| Author |
 Replies: 7 / Views: 1,180 |
|
|
Valued Member
United States
455 Posts |
I think the reason I was attracted to and started collecting coins is it's ties to history. I've always been very interested in history. World history, American history and personal history. Dates have always intrigued me. 1865, 1932, 1945, 1969, 2000, etc. Not only the dates, but the relativity of the dates.
For example I was born 95 years after the Civil War ended, my dad 51 years after, his dad 20 years after.
Another example, when my dad was 9 President McKinley was assassinated 24 years ago. when I was 9 VE day was 24 years ago, when my daughter was 9, Reagan was elected president 24 years ago.
This is the way I think about my coins, 1925, 1916, 1945, 1885, and so on. I'm holding history in my hands.
Weird huh?
|
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Australia
655 Posts |
Yes, little pieces of history is also how I see them also. The first Australian sovereigns were struck from the very gold discovered in the great gold rush of the early/mid 19th century which is rich in early pioneer history also since our country was not long before discovered.
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
3730 Posts |
I certainly look on coins in the same way.
I almost always think of an event in history (U. S., World, and my personal history) each time I see a date on a coin.
1932 -- My parents graduated from high school.
1945 -- WWII ends, FDR dies.
1960 -- I graduated from high school.
1947 -- My wife and brother were born
1942 -- My birth year.
1969 -- Men land on the moon.
1966 -- Got married.
etc., etc., etc.
Not only are coins little pieces of history, but they are also memory joggers.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1713 Posts |
I just finished taking a history class (from the 1500s on) at my college. Very often I'd come across a date in the book and think about which coins would have been circulating at the time.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
346 Posts |
I think of coins that way too. For example, I wanted a 1925 Peace dollar over all the other dates, because that was the year both of my grandmothers were born. I gave my mom a "really shiny" 1955 penny for her birthday once (when I was little) because that's her birthyear. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2443 Posts |
I agree coins are obtainable history that have seen and lived through a lot more than most people can imagine. If they could talk, the stories they could tell.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I've never associated coins with History though. I usually think of many other things that I guess are rather on the historical side. Certain dates remind me of my first wife, our engagement, our divorce, my son being born, my first car, my second car because I wrecked the first one but never things from books. Must be old age.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
936 Posts |
I like to stop and think who could have been carrying this cent in their pocket? Did someone take this to D-day with them? Did someone propose with this in their pocket? Did someone discover something with this in their pocket? Did someone die with this in their pocket defending our great country? There are so many "Did someones" that are out there. You look at some of these cents and see how worn they are and just wonder "Did someone?"
Edited by chrsb
08/19/2007 7:38 pm
|
| |
Replies: 7 / Views: 1,180 |
|
Posted 08/19/2007 02:00 am
