Kings of the [Ant-] Hill?

David Gill and Paul Barford have again suggested that their blog readership is more extensive than Cultural Property Observer or any of the other so-called "coiney blogs" for that matter. See https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwN6XS-gGxOXsZN-h6GAJ3IwEBBqvc0K4o_pPTqAIiQ-Qs5-XoHhg84Bg_ctFJQr2-nrJg01_m1GvoTsfpSTY4KJG_CB-IsdbXTDGjg5iGiLB7IPD3zW9hnIopuKArXK84cxVJR8t7JDM/s1600/rss_blog_sub_2010_07.png

After I pointed out that the number of "hits" each of their blogs has received may have more to do with the sheer number of posts these two gentleman pump out than anything else [as well as Gill's mysteriously funded PR Newswire releases], Gill has instead come up with a new metric for comparison purposes-- the number of subscribers to his and other blogs.

But this data only tells me that the number of individuals interested enough in this field to subscribe to these blogs is rather limited. Of course, that is not to say that people are disinterested in issues that may impact them specifically. Indeed, almost 2000 coin collectors faxed CPAC about their concerns about the renewal of the Italian MOU in the two short weeks allowed for public comment.

I'm grateful for "Cultural Property Observer's" readership however small in absolute or relative terms, but I also find it a bit much to assume the number of blog readers for this and other cultural property blogs is truly significant and reflective of some greater truth.