New Member - Long Time Collector

I'm in my mid 40s and have been collecting since about 6 or 7 years old when my uncle gave me a bowl of wheat pennies and my father showed me his jar of silver he had pulled from circulation. Been hooked ever since.

Living in Ohio in the United States, I mainly focused on US coins with a small dabbling of Canadian that I would find in circulation. My father had a gas station, so we had a lot of change to search through and the mid-late 70s you could still find some interesting things day to day.

As I grew older, married and things like ebay and forums became common place, I discovered the variety and joys of world coins, of which I'm an avid collector now, perhaps more so than the light-side stuff.

While I can appreciate the rarities and pristine coins that have survived the years, I also love the since of history and travel that a well worn coin from 100+ years ago has. Where has it been, what history it must have...all lead to a sense of wonder when I hold it in my hands. Thus, my collection is filled with less rare, more worn coins that interest me more for their history and appeal, than for their value and perfection.

Glad to have discovered a new place to come and learn and hopefully share.

Jason