply being passionate about my hobby.

Many of my friends think coin collecting is silly. "Why don't you just spend them?" is a question I often hear, along with "You paid HOW much for a PENNY??!?" and "You're weird - why do you know so much about such useless stuff?" Hearing this kind of derision makes some people change their minds about numismatics. Peer pressure to be "cool" these days is often overwhelming, and, unfortunate as it is, coin collecting is not considered to be as cool as it once was. Many young people cannot take this kind of pressure, and lose interest in a great hobby as a result.

I, however, delight in proving mocking friends wrong. I tell them that coins relate to everything (which they do! try it some day in class - I bet you can always find how coins relate to something.). An example I found recently is how coins relate to rap. Yes, rap! According to Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, the second definition of a rap is "a counterfeit halfpenny formerly passed in Ireland." Another recent example comes from my 12th grade AP/IB English Literature class. One of our reading assignments was Kate Chopin's The Awakening, which takes place in 1890's New Orleans. The main character, Edna Pontellier, owns a house on Esplanade Street in downtown New Orleans. Guess what? The now-defunct New Orleans Mint was located on Esplanade Street during that time period! Edna was practically next-door neighbors with the Mint! As you can see, there really are quite a few examples of how coins relate to everything.

Another way to change your life through numismatics is by starting a club at your school. A regularly scheduled coin club meeting can even win over a few of your friends to the hobby! You should showcase your knowledge and collections in a format that will show others how interesting and fun the hobby can be. Though your club may not be a hit overnight, stick with it - you'll impress some people along the way if you do things right. There was only one teacher who was willing to sponsor my coin club at school. At first, he did so reluctantly - sponsoring a club meant staying after school for an extra hour or so without pay and without seeing his wife or getting any work done. But after the first couple of meetings, the teacher was genuinely impressed with the presentations, and very surprised at how well-received and attentive the other students were to the information. Afterwards, he could not wait for the next meeting date to come around, often rescheduling other appointments so he could attend the meeting.

So far though, I have not really told you what has made my experience with numismatics so different. There are probably a few of you reading this who have already done things like start your own clubs or try to get friends to become coin collectors. The real prizes I have received from my passion for numismatics have come after high school.

Last year, the University of Florida started a new scholarship, the John V. Lombardi Scholarship. It is named after one of the former presidents of the University, and is currently the highest award and honor granted by the University, totaling more than $75,000 over four years. Recipients are selected on a basis of leadership, service and academic record. Each high school in the state of Florida may nominate one student for the award. The University then selects 17 students out of the field of 176 applicants for a day of interviews and tours at the school. From there, 8 students are chosen to receive the prestigious award.

The one thing on my application which impressed the interviewers the most was my passion for numismatics. A couple of months after the Lombardi Scholars had been selected, I was told by the head of the Honors Division at the University, "The competition this year was extremely tough. It was really hard choosing only 8 students to represent the school, but you were a given. Your passion for numismatics really set you apart from the field. Congratulations, Jeff."

There is a downside to the Lombardi Scholarship, however. Since I have accepted the award (it would be crazy not to!), it means I could not attend the ANA's annual Summer Seminar this year in Colorado Springs. However, I was in Merida, Mexico with the seven other Lombardi Scholars, studying anthropology and Spanish at the University of the Yucatan for six weeks. I thought of Colorado Springs, and I missed being there this year. Especially since I was sweating my head off in 100 degree weather instead of basking in the cool, dry climate at Colorado College. But I still had to drink tons of bottled water!

Another surprise this year came from the U. S. Government. Every year, the U. S. Department of Education chooses 2600 graduating high school seniors to apply for the Presidential Scholars Program. This award is purported to be the highest honor which the government can bestow on a graduating senior. A student cannot simply apply for the award - he or she has to be specially invited by the Commission on Presidential Scholars. The 2600 selected students must fill out applications, which are read by the Commission. From the 2600, only 500 are chosen as semifinalists, which is reduced further to 120 finalists who will receive the award. The application consists of many essays, a few of which can be written on numismatics. Again, my passion for the hobby helped me advance to semifinalist status. Being named as one of the top 20 students in the state of Florida was incredible!

Unfortunately, I was only selected as a semifinalist and not a finalist, but the message was the same again. A passion for numismatics placed my application ahead of many others.

What I have to say to you is this: stick with numismatics. Do everything you can for your local club, the ANA, and any other clubs you may belong to. Volunteer to help out with shows, meetings and other events. Write articles for Your Newsletter, your local club newsletter and nationally recognized magazines such as Coin World or Numismatic News. The real winnings you receive from your participation in the hobby are not financial - rather, they are less concrete ideals. Fun, enjoyment, camaraderie and knowledge are the highlights of numismatics. I cannot even begin to tell you how many friends I have made, how much I have learned, nor how many hours of amusement I have gained just from "playing around with coins."

Trust me when I say this - colleges, universities and scholarship providers are looking for well-rounded individuals who have a deep passion for something in their lives. The leadership, expertise and service you can provide for the hobby will not go un-rewarded. I am not simply blowing my own horn by writing this article. I am trying to illustrate everything I have said here today with cold hard facts which everyone can understand. Your participation in our hobby can really make a difference in your life and the lives of many other people. Do everything you can with the hobby - go to shows, club meetings and conventions. Take advantage of special offerings such as the ANA's Summer Seminar. The Seminar is probably the best possible way to educate yourself, make new friends and just plain have fun. Embrace numismatics, and do everything you can to your full potential. You'll thank yourself for it one day in the future. Jeff Swindling. 200308

Creating a Book on Red Wing Collecting for Kids, by Kids

(submitted by Cindy Taube, Red Wing Collectors Society. RWCS can be contacted at 1.800.977.7927 or by e-mail RWCS1@redwing.net. The Society's website is: www.redwingcollectors.org)

Many collector's clubs and publications have lamented the fact that the younger generation does not seem interested in carrying on the knowledge and tradition of collecting specific pieces. One national collectors organization, the Red Wing Collectors Society, has not only figured out how to overcome this obstacle but be a good example for other organizations to develop similar programs.

Several years ago, two members of the Red Wing Collectors Society board of directors decided that they needed to be creative in getting kids interested in learning about the Red Wing Collectors Society and the fun involved in collecting Red Wing items. Wendy Callicoat, Vice President, and Sue Jones Tagliapietra, Secretary, decided to start the "KidsView" activities during the annual convention held every July in Red Wing, Minnesota.

The first KidsView seminars had a couple dozen kids participating in educational seminars and crafts that involved pottery. The awareness grew and the next year the number of kids participating also increased. By 2002, there were over 100 kids who came with their families to the convention and participated in the KidsView seminars. Examples of the activities included painting authentic Red Wing dinnerware plates, making mini Red Wing jugs, a simulated "Dump Dig," and the Kids Only Auction.

During the 2003 Red Wing Collectors Society annual July convention, there will be another ground-breaking seminar. The KidsView Seminar called "Creating a Book on Red Wing Collecting for Kids, by Kids," will lay the groundwork for a book beginning this year and will continue to add chapters over the next several years, with the goal of having the book published.

Nationally known for her work with children's books, Nancy Bestmann will attend the July Red Wing Collectors Society convention to help start this project. Nancy Bestmann was born in Mankato, Minnesota. She is known for writing heartwarming children's books. In 1996 Nancy began to write and self published her first book "Where Does God Sleep Momma?" In 1997 she produced her second book, "Plant Your Dreams My Child." In 1998, Mark Steven at age nine was inspired by his mother and provided the story line for "The Only True Incredible Me!". In 1999 the book "Nana, Will You Write Me From Heaven?" was published. A fifth book, "A Child Said a Prayer Tonight" was published in September 2001. Nancy has sold over 50,000 copies of her books.

Bestmann's role in leading the seminars will have a goal of opening young people's eyes to a different aspect of Red Wing Collectors Society history. They will begin to create a book put together by the young people at the 2003 convention. One of the objectives is to teach the kids how a book is produced and the subject will be collecting. This is a multi-year project where the kids will add to the information for several years with kids of all ages involved in this unique project.

In order for the kids to prepare for the upcoming book project, information was presented in the bi-monthly Red Wing Collectors Society newsletter. Some of the things that the young people will need to think about and do before they come to Red Wing this summer include creating a design for the cover of the chapter titled, "Stoneware." The kids thoughts and designs will be used throughout the entire book. The kids need to think about how they want their own page to look and then bring samples and drawings of what they think their cover page should look like. The drawings will be judged and then finalists chosen.

The kids will work in groups, where they will design page layouts. They will also discuss a specific time period in the manufacturing of Red Wing stoneware and crocks and learn more about their history.

Another assignment is for them to see if their family has any stoneware or crocks with a personal history. They need to do some simple research about stoneware, using currently published books as a reference, then write their own story about the piece they have researched. There will be volunteers there to help the kids through the different steps and to teach them how to bring the story to life with words and photos.

The Red Wing Collectors Society was founded in 1977 in Red Wing, Minnesota. There are over 6,000 members worldwide. For additional information or to become a member, contact the RWCS business office at 1.800.977.7927 or e-mail RWCS1@redwing.net. 200306

Topps Using Schoolwork to Attract Collectors

(by Tom Kessenich, Associate Editor, Sports Collectors Digest. June 20, 2003 issue. SCD is a Krause Publication. Tom Kessenich can be reached at: kessenicht@krause.com)

Unearthing ways to attract younger collectors remains one of the foremost issues the hobby continues to address. Topps has taken that initiative to heart and one of the results of the company's approach is a program aimed directly at kids and hobby stores.

The Topps Of The Class Program has been in place for more than seven months and, thus far, Topps has been pleased with the response both from store owners and the young collectors the company is targeting.

"This is one of the many programs we've done over the years to encourage young collectors to come into the hobby," said Linda Purgess, trade communications manager for Topps. "It's been going well, We had a big marketing campaign to sign up the stores, which was the first step, and we determined there was enough interest in the stores to make the program successful."

This initiative is part of a partnership between Topps and the company's Home Team Advantage stores. The program's formula is simple: Students who bring their report cards to participating stores are eligible to receive free cards, supplies or other prizes.

Individual stores provide the prizes for students and also determine the criteria for which students qualify to receive a prize.

Topps provides stores with in-store promotional elements such as a hanging mobile, window decals and brochures that explain the program. Topps also provides stores with advertising templates that store owners can use to promote the program locally, as well as a letter outlining the program that stores can use to establish relationships with local school administrators.

"Probably one of the most important keys to the program was we wrote the letter on Topps of the Class letterhead, addressed to a school representative that store owners can use to try and get support through the schools," Purgess said. "Having the Topps name on the letterhead, hopefully, gives the program more credibility. a lot of stores have said it's been very helpful."

To date, Purgess said approximately 700 stores have taken part in the program.

"I've gotten very positive feedback from the stores," she said. "We've had quite a number of stores request more of the letters and consumer brochures. It's very much a turnkey program. The stores that have gotten behind it have done well."

Equally important, Topps spokesman Clay Luraschi said, is that this program is another example of the company's understanding of how imperative it is to continue to devise ways to attract youngsters to the collectibles industry.

"I believe that topps has probably been the most pro-active manufacturer in trying to bring young collectors into the hobby," he said. "With Topps Total and Bazooka, we have two 99-cent products that you can buy and then this program, I think, solidifies the effort that we're making in trying to work on a problem that (the hobby) has had because there is a lack of kids in the hobby."

Purgess echoed that sentiment.

"(The Topps Of The Class program) was definitely created to target new traffic and get them into hobby stores," she said.

To make that a reality, Topps has promoted the program in a variety of ways, including on its Web site, through the Home Advantage Hotline and other forums. Collectors can also use the Hobby Locator on the Topps site to find stores in their area which are participating in the program.

Topps also plans to promote the program even more in the coming months.

"In Topps Football and other selected products, we're going to include information cards utilizing the Topps Of The Class logo and explaining the program and telling people how to find those stores in their areas," Purgess said.

With Topps Football, we'll be sending out to the stores, cello-wrapped, five-card packs as prizes to the students. Then with Topps Baseball 2004, we'll be sending out special Topps Of The Class thin-sealed packs." 200306

Nurture Little Sprouts - Someday They Could Mean Big Lettuce

(by Judith Katz-Schwartz. 4/10/99. Visit Judith's website for additional articles in the antiques & collectibles area. http://www.msjudith.net )

This is meant for my fellow dealers. A young woman wrote to tell me about an incident at a fleamarket she attended one weekend. She and her mother had been snooping around a dealer's table, looking at some "stuff", and along came a little boy. He picked up a beat-up old toy truck with a $7.00 price tag. My correspondent says the truck was worth, at most, two to three dollars. The child turned the toy over, examining it carefully, and then checked his pockets to see how much money he had with him.

"Mister?", the boy said to the dealer, "Will you take six dollars for this truck?" The dealer turned to see who the speaker was, frowned, and said, "No! Then he turned his back on the child and walked away. He glanced at the stunned young woman and her mother and gave them a wink and a grin, as if to say, "Funny, eh? This little pest thinks he can deal with me! I just send them on their way when they try to dicker. Who needs'em?"

Folks, the man we're talking about is not only an ignorant, mean, heartless skinflint, but a stupid, stupid dealer with not a clue about running a retail business. Anyone who's been a dealer for even a short time will tell you that the key to success in retailing is attracting repeat customers. And anyone who can see beyond his own proboscis will tell you that, since children inevitably grow up to be adults with leisure time and expendable income, they are our future customers. Aside from the fact that, as members of our society, we each have a responsibility to encourage our young people, to educate them and stimulate their intellectual curiosity, it certainly can't hurt a dealer in toys, for example, to help a budding young collector along the road to being a serious collector. The next generation of avid accumulators, eager to spend money on their chosen acquisitions has to come from somewhere. And "somewhere" could be wherever you set up at your next show.

One of my best friends has a successful comic book business. Most of his customers have been "with him" for ten years or more. And what's the average age of his customers? 21! Are you getting it yet, Mr. Grouchy Toy Truck Dealer?

One bit of advice to parents: stick with your kid at the fleamarket. Make sure no one gives him a raw deal. It's good for your relationship for the two of you to go shopping together. He can learn a lot from you in the process. And you might even learn a thing or two from him. Your comments are always welcome. Write to me at twinb@msjudith.net 200205

PNNA Young Numismatic Program

(by Scott T. Loos, President, Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association and Chairman of the YN Committee)

A brief review of the PNNA YN Program - we started off with a Design a Quarter contest in the local schools (primarily 4th-6th grade age group) - providing them with design sheets and design criteria. A total of 21 classes participated in the initial effort and generated around 200+ designs. Students were given a new state quarter for their participation; classroom winners were given a 1-ounce U.S. silver eagle. All of the winning classroom designs were forwarded to the PNNA to be displayed at the PNNA convention in May 2002 for a public vote to determine the overall winner and recipient of a 1/4 ounce gold U.S. eagle.

Overall, the program was well received and we are planning on doing it again next year and starting a little earlier to attract more schools. We also held a treasure hunt for YNs at the convention - which attracted about 50 kids. The YNs were given a sheet listing the 13 items that they had to locate throughout the room (they had to search for a small foil star on dealers/participants name badges). Each dealer/individual participating had a different numismatic related item - we tried to have a wide variety to show them the different facets of collecting, such as U.S. coins, foreign coins, ancient coins, wooden nickels, elongated cents, paper money, etc. All of the kids kept what they found and those that completed the hunt were entered in a drawing for additional prizes - 1/10 ounce gold eagle, silver eagles, state quarter maps, magnifiers, etc. We tried to get something going with the Scouting group for a merit badge clinic, but couldn't get anything going in time for the convention. 200206

Sharing Your Hobby With the Next Generation

(by Rob Payne, manager, Mason-Dixon APIC Regional Show, American Political Items Collectors)

A few years back, my youngest sister threw me a real challenge. "Come to my second grade class, on President's Day, and speak to them about your political buttons and junk," she startled me in conversation. She has traditionally referred to my cherished collection as "your junk" or "your stuff."

I was surprised she asked and quickly said "Sure," without thinking. Then when I got home, I realized that I had never spoken to any group so young. I panicked a bit and then began to wonder about how I was going to make the presentation. What do second graders know about the presidency or any of the men who filled that lofty position?

I decided to go in with a plan, but let them educate me as well. And, they did indeed educate me! Some of the answers and reactions were a bit funny, but then as they say "kids say the darndest things."

When asking them who the first president of the U.S. was, one anxious kid on the back row told me it was "John Brown." I gently tried to work with him and went on to my next hand who thankfully pronounced "George Washington." In asking how old you had to be to run for president, I got a multitude of answers including "near 100." Yet, essentially most of the students could remember about six presidents including the current president, the last president, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt (only because of the Teddy Bear), and John F. Kennedy (only because Mom and Dad had spoke of him.)

They loved seeing the material and were thrilled when I could pass something around. They especially enjoyed the story of President Taft getting stuck in the bathtub while serving in the White House, and how TR was said to have refused to shoot the young bear cubs. The nine-inch buttons lightened-up their eyes, and they couldn't get over the Bush underwear or the Nixon toilet paper.

I dressed one victim in all my hats, sashes, bracelets, and slippers. The kids thought it was fun, and so did I.

I know that day I learned as much from them as they did from me. I certainly never enjoyed "my stuff" more than I did at that moment. My sister even admitted that I was her brother in front of all assembled. Wow was I shocked!

Since that President's Day, I've spoken to many a second graders and have thoroughly enjoyed it. It's not a secret, if you really want to enjoy your hobby, then enjoy it by sharing it with others. Especially enjoy it through the fresh eyes of the young. Maybe, one of the group will remember you, when they someday become President. 200207

Help Educate Youth With Antiques

(by Ellen Smith, Yoder, Wyoming. Letter to the Editor, Antique Trader. July 31, 2002. Visit the Trader website: http://www.antiquetrader.com )

Dear Editor. In response to the question posed several issues ago, "What do you do with your collection?," I use mine to educate younger generations.

For many years, I have taken items to schools when they are studying pioneer or homestead life. For example, when studying the book "Little House on the Prairie," I create Pa Ingalls' corner with muzzle loader, bullet mold and lead, traps, scythe, nails, lantern, etc. There is a laundry area with bench, tubs, washboard, homemade soap and sad irons. We churn butter, grind grain with a hand grinder and peel apples with an old-time peeler.

On July 4th, I visited old Fort Laramie where I demonstrated soap-making.

Today's teachers are too young to know what many of the items are for. Students like hands-on experience.

I do not buy, and I do not sell. But I'm 82, and I have subscribed to "Antique Trader" for many years to educate myself.

Keep up the good work with your fine publication. I like it just the way it is. When St. Peter calls and my kids will need to clear my home, they'll say, "Why on earth did she save all those pages from that magazine?" 200208

Where Have All the Kids Gone?

(by Tom Hultman, SPORTS COLLECTORS DIGEST, Aug 2, 2002, reprinted with permission. hultmant@krause.com 715.445.4612)

Recently, a prominent hobby figure who also doubles as a T-ball baseball coach gave his players - ranging in age from 6-8 - packs of baseball cards. Surprisingly, only two of the 13 players knew about trading cards and were interested enough to keep them.

One was familiar with cards because he is the coach's son, while the other boy didn't collect but showed enough interest to pick up all of the cards left behind by the other players who ran off to quench their thirst with a Mountain Dew.

Is that a scary thought? Are today's kids so far removed from sports cards that they truly don't have a clue what they are or the tradition they have in American pop culture? Could they care less about the hobby that some have loved for more than 50 years?

To bring another example to light, a reporter recently attended a card company function aimed at children in a Midwestern city. The children participated and when all was said and done they received trading cards - many of them high-value inserts - as prizes.

One child, who could be labeled a spoiled brat by some collectors, walked away and said to his mom, "Baseball cards? I don't like baseball cards."

In the 1980s, Whitney Houston sang a No. 1 song with the line, "I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way." It appears the hobby hasn't done a very good job of that.

"According to our estimates, kids constitute half of the collecting population, but only account for about 30 percent of industry sales," said Jake Gonzales of Upper Deck. "While kids, in general, do continue to express interest in trading cards, they are not flocking in droves to hobby stores to buy them."

If this is the future of our beloved hobby, is it facing doomsday? Baron Bedesky, In The Game's vice-president of marketing and communications, said the news of the hobby's demise has been greatly exaggerated.

"I try to go back to when I was a kid - the supposed `Golden Age' when we all collected. Well, you know what? We didn't all collect," Bedesky said. "I can remember the kids in my school, maybe a third of us were serious collectors. We can't fool ourselves into thinking that we have to get back to the point where all the kids are interested. It never was that way and we can't force-feed that.

"With that being said, we all have a responsibility - right from the licensors through the manufacturers, distributors and store owners - to make sure if kids come into the store or to a show that they will come away with some cards regardless of the budget. I think that is vital. I think a lot of people are addressing that, but like anything else there are always ways to improve it."

Most hobby experts agree that there are fewer children collecting sports cards today than there were several years ago, and almost everyone agrees it's down from 10 years ago. Brian K. Baull, a collector from Frankford, Delaware, said he has seen the number of children collecting sports cards decrease in the past five years.

"Probably the No. 1 reason is the price of cards, because (manufacturers) have nearly priced me out of the hobby, and I'm 34 and have a full-time job," Baull said. "Packs of cards at $5, $10 and even higher and you only get two or three cards per pack is ridiculous.

"The No. 2 reason would be there are too many sets released - forget about competing an entire set of cards these days. And heaven forbid a youngster's favorite player would be someone like Alex Rodriguez or Ichiro - they'd need to tap into their college funds to get even a year's worth of their cards."

Fortunately, children are a renewable resource for the hobby. There is a constant stream of new children who are in the 10-12-year-old demographic every year. The key is to get them interested in cards.

WHERE HAVE THE CHILDREN GONE?

Depending on who you talk to, the number of children in the hobby has either stayed the same in the past five years, decreased or has sunk to all-time low levels.

For example, Card Trade magazine in a 2001 survey asked hobby shops, "How has the number of customers under the age of 14 years old changed in your store this year compared to the previous year." The results were telling, as 55 percent said there was a decrease, while only 13 percent said children traffic increased.

Where did the children go? Are they so engrossed these days with video games, digital cable with 150 channels, the Internet and other gadgets that trading cards don't register on their "cool" radar screen?

We asked several industry experts if they thought the number has decreased in the past several years.

Clay Luraschi, Topps spokesman: "Yes (the number of children has decreased), but while that is true, our research tells us that 50 percent of collectors are still 17 years old and younger. And it is quite clear that kids still respond positively to trading cards."

Tom Geideman, SA.GE CEO: "I think it (the number of children) has decreased. I would say mostly because the sports themselves cater to adults as they can line their coffers today best. Night games, inflated ticket prices, etc., make the game more corporate and less family-oriented. That doesn't allow the connection between kids and the sport to be nearly as strong as in the past."

Tom Farrell, Racing Champions/Press Pass director of marketing: "(The number of children collecting has decreased) because sports cards are now competing against more options for the child's entertainment dollar (PlayStation, X-Box, computer games, etc.) as well as his or her time (the Internet)."

Dave Silver of Dave and Adam's Card World of Amherst, New York: "The number of children in our store has been about the same (over the past five years), maybe there is a small percentage of a decline, but nothing too substantial. The majority of our customers are adult males between the age of 18-60."

Allison Peirce, Fleer spokesperson: "I don't think that it has decreased in the past five years. In my opinion, kids are becoming more knowledgeable about trading cards. In turn, that sparks more interest in collecting."

Dunhill Jalea, a collector from Glendale, New York: "As a 14-year-old, I think the number of kids collecting sports trading cards has decreased. Most of the kids I know collect (and play) trading card game cars like Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, Yu-GiOh!, etc. Although some of them are sports fans, they still don't collect sports cards."

Keith Gentili, Pacific Trading Cards' director of East Coast sales: "My experiences at card shops with Pacific Nights tell me the number has not decreased. In fact, the primary difference I see today as opposed to the mid-'90s is kids aren't as caught up with "What's it worth?" Because of the vast selection of products today, kids seem to enjoy chasing base cards, inserts and memorabilia cards of their favorite players and teams more than ever."

Colin Hagen, Major League Baseball vice-president of licensing/trading cards, collectibles, memorabilia and Cooperstown: "I believe children are still interested, although as with everything there is a lot more competing for their attention. We need to continue to promote the business in a positive way so that they have the opportunity to collect, and have a great experience when that happens. You know they still like it because of that incredible look you see when you hand a kid a pack of cards and watch him open it."

Marco Rol of Collectors Showcase of America: "I haven't seen a falloff in kids attending shows over the last five years, but over the last 10 years I have. The 10-year falloff I would attribute to the increases in the prices of baseball cards per pack and the prices of autograph guests. The kids have traditionally been baseball collectors - both cards and autograph guests. With the autographs, I do still see kids there, but it is always when they are with their fathers. Again, that is a factor of price, because dad has to spring for the autographs."

Carl Gerjes of T&C Investments in Alvin, Texas, who sets up at multiple shows during the year, said he has noticed a decrease in kids at shows over the past five years.

"I think the decrease is because there are not as many parents taking kids to shows these days," he said. "At FanFest, there was an enormous amount of parents with kids at the show. That's the way it should be."

HAVE KIDS BEEN PRICED OUT OF THE HOBBY?

Parents and children alike have offered a constant complaint the past few years - packs are too expensive.

Farrell said he believes kids have been priced out of the hobby for a vast majority of sports cards products.

"The mandatory ingredients of autographs and memorabilia cards have put most pack prices out of reach for a child with limited disposable income," he said.

Yes, there are $3, $5, $10, $15 and $100 packs on the market, but there are also plenty of products which feature a pack suggested retail price of $1.99. Even further, there are many products priced at 99 cents per pack, including Upper Deck Victory, Score Football and Topps Total Baseball. Of course, there are many other deals out there if collectors are willing to purchase old boxes or packs from the bargain racks.

With those low-priced options available for hobbyists young and old, is it safe to say kids have been priced out of the hobby? It certainly can't be true that kids can't afford sports cards if it's also true that the industry has lost them to $50 video games.

"If there's one lesson we can take from the Pokemon phenomenon, it's kids have money today," said Pacific's Gentili. "Kids paid $15 a pack for Pokemon like it was penny candy. So whether they earn it, or it's their allowance, or it's simply given to them, kids have access to money. Of course, our challenge as a manufacturer remains building products that provide value and fun at any price point."

"I don't think children have been priced out of the hobby at all," Donruss/Playoff spokesman Tracy Hackler said. "There's no denying that the cost of being a collector has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. But the cost of many things has increased over that time, including movie tickets, music and video games, to name three. The tradeoff in that equation is that the quality of trading cards has increased dramatically as well."

Added Bdesky, "If parents say, `There aren't any 50-cent packs, so I guess it's too expensive for everyone.' Well, you have to dig a little deeper than that. (Affordable cards) are definitely out there, but sometimes I think people want all the good stuff and they want it cheap at the same time. It's a matter of educating them as well."

Few people dispute, however, that in general, sports cards have gotten too expensive. Cory Gaines, a 12-year-old collector from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, said he enjoys the hobby, but prices are still too high overall. "Prices of boxes and packs are way too high," he said. "They have gone up in the past few years. I can't buy anything if the prices are so high. I think a lot more kids would collect if they lowered the prices a little. I would like to see boxes at $35. Outlet stores have closeouts and if you want a good deal you can get boxes there. I went to a K-Mart that was going out of business and bought boxes and they were all about half off and I got a lot of great cards out of them."

Said Luraschi: "Price increases definitely have not helped. But there are products such as our flagship brand Topps, Topps Opening Day and Topps Total that are kid-affordable."

That takes us to Hobby Catch-22 No. 104: Children aren't always interested in cheaper sets. Hobby manufacturers are in a position of "damned if they do, damned if they don't." both children and adult collectors complain to the card companies that there aren't enough cheap packs for the younger collectors. Then when the manufacturers release the low-priced packs, children say they don't want to buy them because the cards aren't worth as much as the higher-priced products.

"Our focus group studies have shown that while kids can afford the lower price point products, their interests lie with the more premium products, especially as they become more involved with cards," said Upper Deck's Gonzales. "Kids' tastes have grown more sophisticated to match the veteran collector. Kids are more sophisticated with their tastes and want to experience the same `wow' factor older serious collectors want with autograph and memorabilia cards."

Said Geideman, "Children understand that value and collecting go hand in hand, and they don't associate value with an affordably priced product. Therefore they can't buy the quantity of product because they can't afford it, but they do concentrate on getting little quantities of the good stuff. There are also enough `slow' products in the industry that kids can afford to purchase blowouts if they are truly collecting for love of the art."

Wayne Lewin of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, said even though the cheaper products are on the shelves, his son Cory prefers to purchase the moderately priced packs.

"The prices are ridiculous, but if you have cheaper packs the industry is predicated on things falling into place," Lewin said. "If you buy these packs for a dollar, you're not going to find the ones that are going to be worth a lot of money. It's a give and take and you can't get it all. The hobby has changed a lot since we were kids. We didn't have `the hobby,' we just collected baseball cards."

Josh Berns, a 13-year-old of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, said the price of packs doesn't concern him, as he bases his purchases on the odds listed on the packs.

"I would buy cheaper-priced packs if the odds for the inserts were good," said Berns, who said he trades cards with his friends and purchases his cards at hobby shops, flea markets and shows.

Gerjes said the card companies are doing what they can. "I think manufacturers have to offer the lower-priced packs because kids can still have opportunities to pull a $100 card out of $2 packs," he said. "It is a catch-22."

Dealers have told the horror stories about children who have opened packs of cards at their store or booth and have watched them pull only the highly priced cards and leave the rest behind.

Gerjes said he has seen children who are only worried about a card's value and doesn't believe it is necessarily a bad thing.

"It is a part of the hobby today," Gerjes said. "Kids can get something out of a pack and they can see there is a value to it. Children learn about economics in that regard, too."

IS TRADING STILL ALIVE?

Remember back when we were kids, we'd gather in our friend's bedroom with our shoeboxes of cards and our list of cards we were missing and we'd try to make a trade to complete our sets?

Parents of today's generation of children often say trading among children is extinct. But is it? Again, it depends who you ask.

Farrell: "Sports card trading certainly has decreased. However, trading of collectible card game cards has kept trading alive."

Baull: "I think trading among kids like (was done in) the 1950s-80s is all but dead. Instead, I get the feeling kids are more into trading `book value for book value' or even putting cards up for sale on eBay instead of trading favorite player for favorite player."

Luraschi: "Trading still goes on, but the number of brands makes it tough, because there is less of a common language."

Jalea: "I think trading is extinct."

Gonzales: "A few years ago Upper Deck had a give-away at the National Sports Collectors Convention for a 30-card set of top stars. The 30 cards were given away at different intervals throughout the show. Some kids did not have all the cards to complete their set so a trading table was set up in back of Upper Deck's booth for the kids to trade with others. In a matter of a couple of hours, there were throngs of kids and adults alike trading to complete those sets. This tradition is continued every year now at the National. Trading cards will always be a big part of this industry."

Peirce: "Trading among kids is definitely not extinct. I have seen first hand kids trading with each other. And now that they are more knowledgeable about the industry, that makes trading even more exciting."

Geideman: "I think trading with friends is nowhere near as frequent as kids in the 1950s-80s. They only have two weeks before the product's life span is over which means you have to go day one to buy all the cards necessary to form enough of a series to try and complete the rest. Kids from the 1950s-80s had all sport season to collect."

Gentili: "Children still trade cards but let's face it, things are different today. Price guides have played a huge role here. But I'm seeing more trading recently, especially with jersey cards. With so many jersey cards available today and many products offering one memorabilia card per pack, I'm noticing kids trading for their favorite player, straight up, jersey card for jersey card."

Hackler: "I know grown children still trade cards among themselves - because that's something I still do with my buddies. Trading cards always will be a brilliant proposition because it's almost always a win-win proposition - and children certainly understand that. Most times, you either swap something you don't want for something you do, or you swap something you like for something you like a whole lot more."

WHAT HAVE THE MANUFACTURERS AND THE LEAGUES DONE TO KEEP KIDS INTERESTED IN CARDS?

Leagues and manufacturers deserve credit in this area, as the league-run shows like Major League Baseball's FanFest, Fleer NBA Jam Session, NFL Experience and NHL FANtasy have converted many young sports fans into new hobbyists.

In addition, the card companies' wrapper redemptions and handouts offered at league-run shows, along with SportsFest and the National, get cards into the hands of children and their parents. This promotion has done wonders at getting cards into the hands of children.

Fleer aims at children with its Card Flipping competition, which began in 1996 at the NHL FANtasy and has continued at the various All-Star events. Major League Baseball also supports Fleer with its national card flipping tournaments, which reach 400,000 kids and facilitate the team events at MLB cities (10 overall in 2002).

"In 1999, we created the stadium promotion and it has gotten kids very involved in the hobby," Peirce said. "We give out a lot of cards to the kids and they tell us that the cards we give them is the start of their collection and that they are going to continue to keep collecting."

Hagen said the league attempts to target all its sampling efforts toward kids. This year MLB's efforts involved giving out more than 1.5 million sample packs to kids through Pepsi's grass roots efforts, players handing them out at spring training and the teams using them as an in-stadium giveaway. Those sample packs included a "how to collect" booklet produced by TuffStuff, which has made a similar booklet for the NFL.

"The teams also use them for events like kids running the bases after games, team kids clubs, clinics and community relations efforts," Hagen said. "This year we worked with Scholastic to offer a MLB card collecting tin featuring product from all four of our licensees. MLB backed this up by offering a sweepstakes to be an honorary Ball Boy/Girl for Game One of the 2002 World Series. We felt this would allow Scholastic to promote this in a much bigger way to its reach nationally of millions of kids and allow cards to cut through the clutter of everything that was offered. MLB also works with our card licensees to support Little League Magazine."

In addition, through MLB sponsor Post cereal, Topps has provided millions of cards in kids-targeted cereal boxes in both 2001 and 2002. Topps also conducts seminars (Hobby Trends/Alan Narz) nationwide to educate other hobby shop owners on how to involve children.

"We have to keep it affordable and educate them on the fun and enjoyment of collecting," Luraschi said. "What we have done is to maintain broad retail distribution so cards are available where kids shop. We offer nationwide sampling programs throughout stadiums and kid-driven products."

Meanwhile, Upper Deck has done a number of programs over the years to appeal to children, including Draw Your Own Trading Card (kids drawing appeared on cards in packs of cards) and Meet the Stars (kids met Ken Griffey Jr., Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky).

"Upper Deck has also helped bring athletes (including many Hall of Famers) to local shops throughout the country to meet kids and collectors alike via our hobby 2000 program," Gonzales said. "Upper Deck also gives out many cards at shows throughout the country to kids and collectors alike."

Pacific continues to attract children through its Pacific Nights programs and its McDonald's hockey card program in Canada.

"Cards are cooler today than ever thanks primarily to technology and the creativity of card companies. Just look how far we've come in the past six years," Gentili said. "From phone cards to motion cards to Press Pass' Burning Rubber insert to Babe Ruth bat cards to Ilya Kovalchuk autographed jersey/stick cards. The truth about our future? The sky's the limit."

Donrussw/Playoff has implemented a sampling program that attempts to place cards into the hands of as many collectors and potential collectors as possible. In addition, during each of the past two years, the company has run direct response advertising in Little League Magazine aimed at offering cool prizes to more than 1 million Little Leaguers across the country, which allows the company to gather information that will assist it in marketing its products to children.

"We continue to actively participate in football's Stay Cool in School, Player of the Day and Punt, Pass & Kick programs," Hacklet said. "We've done marketing partnerships with video game manufacturers, placing our cards in a venue that appeals to a younger audience."

Bedesky said manufacturers not only have to sell the hobby to children, but they must sell it to the parents, too.

"We have to encourage them to collect with their children, unlike a lot of us whose parents didn't really get into collecting with us," Bedesky said. "Now, the hobby of card collecting is a two-generation thing with mom and dad with their kids. I see a lot of that at every show. Making the hobby attractive to kids is one thing, but it is important to make it attractive to the parents so they can collect together with the kids."

According to Geideman, the key in reaching the children is to find those few kids that start every trend and get them cards to trade and play with.

"Cards interacting with play could also be a key," he said. "Get interaction with the cards and video games."

The NBA has made collecting attractive to children through its Fleer Jam Session by allowing them the opportunity to make their own personalized trading card, visit an extensive trading card and collectibles area, and take part in player autograph sessions, among other activities.

"We are constantly working with all of our partners to creatively involve trading cards in these types of grassroots initiatives and youth-targeted promotions," said Trish Burns of NBA Communications. "As for future programs involving kids, we're looking into including trading card elements in the NBA's community outreach programs."

Silver, of Dave and Adam's Card World, said the card manufacturers have done a fantastic job of making cards "cool" for children. He mentioned the manufacturers' attempts to tie cards in with the computer, including Upper Deck's launch of a new online card redemption program and Press Pass' Total Access CD-ROM, which is an interactive checklist and price guide on a CD that shows every card in the set.

"The manufacturers are all doing a very decent job of trying to get kids interested by having free autograph guests in stores," he said. "The kids come out from all over and they can meet the local players."

Said Farrell: "Press Pass is trying to bring in new, young computer savvy collectors with our Total Access CD-ROM. It is a complementary product to the card release that serves as a multi-dimensional tool for the experienced collector, while offering easy navigation and education to the novice collector."

WHAT LIES AHEAD?

In the end, there are two ways to look at children in the hobby. On the one hand, today's kids are much different than kids of 10-30 years ago. The advent of computer technology and the Internet has a lot to do with that.

On the other hand, kids are still kids from generation to generation. The love of sports is there, as are the parent-child relationships. The notion that computers take kids away from the hobby may be true in some respects, but computer-savvy children may use it to their advantage.

"With new advancements in technology, collectors are now able to trade cards not only to other local collectors but now on a global scale via the Internet," Gonzales said.

The leagues, along with the card manufacturers, are always looking for ways to reach the children. In fact, prior to FanFest, MLB had Fleer produce an anti-drugs card with Derek Jeter as the spokesperson, which were handed out at the show.

"This provides a great message and allows cards to be the medium. As with anything in this industry, it is not one sector that can do everything," Hagen said. "As a league we need to see where we have the ability to use our resources to promote cards, and then to make sure the opportunity makes sense for our licensees."

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

The hobby won't make inroads back into the children's market without a concerted, cooperative effort. It needs:

- The leagues and players associations to pool their knowledge and histories in this area to develop the most effective programs for reaching children.

- New methods of "sampling" (free handouts) to children that not only put cards in kids' hands, but gives them the knowledge and tools they need to understand cards and what they're about. As one industry insider told us, "If we don't explain what cards are about, handing them out to disinterested children is a waste of money."

- Industry-wide, cooperative efforts to push cards and card programs into the schools, where sports cards can be used as marvelous teaching aids.

- Industry-wide, cooperative efforts that encourage dealers to do a better job of reaching children in their areas. Note that most of the solutions start with "industry-wide, cooperative efforts." It will take things like that to make this work. However, the results will be worth the effort, if you believe, as Hagen does, that seeing the face of a child who's been handed sports cards is very often a positive experience.

SCD reader Darrick Wardenburg of Rockford, Illinois, said he believes children can still be part of the hobby because the hobby can still be fun.

"What card manufacturers have forgotten is that many of us took up the hobby as children because it was fun," Wardenburg said. "Because of the costs involved, card collecting today is not seen as fun, but rather as an investment. When was the last time you heard your child proclaim, `I can't wait to go spend my birthday money on a savings bond'?

"Anyone who doubts whether affordable card collecting is still considered fun by today's youth should offer up their `worthless commons' at Halloween along with the regular selection of candy. By the end of the night, you'll be left with nothing but sweets." 200209

Forgotten Youth? Where Will Our Hobby Be Without Future Generations?

(by Sharon Korbeck, editor, ANTIQUE TRADER. July 24, 2002. korbecks@krause.com Visit the Trader website: http://www.antiquetrader.com )

My grandfather died when I was about 6, so I don't remember too much about him. One thing I do remember vividly is a vast mahogany desk in a lamp-lit basement room that smelled of leather and mucilage. Scattered on the desk were stamps, from far-flung countries, stamp sleeves, first day covers, tweezers and philatelic books.

My grandfather, Arnold Heinen, was a stamp enthusiast. And while his hobby made little sense to a tow-headed girl more fond of running up and down the basement steps, I now remember how much time he spent in that room, sharing his stamp collection with his older male cousins. He enjoyed sharing his hobby because it was important to him, and he wanted to foster this love in his grandkids.

How thoughtful and forward-thinking!

I'm not sure what happened to my grandfather's collection, but perhaps what happened because of his collection is more important.

His hobby allowed him to share valuable time and knowledge with his grandchildren. And, ultimately, he may have fostered a then-unconscious desire to seek, to collect, to treasure something.

I think this has a moral for all of us involved in the industry and hobby of collecting antiques, toys, stamps, coins, pottery or whatever. Let's not forget younger generations...lest our hobbies die as collectors do.

Informally, through my job as editor, I promote collecting to all ages through Krause Publications' books and magazines. More formally, however, I enjoy speaking on the topic to school and library groups.

It's important to encourage a new pool of collectors through education and example. As hobbies and collectors age, current collectors must keep our hobbies fresh and viable to future generations.

How can we do that? By sharing our collecting passion with our kids, grandchildren and neighbor kids. By taking them to hobby shows, swap meets and garage sales (armed with a few bucks to get them started). by telling them tantalizing stories about your great finds. By showing them how fast that Hot Wheels can race or telling them about the history of the antique toys on the current postage stamps.

I hope you'll take up this charge with me, for the good of our youth, the health of our hobby and from the grace of your heart. 200207

Pens for KIds - Cleveland Elementary School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

(by Sam Fiorella, President, Pen Collectors of America. Feature from "Pennant," a publication of the Pen Collectors of America, Inc. Summer 2003. Visit the Pen Collectors of America website: http://www.pencollectors.com)

This past May, I had the pleasure of taking the P.C.A.'s Pens for Kids program to Mrs. Susan Kersenbrock's third grade class at Cleveland Elementary School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the former home of Austin N. Palmer, originator of the Palmer Penmanship Method and founder of The Cedar Rapids Business College. Appropriately enough, in this third grade classroom hung an older green and white Palmer lettering chart poised above the chalkboard. The Palmer Method is no longer taught in this school, but it was reassuring to see a bit of this rich history lingering in the classroom. The class had visited the Cedar Rapids History Center earlier in the year to see the exhibit on A. N. Palmer and The Cedar Rapids Business College.

Third grade is the year most children learn cursive writing in the U.S. This class was no exception, and the students had obviously worked hard throughout the school year practicing their penmanship. I was pleasantly surprised to see that most of the students had very legible writing and were eager to show off their penmanship. I took some time to discuss the importance of good penmanship in this day and age of computers and email. At the ages of eight and nine, I am not certain that the students yet grasp the importance of handwritten letters that will be saved, re-read and cherished 50 years from now. However they did fully comprehend how short term email correspondence can be, since we do not normally save our emails for posterity, but we do often save letters.

I started my presentation by gathering the children around a table where we talked about A. N. Palmer and his importance to not only Cedar Rapids, but to the evolution of modern penmanship. We looked at examples of artful penmanship from the late 1800s and early 1900s in the book, An Elegant Hand. (William E. Nenning, An Elegant Hand: The Golden Age of American Penmanship and Calligraphy, Oak Knoll Press, 2002). Most importantly, we looked at examples of children's writing using the Palmer technique. It was Palmer's success with children's programs in the New York City schools that sent him on to fame and fortune in the penmanship business.

The children knew in advance I was bringing fountain pens for each of them (the Cesare Emiliano pens for this session of Pens For Kids were donated by Ray Adams, owner of Wood'N'Dreams in St. Albans, Vermont. Thanks Ray!). They were quite excited when we passed out the pens, some ruled paper and a copy of The Pennant for them to keep. Most of the students had never seen a fountain pen. We had a brief lesson on how a fountain pen works, how to properly remove the cap, and a stern reminder that yes, that was real ink inside, so we didn't want to be waving our pens around spraying ink everywhere!

I had inserted the cartridges in the pens the night before and checked them that morning to make sure they were all ready to write, thus eliminating a potentially inky classroom! Once we got everyone's pens adjusted with point to paper in the proper manner, we proceeded to practice writing a few Palmer Method letters. The class showed a genuine interest in wanting to write well and I must say they had obviously had some good penmanship instruction, as their handwriting was neat and legible. Once they got the hang of the fountain pen and writing repetitive letters as practice drills, they all practiced writing their names.

I ended the presentation by doing each child's name in a fancy, flourishing script and another brief lesson on how to replace the caps on their pens properly as well as some information on how to care for their new pens. Mrs. Kersenbrock offered up some wise advise--that perhaps their new pens were best stored in the pen ledge inside their desks until they took them home at the end of the day.

Although I've done a few Pens for Kids presentations before, this was the youngest group of children to whom I had made a presentation. They were far more interested than I had anticipated and just thrilled to have a fountain pen to call their own. I must admit I was somewhat relieved to walk away from a class of eight and nine year olds leaving just a few inky fingers and no inky catastrophes!

How You Can Get Involved?

We encourage Pen Collectors of America members to participate in the Pens for Kids program. Members have given presentations to classes of all ages over the past few years and reports are always favorable--children love fountain pens! The presentations have covered various aspects of fountain pens; how the pens work, how to market fountain pens, fountain pen design and the history of writing. If available, The P.C.A. will provide you with fountain pens and copies of The Pennant for planned presentations. The only think we ask for in return is a brief report on your presentation to share with our other members. Please contact us if you are interested in participating by sending an email to info@pencollectors.com 200311

The Well Kept Secret of Collecting Political Americana

(by Daniel Bleicher, a senior at MOntclair Kimberley Academy, a political collector since the age of seven. Feature from The Political Bandwagon, October 2003. The Political Bandwagon, P.O. Box 348, Leola, PA 17540)

Walking through the political collectors' show at the Chelsea Jewish Center in New York City last winter, a few days before my seventeenth birthday, I was in awe of the images of American history that rose before me. To my right John F. Kennedy's face flickered on and off a flasher button, and to my left a World War II vintage Uncle Sam poster pointed at me with urgency. I sifted through political artifacts dating back to the early 1800's and heard political stories that made folk heroes come alive. I realized how fortunate I was that my uncle had introduced me to this world of collecting political Americana some ten years ago. But I felt like I harbored a wonderful secret that others, my age and younger, were unaware. The Chelsea show, like other shows I had attended, was markedly devoid of young collectors.

Collectors of political Americana are well-positioned to change this unfortunate fact. We can do so if we reach out to teach a young person the joys of collecting. But, as collectors of political memorabilia well know, simply taking a young novice to a political button show, with the dozens of dealers and the thousands of buttons and other memorabilia, can simply be overwhelming. This article summarizes the progress that I followed from the ages of seven to seventeen to learn about collecting political Americana. by sharing my love of collecting political Americana and my perspective on the process of beginning a collection, I offer a systematic approach, a blueprint, which collectors can use to teach this inspiring avocation to younger budding collectors.

Young people are largely unaware of the exciting possibilities of collecting political memorabilia as a hobby. Kids are enticed at the toy store with packages of sports trading cards, but the political collector must rely on himself to attract young, new collectors. Ten years ago, my uncle showed me some of the political campaign buttons he had amassed. He took out these precious pieces of Americana from a small cigar box and so began my interest in collecting. Open a box of presidential campaign buttons and the learning process begins.

Initially, the collector needs to explain what collecting political memorabilia is all about. The young collector must first appreciate the tremendous scope of the hobby. Campaign artifacts or "political Americana" cover subject matter as rich and diverse as American history and in medium, design, and appeal equally as abundant and varied. Over the years, political Americana has taken such forms as labels, ribbons, plates, posters, dolls, and buttons, using all types of materials including metal, ceramic, glass, and wood. The campaign button is the most popular and abundant of political Americana and would be a good starting point for the new collector. The modern campaign button has its roots in the metal clothing buttons of George Washington's presidency, and in the ferrotypes of the nineteenth century, and most majestically in the celluloid buttons beginning in 1896, and with the cheaper lithograph buttons beginning in the 1920s.

As if the evolution of campaign buttons is not confusing enough, campaigns generate an enormous array and variety of buttons. The young collector must choose among an abundant offering of major party candidates, third parties, hopefuls, and state and local candidates. The collecting options include buttons reflecting campaign issues and themes, and political causes ranging from women's rights to civil rights to antiwar causes, to name only a few. Starting with a broad based collection will provide the young collector hands-on education. But given the scope of campaign buttons, the collector should offer some guidelines to help the novice experience maximum exposure to the hobby without being overwhelmed. The young collector might begin, as I did, by collecting that which is most recognizable to her, such as major party presidential campaign buttons. Then, she might identify those presidents who most interest her. Affinity for the candidate is a strong incentive to collecting and the novice is on her way to beginning her own prized collection.

Armed with some basic understanding of collecting political Americana, I would recommend that collectors encourage the new student to become more educated about this avocation by reading books on political Americana. After I started to get interested in collecting political Americana, my uncle game me and I read "Collecting Political Americana" by Edmund B. Sullivan. This book provides an invaluable background about what a collector needs to know about this hobby and the enormous types of political Americana that may catch the fancy of the young collector. After the novice has a basic understanding of the hobby, she has to learn which political Americana is available on the market and at what prices. A new collector can gain valuable knowledge about the popularity of buttons and how the condition affects a button's price by obtaining auction catalogs. A beginning collector can acquire auction catalogs by paying the auction house a nominal fee to be put on its mailing list. The catalogs offer a broad price range of political Americana, from the relatively inexpensive to items that costs thousands of dollars.

Once the collector has succeeded in getting the novice interested in collecting political Americana, he should encourage the new fan of this hobby to join the American Political Items Collectors ("APIC") organization. The collector should explain that the APIC is the major organization that is tailored to collecting political Americana. A Youth membership to the APIC is only $10 a year. One of the benefits of joining APIC is that with the membership, the APIC provides free of charge the "Political Bandwagon." I used the "Political Bandwagon" to learn about the political button shows where I live. And this is the point in novice's learning curve at which attending her first political button show would be valuable and enjoyable.. The "Political Bandwagon" will inform the novice where the political button shows are in the geographic area where she lives. From reading the "Political Bandwagon," I learned that there were three magnificent shows in the tri-state area in which I live--the Big Apple chapter's Chelsea Show, the Dewitt Chapter Show, and the Regional Convention in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.

Before taking the novice collector to her first button show, the collector should suggest that the novice develop a game plan so that she knows which buttons she would like to search for. Without a game plan, just arriving at the show and seeing the thousands of buttons, medallions and other political Americana is overwhelming. For the beginning collector, an example of a game plan would be focusing on campaign buttons of a particular President that she is interested in. At this juncture, the new collector has an idea of what she is looking for, but is missing a key element in collecting, namely price. An invaluable resource for the new collector is Ted Hake's "Encyclopedia of Political Buttons," which includes countless pictures of campaign buttons including those that are popular, scarce, classic, and premium, and their market value. I would recommend purchasing this three volume encyclopedia and bringing it to the shows to help the novice collector find a desirable button at a fair price. The new collector can begin implementing her game plan by using the Encyclopedia to view a selection of buttons and price ranges available for her choice of candidates.

Attending the show is an incredible experience and a great source of education for the new collector. The young collector should be encouraged to walk around and see firsthand the incredible displays of buttons and other political Americana. One of the best ways to obtain knowledge about collecting is to speak with the collectors at these shows. These people possess a wealth of information on political Americana and they love sharing their knowledge and perspective with others, particularly an interested young collector. Before purchasing a button, the new collector should talk to several dealers about the button she is contemplating. The dealers will offer insights into availability and desirability of particular buttons. As the new collector views and handles the vast selection of buttons, invariably certain buttons will appeal to her. That fact bodes well since the most enduring purchase is one based on knowledge and personal taste.

Another benefit to using the shows as a source of education is that it introduces different approaches to building a collection. When I started collecting, I remember being shown buttons from the "Golden Age" of campaign buttons, generally 1896-1920. I was awed by these graphically superior buttons with pictures and witty slogans in brilliant colors. Once I learned that many of these buttons were reasonably priced, my collection expanded to include Golden Age buttons. Over time, while exploring at the shows, I became fascinated with medallions because many of the issues predated celluloid and lithograph buttons and represent early political Americana. The young collector can find often rare pieces at reasonable prices, especially beginning with the 1840 campaign of William Henry Harrison when medallions were widely used and even including medallions for the revered President Abraham Lincoln. As the young collector's knowledge grows, it is inevitable that her general collection will begin to include subsets of collectible specialties.

After the novice has begun purchasing several buttons, the collector should suggest that she maintain her newly obtained buttons in an organized fashion. I have found that the best way to do so is to mount my buttons in glass cases called Riker Mounts. These displays keep your buttons safe, make the collection as a whole look appealing, and is a great way to organize one's collection so you know exactly which political memorabilia you have. The new collector should also make an inventory of all her political buttons. In my inventory, I list the candidate, whether it is a picture or non-picture button, the year it was produced, and its condition. With this inventory, the new collector will know exactly the areas of her collection that are strong and those that need improvement. Whenever I go to political shows, I bring my inventory which helps me decide which button I want to focus on.

As I look to the future of this inspiring and exciting avocation, I am optimistic. Given that collecting political Americana is fascinating, educational, fun, and perhaps financially rewarding, our mission is clear. I urge you, the political Americana aficionado, to share your knowledge and love about our avocation to the younger generation. By showing your collection to just one young person, you might get them hooked to collecting political Americana for life. It happened to me. 200311





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