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 Replies: 22 / Views: 2,549 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1227 Posts |
So I've got this little girl at work, maaaaaaaaaaybe about ten years old (eight seems more likely), who very excitedly told me the other day that she's collecting the State Quarters and got all excited when I said "really? What states are you missing? I'm a collector, too!" It turns out the "I'm pretty sure I got this on its first go-round because I see no marks AT ALL WHATSOEVER" Arizona I picked up about three months ago fills a hole in her book--score! But I'd also like to surprise her with something she won't just find in her pocket change, to get her interested in the hobby as a whole. Here are my criteria: --I don't want it to be super-valuable. Aside from the fact that I can't really afford super-valuable, she's still in single digits. I'm following the Corvette Theory* when I say I don't think putting a $30 coin in her hands is a good idea. --Wheaties are dead out. It isn't that these are my "pet coin," it's that they're actually relatively common in change here (in a year and a half I've collected 400-500, and yeah, I know I work with change and all, but come on, guys, tell me the last time you found four wheats in one roll and two of them were from the 30s), and while an early date would produce a "COOL!!" factor, it'd probably last about ten seconds before wearing off. --I have silver Rosies aplenty (close to a dozen), but I'd like something with a design she can't mix up with her pocket change. I was thinking a buffalo nickel--I have six or eight, all in flips, and while they resurrected the buffalo for the commemorative rolls a couple of years ago I think the Indian on the obverse is enough of a difference from the new version to tell them apart. They're uncommon enough for the "WHOA!!" factor, but common enough that if (*knock on wood*) she loses it, it's not the first act of a Shakespearean tragedy. Thoughts? The date I'm looking at giving her is a 1936. *postulated by my mother, to wit: "Give a 16-year-old a brand-new Corvette for their birthday, and you'll have two things: a dealer's bill for a wrecked Corvette, and a hospital bill for a wrecked 16-year-old." Coins are tiny. She's a child. 'Nuff said. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1432 Posts |
Sounds like a great idea to start with the Buffalo. If that spurs her interest the next coin could be a common date 20th Century IHC. Also a low cost option and a way to possibly get her interested in starting a 20th Century type set out of circulation. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1088 Posts |
One thing to consider is to find out her favorite animal or hobby, then find some coins with that on it. I know that is one of the things that got me hooked is being able to find all the neat coins from around the world (the US tooo!) with art work of my favorite things in life. I am a biologist so naturally I was drawn to animals and other life forms. Just my idea, dont have to follow it. You can get world coins relatively cheap too. They hold a sence of "Wow I have coins from around the world!" too and when I gave some to my godchildren it was the first thing they wanted to take in to their 1st grade show and tell.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
561 Posts |
First, I would agree that a Buffalo nickel would be a great choice. You don't see those in change ever really and would definitely be an eye catcher. I also like stud722's idea of finding coins that match her other interests. Great job trying to stoke the fires of a potential YN!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1812 Posts |
What I had done when my granddaughter was in kindergarden two years ago, and needed something for show & tell late in the school year (and running out of ideas), I asked my daughter to get a list of all the students in her class from the teacher, and that her daughter wanted to surprise the class when it was her turn to get in front of the class for show & tell... After receiving the name list, I placed the child's name on each 2x2 holder that contained a USA off center Lincoln Cent that averaged 40% off center... When it was time for show & tell, my granddaughter's teacher passed out the off center cents to the students as my granddaughter explained that her grandpa has a big collection of broken coins and wanted to share some with her class, she also mentioned that this is what happens when the machine is broken (I thought that was cute)... The teacher mentioned to my daughter that this was one of the best show & tell's she has experienced, and all the children loved them... ***now everyone knows where the handle "Broken-Coin" originated from*** |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
Since she is a girl, how about a Mercury dime? Another coin with a female on it is the SBA, it's a short set to assemble and not too expensive either. Just a few ideas to consider. John1  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
So I've got this little girl at work, maaaaaaaaaaybe about ten years old (eight seems more likely), You work with ten year olds? And a job where you get change all the time?   Back to your questions though. At her age I would not even consider coins such as Buffalo nickels. Sounds like she gets her coins from change and not much chance finding those in change. Quote:
Arizona I picked up about three months ago fills a hole in her book--score! Not sure what you or her means by a book. Ask her if she uses an Album or a Folder. IF it's some type of Folder, you may consider buying her an Album for those. Possibly explain why they are better than Folders. Again, since she aquires coins from change, you may want to consider a Roosevelt dime Album. There too she could get many from change and if you wanted to you could get her some of the more difficult ones from the 40's and 50's since you said you have many of those. And that would really make her excited if you gave her one every once in a while. And although you frown on Lincoln Cents, there are those Albums for the Memorial dates on up. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
May I suggest, at a future date, a single coin that is 100 years older than
her birth year.
For a child her age there are a number of examples which are common enough to
acquire inexpensively.
To a child, anything that is 100 years old seems like
from the age of the dinosaurs.
"In the year that you were born this coin was already 100 years old."
Edited by matthewvincent
07/18/2012 11:03 am
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New Member
United States
31 Posts |
I got started on random foreign coins because they were "neat" and didn't see often. Could you get some common date Canadian coins or Euro's to give her? Some of the foreign coins w/ 2 different distinct metals or holes in them or odd shapes might be nice. If you have a TD bank near you check the coin machine's magnet, lots of foreign coins on those usually. TD bank near me said they just throw them out so it can't hurt to ask if you can check it.
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Rest in Peace
 United States
1380 Posts |
Small children in my experience love big coins. How about getting her started with Kennedy halves? You probably see these some in your drawer, but she probably doesn't see them in her pocket change, but she / you can easily get them at the bank and can complete most of a set from circulation. And they're big. And shiny. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
I agree, jgfindring, small kids like BIG coins! A Kennedy half at fifty cents each -- not to worry about a loss! Just start out with one and see what happens. And a good show and tell for middle school: A report on Kennedy and the coin to show how people so much loved him. |
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
I will go ahead and say it... You cannot go wrong with Eisenhower dollars! It only took two to get me hooked.  They are big, can be shiny, and are most definitely unusual.  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
Since she's filling a folder anything in a flip or an airtight will be special. The buffalo is a great choice.
I've been spending unc. pres. dollars and half of the time the cashier says that they will be buying them. Maybe she would like something shiny.
This is a really nice thing you're doing for her. You really can't go wrong no matter what you choose.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
965 Posts |
We NEED more YN's like myself!! very nice trying to encourage a new coin collector. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
Good point, Buddy!
nina can arrange with the parents to keep the "special" coin safe,
while the girl can collect other coins from circulation.
The best of all possible worlds.
Such a thread as this restores my faith that coin collectors are good people.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1227 Posts |
Whoa, such discussion while I slept! So, first things first: I work at a gas station, for whoever went "kids and change?" I've had customers as young as three, which is pretty interesting because it means literally laying on top of the counter (our counter is super-deep and kids can't push stuff across it easily--but I can't grab it from the other side!). Obviously when I get a toddler Mom or Dad is somewhere nearby, but yeah, I definitely get little ones with their own pocket change. My concern with offering to buy her an album or folder is that I don't want to come off as a creeper. Fellow collector with a moderately-sized collection who offers an unusual coin: probably okay. Fellow collector who produces a folder and some coins and a flip and . . . . yeah, I'm pretty sure we'd lose a spooked customer. In the last couple of years there've been some pretty grotesque missing-children cases out here. I definitely want to tell her mom where Hobby Lobby is, though--if nothing else, she can pick up a couple of coin tubes and not have a bunch of quarters lying around underfoot (and for the little girl there's also the "COOL!" factor of having some paraphernalia associated with what's usually thought of as a "grown up" hobby). I have a bunch of foreign coins I've picked out of my drawer, and they're not as usual as Euros/pesos/Canadians, either--you'd be shocked how many coins from Ecuador and Britain I get. I might hold off on that until next winter when our snowbirds fly in again, though; easily 75% of the stuff I find comes when the weather gets nice here and nasty everywhere else. I love the ideas that are being thrown around! I hesitate to give her an SBA, but I have some 2001-D Sacagaweas in flips that look like they walked out of the Mint about two weeks ago--one of those might be nice. So now I'm torn between the Buffalo nickel, an Ike, and a Sac. The latter seems like it might have the greatest "ooooh!" value just because (unless you're like me and spend lots of dollar coins), how often do you see a gold coin in American change? But, I also like the idea of giving her something very old; of course, if I'm right about her age, the Sacs I have would still predate her (now I feel old) and I remember at that age feeling like ANYTHING that predated me was super-old. I go on third shift tonight, so I have a couple of days to think about it. Thanks for the ideas, everyone--you've given me a lot to think about! |
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Replies: 22 / Views: 2,549 |
Posted 07/18/2012 09:24 am
