Poll Question: Have online marketplaces made it easier or harder to be a collector? Why or why not?

They have made it easier, but you really need to watch it. Otherwise, you will be scammed or overcharged, so you’d better have a good experience. 

Name and Address withheld

If by "marketplaces" you mean eBay and the like, it's a mixed bag. More items available? Sure. More counterfeits and overpriced common issues? Also, sure.

If the term "marketplaces" also includes commercial dealers with online presences, yes. I've had great experiences with several as I work to fill open slots (my rare coin days are behind me now). Their prices are reasonable, and their service is very good. With more new coins not intended for circulation, these folks are the only real choices for single coins, as you'd be required to buy two rolls or a bagful from the Mint. Please note that I do NOT include a certain overpriced mega-dealer based in the state next door to Vermont among those I patronize.

JD, Florida

Are coin experts who grade, etc., trustworthy?  It appears that if you have a valuable coin, they could tell you that they never received it or make up some story and send back a different coin that looks like yours but is not the one that was sent. This happened to me on eBay.

Name and Address withheld

Actually, the online coin market has made it harder to truly collect coins. First, the neighborhood coin shop is pretty much a thing of the past now- they just cannot compete with the mass marketers and eBay sellers. This fact has taken much out of the joy of collecting. There is no substitute for personal interaction with the shop owner: asking questions, exchanging information, seeing the coins in person, and, importantly, actually holding them in your hand.  I used to just "hang out" in the local shops and look at the inventory and talk with the owner, whether I bought a coin that day or not. What fun.

Also, the mass marketers have now centered on selling Silver Eagles and Silver Dollars almost exclusively, to anything else. Looking at those presentations on TV leaves me cold. They are repetitive and boring. Looking at coins on eBay likewise leaves one uninspired, and it simply tires one out looking. Even with third-party grading, the chance of being disappointed with an online purchase runs high. Photos can be enhanced and lighting manipulated. It is also a factor that young collectors are not being exposed to the full range of coin collecting. For example, I have never seen on TV a presentation of a run of collector-grade Barber coins of any denomination, nor a run of collector-grade Indian Cents.

George Kissinger, Address withheld

In my opinion, it is much easier to collect for many reasons. Before online, if I wanted to see a coin in an upcoming auction like Stacks, I had to travel to Stacks NYC offices to look at the upcoming auction lots; otherwise, I was bidding blind, and before TPGs, you rarely got a pic good enough in an auction catalog to place the proper bid.

Also, I bought so many more coins at shows. Now, it’s not uncommon to go to a coin show and not buy anything. I find myself buying more online from eBay (although here I suggest Caveat Emptor) and from auction houses since I can get great pictures online, and many times, the pics are taken from multiple angles with different light sources.

Also, just about all the info I need is already online if you look for it, so I believe it’s far easier to collect now that there are more sources to buy from.

Roy, Address withheld

I used to enjoy receiving large and detailed catalogs in the mail that one could browse away from a screen. I understand they are expensive. Some were beautiful. Then dealers started to have large catalogs online, but major dealers have dropped them. One has to watch for auction sites. This is not enjoyable. So, some of the relaxing aspects of the hobby have been reduced. 

Name and Address withheld