Coin Collecting: Kids

Show them an Ike dollar, Peace dollar and Morgan dollar. If they like any of the three they might like collecting.

Yes! My son prefers world coins and we talk about the history and the country when he finds things he really likes. Even without the historical references, this is a great hobby for kids to develop fine motor skills and the an eye for detail.

It's like anything else with kids, including myself so many years ago.
I had a phase of stamps, cigarette packets and beer mats (I'm talking about the UK here) but my one abiding passion was (initially) coins then currency in general.
And the instigator? My mother. Low key and never pressurised and she's the one that hooked me. She also collected matchboxes and matchbooks.
Although neither of my children have taken up this particular hobby I always encouraged them with whatever they took up. My son now makes his living through his particular early passion - music.
You can never force anyone to take up a particular interest. The best I can hope for is that, over time, maybe, just maybe, one of my grandchildren will inherit the same passion that I have (and boy will they get a fantastic inheritance - just as I did from my mother)>

I think all children should be taught about coin collecting. Lord knows most kids these days know nothing about money, money management, or wealth accumulation. As my adopted grandson once said about the collection I gave him and tried to explain the significance and future worth (he's a 9 year old), "I can't wait to spend them".

We reap what we sow! Teach them well!

Speaking for myself, I was seven or eight when a trip to my grandparents house turned into a history lesson from my dad and my grandfather.

You see, both of them had coin collections and my grandfather, be ever so patient with his young grandson, not only showed him all of his coins but gave him a history lesson on the coins I got to view.

To this day the coin I remember being most fascinated about was his 1802 Large Cent. I was more amazed when he told me the coin was made before Abraham Lincoln was born!

Well needless to say nearly 50 years later I continue enjoying the hobby my dad and my grandfather got me hooked on at a young age and I gladly passed this down to both of my sons and I hope they continue that tradition.

So yes, absolutely, without any doubt, get kids into coin collecting! It made everything I learned about in history more fun and more important.

The great side effect from it is you get some very neat one on one time with your kids, nieces, nephews, grandchildren whoever it might be!

I think that's its really important for kids to start collecting and other collectors to encourage it. I'm 17 started collected when I was 14 and its taught me way more than I had ever thought! It's a great way for me to connect dates in history class because I use different coins and there dates to help me remember significant dates in history which also help vise versa because now I have most key and semi key dates memorized. I started collecting State Quarters and now have expanded to coins I never even thought I would ever own when I first started. And when I first started I found that I had a coin shop fairly close went in and instantly knew that someday I wanted to work there well now that dream will becoming a reality.

I think that unless adults educate (not force) the younger generations into collecting then its great and that without it the hobby in a whole would start to die out. If we don't educate the younger generations then that knowledge is lost and can never be regained! For example my grandpa died in the 80's and not until a couple months ago did I learn that he collected for his entire life other family members didnt care so they never bothered to learn and all of his knowledge died when he died. I only wish I could hear his stories :( he had over 200 silver dollars at the time of his death and even while going through ruff times with my grandma he refused to sell any he just worked harder for any extra money, my grandma remembers him having real rare coins that if he sold just one he could pay for months worth of groceries or even bills but he tryed his hardest to save it.

That's just my personal thought on the subject

My 10 year-old has been collecting since he was 6. It gives us quality time together and provides many good educational opportunities. My 7 and 4 year-old do not share his same interest in numismatics, but that may change in time.