I couldn't help but notice two young men sitting next to me at a recent coin-club meeting, scouring through boxes of coins in 2 x 2-inch flips while they scanned their smartphones. Theychatted with each other as they reached for specimens bearing asking prices below what the online guide stated they were worth. With striking smiles and shaking heads, they appeared satisfied as theychose coins that met the arbitrage driven by their mobile devices. I had to wonder what they were (really) doing.

As the evening wore on, it became clear that these two were following the same process with each collector and dealer at the meeting.

I asked if they were professional dealers, and with smiles they responded, "No! We're collectors." I couldn't believe how often they opened their wallets and passed cash around.

What was striking was how willing the two young men were to exchange their cash for coins. (Granted, they could be very well off, and it might not have mattered how much they bought.) Still,finding values for the pieces came at the expense of truly studying and appreciating them. I saw the two unknowingly buy problem coins and those that were far from the grade their price guide appslisted.

I also noticed they were picking up quite a few colonial coins and assumed this area was their forte. Anyone who collects New Jersey copper or Massachusetts silver knows that it takes immensestudy of die states and hands-on inspection to really understand the different varieties, let alone authenticate them. When I asked if they had any experience with colonials, they shook their headswith a definitive "no." As I continued to pry, their body language told me not to worry; they were scrolling through online guides to learn which varieties were the rarest and at what prices topurchase them.

I know the Internet and smartphone apps have replaced a lot of conventional wisdom and traditional book learning. I do not fight it and have a healthy collection of e-books and hours logged on theNewman Numismatic Portal to prove it.

But what collectors will find is that many of the best reference books on both classic and obscure topics rarely are digitized. Due to the amount of numismatic research out there and copyrightlaws, many never will be. That does not mean we should give up on our research; it does mean that we still need them.

I think the mantra "buy the book before the coin" is still relevant. You probably are tired of hearing it, but it does not limit you to traditional books; it is a reminder to educate yourselfbefore opening your wallet. Impulse buys are great, but they often are even better when you know a little bit about what you're purchasing. I feel more confident cherrypicking varieties orunder-graded coins after I have studied the series and know through reading books and discussing with other collectors that I am scoring a great deal for my collection or for resale.

For more information about the American Numismatic Association, see:
www.money.org