| Author |
 Replies: 30 / Views: 3,839 |
|
Valued Member
United States
169 Posts |
How did you get into coin collecting, was it an interesting story, or a more personal family story?
I used to receive, and still do, coins from my grandfather.Even though I had no idea what they were, I ended up learning, and began to collect them.
*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***
|
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
648 Posts |
My story is similar to yours. My grandfather wasn't into collecting, but he had a Walking Liberty half dollar from when he was younger. He knew I had began researching about coins so he decided to pass it down to me. After he gave me that, I immediately started getting more coins and the coin bug bit me and is yet to let go. |
|
Valued Member
United States
335 Posts |
One of my 1st jobs was being a "soda jerk" in a podunk OK. town of about 10,000 people - anyhow, the pharmacist there was also a numismatic nut & after being there awhile & checking the counter shelves, going to a few coin meetings (this also helped me procure my coin badge in the Boy Scouts) - became enamored with some of the classic designs. Mercury dime, Morgan dollar, Walking Liberty/Franklin halves, Buffalo nickel - and on & on. I also delivered newspapers morning & night, so had the opportunity, whilst doing collections, to come across quite a bit of change that helped me to fill the penny, nickel, dime & quarter books. As of late, however, have been more into the proof U.S. coinage (and some foreign as well) - have a diverse smattering since starting in the mid-seventies. Subscribed to the proof mint sets (& silver proof sets), also the ASE's ... |
|
Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
This is as good a place to return from my "vacation" as any. Back when I was 6 or 7 years old - around 1966 - I was playing out in front of the house, when I came across a coin by the telephone pole next to our sidewalk. It was an 1861 Indian Head, and it instantly became my most prized possession. Wish I knew where it was today, but kids be kids.... Fast forward to 2004. Being known for odd collectible Christmas gifts (I'd previously bought the wife a handsigned Christmas family picture of Jimmy Carter and his), I was casting around for the next arcane idea when that Indian Head popped into my mind. Off to ebay I went, and I found something that caught my eye. It was a Morgan dollar, a coin I knew about intellectually but hadn't ever seen in person. Seemed pretty shiny in the images, I liked it so I snagged it. 1885-P PCI MS65DMPL. More like 63 (once I figured out grading), but undoubtedly DMPL, a true headlight. It was amazing, transcendental. I could not believe a 120-year-old coin could look like this. Nothing on Earth reaches out and grabs you by the throat like a DMPL Morgan, was the lesson I learned that day. It was all over for me. So I can trace my physical start to a day in October, 2004. 8-1/2 years of absolute obsession have passed since, and no end is in sight. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2150 Posts |
About 15 years ago I was going to college and delivering pizzas part time. I made a delivery to a house and the lady paid me with 4 rolls of quarters. When I got back to the store I noticed they were solid rolls of silver. Ever since then I've been hooked!
|
|
Valued Member
 United States
169 Posts |
|
|
Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
When I was 12, I would ride my bike to the local coin shop, "Coin Depot", and sit there for hours looking at the bid board and coins that Don (now passed on) let me look through.
I'll never forget Don and how he got me interested in coins. Like Dave, there is no end in sight :-)
swcoin.ecrater.com
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
10625 Posts |
I returned to collecting in 2001 when I responded to an ad for 3 New Orleans Morgan dollars in mint condition. Needless to say they are less than stellar but still reside in my collection as a reminder of what I didn't know. Today I thank CCF for introducing me to the existence of Morgan die varieties and now I can hoard Morgans with the excuse that they are all different.  |
|
Valued Member
United States
154 Posts |
I love this thread =-) I had coins around growing up, but I guess I got into it more seriously as an adult just because I started thinking about how cool it would be to have a coin from 1899. I got a 1899 V nickel, and from there I started getting into US coins, and then someone on the forum introduced me to numista, and then I was really hooked. I love trading much more than buying. It also gets me to coin roll hunt, so I have good coins to trade. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
I don't really remember. Honestly.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
307 Posts |
Used to always receive proof/un-circulated year sets from both sets of Grandparents along with some Ikes and later on ASEs. Like others have posted the age, history and beauty of coins is a simple enjoyment to pass some time once in a while :)
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2189 Posts |
My Dad got me started with a few Indian Head cents back in the early 60's, but I really got hooked when he bought two coin operated laundromats back in 1963....he used to take me with him on weekends when he went to fill the soap dispensers and do general maintenance. He let me sweep and do some small things to make me feel like I was helping him out. My reward was when he brought home the bank bags each week with all the change from the washers,dryers,soap dispensers and vending machines from the two laundromats....he used to hand the bags to me to take out any coins I needed before he deposited them at the bank. I was like a kid in a candy store back then, but the candy was coins! |
|
Valued Member
United States
169 Posts |
|
|
Valued Member
United States
186 Posts |
back in the 67-68 when I was a about 4 ? ... my father had a newspaper route and everyone paid their bills with coins left in the paper tube along the road... so when my father got back to the house to count the money I helped. So my parents got me my first Blue Whitman Lincoln Penny book to make the helping more fun. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
548 Posts |
I've been to lots of countries and I've always found myself with loose change at the end of each trip. I suppose the fact that I held on to those coins was the start of my collection. However, I didn't start seriously collecting until early 2011 when I bought a single silver eagle.
It is remarkable how beautiful the old French currency was (Francs and Centimes), all the more startling when you compare it to how ugly the Euro is.
Edited by Demarco Bishopp
03/30/2013 05:13 am
|
|
Valued Member
United States
417 Posts |
Started with my Coin Collecting Merit Badge in Boy Scouts several several years ago
|
| |
Replies: 30 / Views: 3,839 |
Posted 03/29/2013 9:20 pm
