When Did You Start The Hobby?

I started in the early 70's to get a boy scout merit badge. I saved all the old coins I found over the years as a restaurant manager and just started buying coins this year. Started out just buying silver ( I think it is still way under valued) but kind of got hooked on the Morgans. Down to just 2 that I need to complete my date set.

Sam

I've been into collecting off and on for a few years, and then got really interested in the past year. Why am I into coins. Because. Unlike stocks and bonds and stuff like that, those companies pass after time. Coins are forever. Also, just something about them that appeals to me. They are just so neat. Besides, here is quote that I really like "Coin collecting is the only hobby in that you can spend all the money in the world on, and still have some left over." So that's my answer, and I'm sticking to it lol.

Phoenix

I only started collecting a year ago, but then again I'm only 14 so it trades off. It used to be harmless roll searching, a morgan here or there. Then I got a bust half. And my bank account is history.

I started in the late 50's at about age 10-I collected for about 5 years and just started again about a month ago

Started the Whitman cent albums in 1964 for about a year. Then started collecting again sometime between 1973 and 1974. It was around the time that Hawaii Five-O had the show about 1913 Liberty head nickel. And when they were talking about changing to an aluminum cent. I remember seeing some cover story about it in COINS or Coinage that was on the self at Bob's book store--a store, BTW, that is still there in the same spot under that same name. It was also around the time they were talking about the GSA sales. I remember seeing a bid sheet in CoinWorld or Numismatic News that was also sold at Bob's.

I didn't really start out collecting coins. When I saw all those Art Bars for sale I was hooked. I still am but I'm not buying. Too many sellers seem to think that the weight of an existing one ounce art bar goes up with price of silver. And that it now "actually" costs $6 to ship them when it used to cost $2.

I started pulling coins out of circulation - old lincolns, buffalos, walkers, even a few Indian head pennies when I was about nine years old (1956) when I got older I sold them to my mother when I needed cash for a date or something. In 1970 I started buying again off bid boards - mainly old type coins. Sold all that in 1980 and bought a fishing boat with the proceeds. Now I am retired and my Mother gives me back all those old Whitman folders I sold her along with a pile of GSA Morgans, some gold and a bunch of other stuff. Now three years after she did that I have almost completed a 7070. Great hobby for a retired guy and ebay even with all the frustrations helps as well. Currently finishing a Franklin date set. I bought three proofs this weekend off ebay for around $10 each - what a deal!

i am just starting out in the hobby, but spent many years as a kid behind my father's tables at coin shows. the hobby never appealed to me then, but now that I have a 5 year old son I'm much more interested. I wasn't much older than him when I first started "helping" dad, so it's nice that he wants to help his grand dad.

i have been taking my son to the larger shows for the past few years. we make a day of it - ride the train to the city, get lunch, walk the floor looking at all the cool coins, stop off at a few tables of family friends, and finally stop off at my father's table and spend a hour or 2 with him then get the train back home.

this past show, my son wanted to head over to the kid's corner. he received a State Quarter, 20 Lincoln wheat cents in 2x2 holders, and a bag of goodies. he has been "collecting" the State Quarters for a few years, but that's more of a reward for him doing well in school or being well behaved. during the train ride home, he informed me that he wanted to start collecting pennies.

when we got home, we emptied several piggy banks and were able to build up 3 sets of Lincoln Cent collections with a representative coin from each year of the Memorial series (many in both P and D mintings). with the 20 wheat cents my son was given, plus those in the piggy banks, he was able to build a nice collection from 1928 to 1958 (he needs 18 or so more). my father supplied him with folders and we spent an afternoon filling them. I picked up a Dansco album for my set. my son asked that we put together a 3rd set - we are expecting our 2nd child this fall and he wanted to make sure the baby had a penny collection.

i have picked up a few books and am learning to grade. I have started 2 more collections; Roosevelt dimes and Jefferson nickels. my next collection will be a type set of nickels in AU50 or better. my son's next collection will most likely be a Canadian cent collection since my father deals with mostly Canadian coins and can get him started in that direction.

i can't tell you how exciting it is to sit down with my son and sort through a pile of pennies and then get a big hung when I find something interesting. if my son didn't express an interest, I doubt I would have jumped into the hobby. my son has really changed my life in so many meaningful ways. I now feel closer to my father as a result of my son. what a great hobby this is.

-Steve