I answered a post on the forum about what got me started in coin collecting. I honestly could not remember since it was so long ago. Now, because of another post, I recall an incident that happened in the family that I believe either started or cemented my fascination with coins.
I use the age of 10 as a rough guide as to when I started collecting. The reason I use this age is because I recall that by the time the
Eisenhower dollars were released I was well into collecting. As to exactly when I stared collecting, I simply do not recall. What I do recall is an obscure family project that happened about at the same time I became a collector. Someone posted a question asking about melted silver coins, so this is what I recall:
Mom was a jeweler and silversmith. Dad was a coin collector of sorts. I never figured out my dad's collecting hobby until I was much older, I just figured he knew about everything why not coins also. My moms need to explore new techniques in jewelry making was almost unquenchable, one day she read an article about water casting silver. At this point I think most of you can figure out what happened. There were many silver
Washington quarters sacrificed in the quest of producing new jewelry. I remember helping and watching as one quarter after another suddenly disappeared into a small puddle of molten metal and then being dropped into that bucket of water. What fun it was! Every time another quarter was melted my dad would say "well there goes another 32-D, gone forever". I remember asking my dad what he was talking about and I got a lesson about key date coins.
I'm not 100% sure but I feel confident that this incident either started or may have been a key factor as to why I'm still a collector today. I also think I still have some of those old water castings.
There is no need for replays, I'm just and old man having fun recalling an old memory.
Posted 09/26/2016 2:08 pm
