Carpe Diem
Barry Swann – Executive Producer for The Coin Show Podcast
“Seize the day, boys!” says John Keating (played by the wonderful Robin Williams) in the 1989 movie Dead Poets Society.
Boys and girls, men and women, now is indeed the time to seize the day. A global pandemic has the power to ruin economies and cause family heartbreak but can also rekindle lost passions and energize whole industries.
Campsites across the United States are at full capacity with national park bookings required months in advance. The beauty of the wilderness and crackling campfires reminded lock-downed Americans of their love of the great outdoors from their childhood. Coins, like s’mores, are in sizzling demand. Huge swathes of people dug out their old collections, hit eBay and refound a comfort and joy in collecting.
Now is the time for all connected with numismatics to seize the moment. We can all do our part to keep the wind in the sails of our booming industry. Whether it’s dropping dateless buffalo nickels into tip jars or the “take a penny” tray at the gas station, offering mentoring to a budding YN, or dealers across the world providing a fair and honest service to the influx of new and returning coin collectors.
We can, and should, play our part to educate and pay it forward. So, what are you going to do to keep our hobby thriving? In the words of John Keating, “Words and Ideas can change the world.”
