Do You Still Have The First Coin You Got As A Collector?

These are some great stories everyone!

Not definitely sure, but probably. I suppose it depends on your meaning of "got as a collector".

I originally started my "collection" with coins taken from circulation, coins taken from random old change stashes around the house (that weren't legal tender anymore - and wouldn't be worth much either way - this being just after the 1997 reform), and coins my father gave me when he realized I was interested. About half of the third category, and maybe 5% of the second, is still in my collection; I'm not aware of any coins I can realistically trace to the first category (i.e. late 1990s/early 2000s circulation finds - my earliest circulation finds I can assign a rough date to are from 2004).
Around that period, I found a Soviet 20 kopek coin from 1932 that was so dark (and, more importantly, corroded) I barely recognized it as a coin; I often consider it "the first coin I ever collected" or something like that (I think I've posted about that already). It's still in my collection, but saying it "isn't photogenic" is somewhat of an understatement, so I hadn't made any photos of it yet (I planned to do some for the second How Far Back thread, but missed the opportunity).

Anyway, while I did kind-of "collect" coins back then, I definitely didn't buy any. This changed in 2009, when I happened to see a guy on a street selling some random old coins.
I bought a few coins from him, then bought a few more when I saw him again, then saved up some money for another coin (about $10, IIRC), and then, before I could make the purchase, he disappeared. As in "I don't remember ever seeing him since" disappeared (I suspect he simply went to another place, and for all I know I've since bought coins from him elsewhere, but I'm ridiculously bad at remembering and recognizing faces - and I definitely never since saw him selling coins on that street, despite walking there over a hundred times over the last four years).
But he was the guy who introduced me to buying coins, and it's because of him that I have such a huge collection now (though, over time, I've realized that his prices were probably slightly on the expensive side; I've seen many examples of most of these types much cheaper).
Oh, and what happened to the coins I bought from him, you ask? Well, I didn't (yet) try to search for them particularly, but I highly suspect that they're still in my collection. In fact, I think I've seen a few of them recently. Nothing special with them, though (except for the backstory - heck, I probably didn't even mentally recognize them as anything "special" until just now).

My dad piqued our interest in coins in the late 50's when I was around 7. He would give us a dollar and have us visit stores and politely ask if they had any nickels, dimes, quarters or halves dated prior to 1930. If they did we would buy them at face value. But those were for dad's collection.

I was at a friends house and we were playing in his bedroom when I spotted an IHC on his night stand. I told him I'd give him a quarter for it and he readily agreed. I took my first coin home and showed it to dad. Rather than being excited for me he looked very concerned and asked where I got the coin. "From Billy" and I paid him a quarter for it. A quick call to Billy's dad and a question to Billy narrowed it down. My dad called the father of the boy Billy claimed had given him the cent. He was a well-known collector in town. My dad asked "Do you have an 1877 IHC in your collection?" "Why yes I do." You may want to check to see if it's still there. A short time later he returned to the phone and said it was GONE! Not to worry dad assured him, I'll get it over to you tomorrow.

His son probably didn't see daylight for months, my first coin was with its rightful owner, and I was out 25cents.

@SeatedNut - that was a sad story for you (not even a refund!) but I am sure that collector was very grateful to have it back in his collection.

I still have mine - an Ancient Roman coin and a 1917 Australian Penny. I overpaid on both of them, which taught me the value of research as a collector.

I still have my first gold coin - I have since upgraded it with one of the same type and date. I cant bring myself to sell it though - I'm too sentimental.

Sadly, I do not. One day in 1962, as a Freshman in High School, I noticed a well worn Lincoln Cent that I received in my change after purchasing lunch at the school cafeteria; it was a 1913-D and probably graded good or vg. It looked very different from other coins I had come across; very old and antique looking. I studied that coin all day (should have been paying attention during classes that day though!) and for several days after. I was hooked! It wasn't long before I was searching rolls of cents, nickels and dimes (couldn't afford the cost of searching and keeping quarters and half-dollars) and visiting the local coin dealer to purchase inexpensive semi-key Lincolns and Jeffersons. I don't know what ever happened to that 1913-D Lincoln Cent but I still see it as clear as a bell in my mind's eye and it was the catalyst for a lifetime of coin collecting!

Yes, I do. It's a BU 1878-S Morgan dollar. In the winter of 1970 my father took me to a coin store in Minneapolis, Minnesota where we lived. I have such a clear memory of seeing this beautiful coin in the case and knowing I had to have it. I paid $5.50 for it. I was fourteen years old.

In my will it states that my daughters cannot sell this coin. They need to keep it because of its sentimental nature.