| Author |
 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,747 |
|
|
Valued Member
United States
71 Posts |
I've been getting more and more active in the hobby over the last few months, after taking a good twenty-five-year break. That break is my biggest regret in terms of mistakes that I have made. Sure, there is the traditional reasons - what I am collecting now was so much more affordable in years past, I got rid of things that I should not have, bought things that I should not have, and the list goes on. The one thing that I did not expect, though, was that my excitement with each new acquisition, I have been sharing with my father. Talking to him the other day on Facebook, between our weekly phone calls, I sent him pictures of the new (to me) Capped Bust Half Dimes that I picked up, and his response was short and unexpected. It was just a simple "I really wish that I had not stopped collecting." I prodded at him a bit, and told him that he should pick it up again. For some reason, it is like he had not considered it. Picked up the phone, and started talking. He had no clue where to even start again. We talked about what I am drawn to and why, and he started to figure out what he felt like he might be interested in. Told him that I would send him a copy of the Red Book, and he could start thumbing through it. What I did not tell him, though, is that there are a few more things in the box. He is expecting a padded bubble mailer that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, and not the flat-rate box that is actually en route. Nothing groundbreaking, but hopefully, enough to get him headed into the hobby again. So, what is in the box?  2017 Red Book - I've got my Mega Red, so I sent him the spiral-bound, as it is more portable. I'll just pick up another. Cherrypickers' Guide, Volume One - He keeps change jars for all of his pocket change, so that will give him a start on some modern varieties. Am going to order a copy of Volume Two and have it shipped to him. Held on to my copy of that one, because it is signed. 1850 Coronet Large Cent (Raw - XF-45 Est.) - This is actually the very first coin that I bought, and it was what solidified my initial interest in the hobby. Figured it was time to see if it still had that same magic effect. 1943-S Lincoln Steel Cent (PCGS - MS-66) 1946-S Lincoln Cent (PCGS - MS-66 RD) 1853 Seated Liberty half dime (PCGS - XF-45) 1943 Mercury dime (NGC - MS-66 FB) 1948 Washington quarter (NGC - MS-64) 1884 Morgan (Raw - MS-62 Est.) Nothing really uncommon, or spectacular, but a good mix for someone who has nothing and does not know where to start again. My father and I are already really close, so I can only imagine how much more time that we will end up spending talking to each other over the distances. |
|
|
|
Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
What a great son. Are you going to get him to join the best coin site on the net,hint-hint  John1  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3058 Posts |
This is just awesome! I hope he does pick it up again. One of my favorite things in the world is when my dad and I go to the local coin show. We go three times a year and it's such a great bonding experience. My situation was the opposite. My dad collected with his dad and when I was 8 the two of them got me into the hobby much the way you are trying to get your dad back interested again. They each gave me a handful of coins and I was hooked.
Here I am a half century later and my dad and I still go to shows together. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I'm passing this on to my two sons as well. They go with us from time to time and it's so cool when three generations hit the bourse for a show. The dealers know us there and are happy to see the family arriving!
Good Luck, keep us posted on what your dad decides.
Edited by srs77
04/20/2016 10:23 am
|
|
Valued Member
 United States
71 Posts |
Quote:
What a great son. Are you going to get him to join the best coin site on the net,hint-hint Thanks! I try. Figure that between my brother and I (not to mention my two sisters), that leaves me at least a quarter responsible for his gray hair. However, I continue to be jealous of the fact that he has hair, as I seem to be starting to take after his father. When the body told each hair it was time to turn grey, it jumped off of his head, instead.  Definitely do plan on pointing him over here. Told him in the letter that I packed in the box that I would be getting together more information for him, such as pointing him here, giving him a list of clubs in his area, sharing my list of dealers that I am building a trust with, etc. I wanted to keep including more, in both the letter and the box - but I got to the point where I wanted to get it in the mail, so that it was not waiting on me. Quote:
This is just awesome! I hope he does pick it up again. One of my favorite things in the world is when my dad and I go to the local coin show. We go three times a year and it's such a great bonding experience. My situation was the opposite. My dad collected with his dad and when I was 8 the two of them got me into the hobby much the way you are trying to get your dad back interested again. They each gave me a handful of coins and I was hooked.
Here I am a half century later and my dad and I still go to shows together. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I'm passing this one to my two sons as well. They go with us from time to time and it's so cool when three generations hit the bourse for a show. The dealers know us there and are happy to see the family arriving! That is awesome. Similar situation with my brother and I, when it came to our father and sports cards. Before the bottom fell out of that market, my father did shows up and down the East Coast. When he was not dealing, we were attending - usually because he brought a bunch of stuff to try to sell dealer-to-dealer. I honestly miss those days, dearly. Part of it is the distance (he lives in North Carolina, with humidity levels that my wife's chronic pain could not tolerate while we live in Arizona for that reason), and part of it is how the times have changed for that hobby. My brother still collects sports cards, and my father will pick them up to flip them, but apart from anything that had sentimental value for me, I traded a good part of what I had for other things of interest. Definitely will keep everyone updated, and I assume that it is going to go well. He seems to be growing restless in retirement, so anything that keeps him occupied would be welcomed, I reckon. I could never retire, my problem is that I would be broke and back working in no time, because I would have all day to show around for deals that I could not pass up.  |
|
Moderator
United States
187582 Posts |
That is a job well done.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1959 Posts |
Great story! I have two boys (10 &14) that I take to coin shows and shops. I hope it is something we continue into their adulthood.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
Awesome! That's super cool... Hopefully, like John1 mentioned, you can get him to join the CCF!
|
|
Moderator
United States
34393 Posts |
@jmferris, nice job. I think that I'll send this link to my son.  "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Now get him to join here and we can watch the family discussions.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
71 Posts |
Thanks for the feedback, everyone! Knew that the kind folks here would appreciate it. Quote:
Now get him to join here and we can watch the family discussions. Oh, I will. Unfortunately, it is going to be quite anticlimactic, I'm afraid. I get my "drama free zone" mentality directly from him. The other side of the family, well... Let's just say I have no plans on doing that, for my sake, and everyone else's. |
|
Valued Member
United States
71 Posts |
My father got his package today, and he was definitely surprised and taken aback. It was completely worth it, though, because I heard a level of happiness in his voice that I could probably count the times that I have heard it on hand. Not that my father is not always a happy man, but it was definitely kicked up a notch.
I brought up getting him on CCF and helping him through some of his purchases when he is ready to pull the trigger. He is a bit overwhelmed by it all, at the moment. As soon as he is on here, though, I'll make sure he stops by the welcome forum and that he pops in here, too.
Thanks again, everyone!
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1183 Posts |
Great story! Enjoy these times, I hope your father joins and gets back into the hobby! When I was younger, my dad used to pick up oddities from the bank for me (ikes, $2 bills, etc). Over the years something happened to those items.. I must have spent them in my teen years. My dad passed away a few years ago and I found several of the coins he had kept. That's what got me into the hobby again some 15 years later. I wish I could talk with him about collecting now! One day I'll make a post with pictures of the coins I found that he left behind. There weren't a lot and nothing particularly valuable but I put them in airtites and will forever hold onto them!
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3058 Posts |
Quote:
I brought up getting him on CCF and helping him through some of his purchases when he is ready to pull the trigger. He is a bit overwhelmed by it all, at the moment. As soon as he is on here, though, I'll make sure he stops by the welcome forum and that he pops in here, too.
This is such a great story, I look forward to meeting him here on the boards... Great job! |
|
Valued Member
United States
71 Posts |
Quote:
Great story! Enjoy these times, I hope your father joins and gets back into the hobby! When I was younger, my dad used to pick up oddities from the bank for me (ikes, $2 bills, etc). Over the years something happened to those items.. I must have spent them in my teen years. My dad passed away a few years ago and I found several of the coins he had kept. That's what got me into the hobby again some 15 years later. I wish I could talk with him about collecting now! One day I'll make a post with pictures of the coins I found that he left behind. There weren't a lot and nothing particularly valuable but I put them in airtites and will forever hold onto them! My father was out of the hobby by the time I was born and had picked up baseball cards as a hobby that he had when he was younger again. Both my brother and I collected, too, and my father would put all of the year sets together by hand, and fill boxes with things for us when we got older. I do not collect those anymore, but I still have all of them. My grandfather, on my mother's side, had some coins, although he did not really collect. Whenever he ran across things that were out of circulation, he put them in a jewelry box, which he gave to me a few years before he passed. Similar to you, there was not anything of particular value - at least not monetarily. All of those coins are kept separately and will never leave my side. Those are still in their original 2"x2"s that we put them in when I was in my teens, and I have not felt compelled to do anything more with them than to keep them safely put away. |
|
New Member
United States
43 Posts |
Quote:
What a great son +1000 My dad gave me coins I never was able to give him one. |
| |
Replies: 14 / Views: 1,747 |
|
To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use
|
| Coin Community Forum |
© 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Forums |
| It took 0.38 seconds to rattle this change. |
 |
|
Posted 04/20/2016 10:22 am
