Who Has Inspired You The Most In Collecting?

Mike, I got bit by the bug in 1986 while in History class at Cerritos High school. The teacher was trying his very best to teach us about the Civil War. At that time I could care less about who did what 100 years ago. One morning, this teacher brought to class a handful of coins all dated during the four year war. I was lucky enough to receive an 1864 Two Cent Piece. Grading barely good at the time, it amazed me. I started buying a few coins and reading everything that I could. After leaving the Navy in 1991, I went to work for a small coin shop. I moved here to the east coast along with the company and bought the place in 2003. All because of one little worn coin. I still own this coin, it currently resides in an Anacs holder graded G-4 cleaned. It sits on my desk to remind me everyday how a little coin can inspire someone to reach for a dream.

Today, I try my absolute best to educate, and create a better numismatic world. I treat every customer as if they were my only one. In 2003, we had 1 coin returned because the customer did not like what he received. In 2004, we had 0 returns. I honestly believe that if you teach your customer what is right, and be totally honest and treat them with the respect that they deserve, they will keep you in business. So far that logic has worked well for me.

Now there are two dealers who I make attempts to emulate. The first is Q. David Bowers. He is first a collector at heart, and secondly he makes every attempt to educate others. The second dealer is Don Kagin. He also spends a great deal of his time providing education through seminars, books, and television appearances. While my name may not be as big as some, my ultimate goal is to be remembered for helping a few along the way. As an educator who by the way sold a few nice coins along the way.

I would have to say it was Carl Allenbaugh who used to write a column in COINS called "Expertease." I started collecting again in 1974 and it seemed like I never had any money for coins or even books to read. Mostly because I didn't have a job either after 1974 for some 49 weeks, if I remember right. It got pretty disappointing after awhile but I always had to go down to Bob's bookstore (still in business today) every month and get a copy of COINS just read Allenbaugh. I pretty certain I stayed with it because of old Carl.

"Unfortunately, ideals are made of perfect principles
but men are made of flaws."
The late Carl Allenbaugh
Coins Magazine

"...If some of the medallists who portray aerial
history on medals and bars had tutored the
Wright brothers, they'd have invented the
skateboard."
The late Carl Allenbaugh
EXPERTEASE
Coins Magazine

The love of history along with something that represents a specific time is how I got started.

My grandfather gave me a 1850 Large Cent. Earlier in the day, we were studying the "Great Compromise of 1850" authored by Daniel Webster. I looked at that coin as if it were in his pocket as he spoke! I couldn't believe I was holding something BEFORE the Civil War.

What put me over the edge was when I got my first Red Book. That 1850 penny was worth more than $10!

Then...I'll admit it...GREED set in. The idea that pennies could be worth dollars and dollars could be worth multi-dollars is how I started collecting on and off over the last 35 years.

An easy question for me: my grandmother. She was our church treasurer and sorted through all the donation envelopes looking for coins. When I was about five (1950), I watched her doing this and asked her why. She showed me her fairly large unsorted collection of wheats and IHCs, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes, and Barber and Standing Liberty quarters, all pulled from church envelopes. Then she showed me an 1862 3-cent piece someone had submitted in lieu of a dime and I was hooked. She set the hook and reeled me in when she gave me that 3-cent piece which I held onto for years before my soon-to-be ex-wife claimed it as "community property".

When I was a young lad in the US I traveled between continents and divorced parents. My Mum not having much money would go to the bank to get presents for occasions. If you were getting married you got 25 Silver dollars, confirmed one Silver dollar for each year of your age, bar mitzvathed thirteen of the beauties.

Never though much of it. Last year my brother turned 50. Is is rather well off wht do you get someone like that. My Mum died I a car accident a few years ago so in her memory, He got
SILVER DOLLARS! One for eah of his yeas of age

While in the shop picking out the fifty silver dollars.
I saw an Australian nugget(Bullion coin)
The rest is History.
I got the bug. I've gotit bad.

Is there a cure- I hope not.
I love my little but growing Aussie collection.
Thanks Mum and thanks bro for having a birthday
and Thanks to all of you in your support of me and what Susan calls my "darkside" collection

rggoodie,catman,and others your stories belong in a magazine! Absolutly inspiring! Amazing how varied the ways that we were introduced to this hobby are!! Thanks for sharing these great stories! Mike

Posted by Stujoe;
My biggest inspiration came from my grandfather who was a pocket change collector all his life. I remeber helping him sort his coins and put them into Whitman folders as a very young child.
I inherited his collection as a teenager and kept it for years. I would take it out every year or so and look at them. Something about them really attracted me. It was not until much later that I realized that I could actually afford to be a collector and started adding to it. I still have every coin that I got from him. Nothing of real monetary value but priceless in sentimental value.
After thaat, my real mentoring has come from online forums and books.

Not only did you take the words out of my mouth but, you brought back some great memories! The only difference is that my dad was also involved.
But I must say that if it were not for the internet I wouldn't stay nearly as involved. We all have access to books but the wealth of knowledge at my finger tips is amazing!!
But really the quick exchange of ideas & the relationships formed on sites like this are what keep me comming back for more.
Thanks for the memories Stujoe,
Dave

quote:

---

Originally posted by knowtracks


After that, my real mentoring has come from online forums and books.

Dave

---

Sure glad you found your way over here old buddy. I've found this forum much more to my liking and the depth of educational material is fantastic from such people as ND and Susan, only to mention a few. After all we need to stay togather just in case all those flat landers decide to invade. Happy collecting.