Ian Russell, owner and president of GreatCollections.com, sat down recently with broadcast legend and Emmy-nominee Larry King to discuss the hobby of coin collecting. The 25-minute interview took place at King’s Los Angeles studio for his current TV show, Larry King Now.
Russell took the opportunity to give his views about the state of the coin industry, pointing out that the number of collectors in the U.S. could be as much as 10 million.
Expanding on his interview, Russell notes, “Everyone has a story about coins. When people find out that I am in the coin business, they invariably tell me about their uncle’s – or father’s, or grandmother’s – coin collection. These people obviously aren’t dealing with coins 24/7 but I consider them potential collectors. It is a very big industry which the internet has only begun to tap. By dealing exclusively in online auctions, GreatCollections gives those armchair enthusiasts an opportunity to explore their interest at a level that is comfortable for them.”
Russell concludes, “It was an honor to be interviewed by such a legend. Larry actually knows a lot about coins, and I thought it was an interesting and informative discussion.”
Larry King is a American television and radio host, who conducted more than 60,000 interviews while hosting Larry King Live on CNN from 1985 through 2010. He currently hosts Larry King Now on Hulu and RT America.
About Ian Russell and Great Collections
Ian Russell is president and co-founder of GreatCollections.com. From a young age, Ian was interested in collectibles and started working on weekends for a stamp dealer in Sydney, Australia at age 14. From there he learned about auctions at Stanley Gibbons Australia, personally handling many important sales including the Purcell Collection of Kangaroo and Map Series, the Mackey Collection of Australian States/Pacific Islands and the Morrison Hill China Collection. Ian also put together the company’s first paper money auction featuring one of the finest New Zealand bank note collections ever formed.
From 2000 until 2010, Ian Russell held various positions at Spectrum Group International including President of Teletrade, Inc. and Chief Operating Officer of Bowers and Merena Auctions, LLC, two of the largest coin auction houses in North America.
GreatCollections is an auction and direct sale venue for PCGS, NGC and ANACS certified coins, as well as coins approved by CAC. GreatCollections handles each coin transaction from start to finish. For sellers, GreatCollections offers professional imaging for each coin, cash advances as appropriate, and other individualized services generally not available with the large auction houses and other websites, freeing the seller to do nothing except collect the proceeds of the sale. Buyers benefit by entrusting a venue whose principals have years of coin experience and whose reputations in the industry are impeccable.
