What a coin may inspire

As a toddler, or so I am told, I would take my new discoveries to my mother. Being so young everything was new. So I would walk up, object in hand, and say "Wass dat?" She would examine my prize and give me a word.

I am told I would do this perhaps a dozen times a day, day after day, endlessly. She never tired or showed any frustration over my constant "Wass dat?"

As time passed I would bring gifts to my mother that I thought she might enjoy: a sea shell, a figurine for her curio cabinet, any representation of a horse (she was born in the year of the horse).

So how does this relate to my numismatic passion?

I recently acquired a Standing Liberty 1930 MS66FH. The coin is magnificent, bright white, sharp strike and I would say Full Details.

My mother passed away late last year, but as I held this wonderful specimen, a coin stuck in her birth year....I thought of my mother. I thought of how much I would like to show her this bright shiny new thing I found.

I often like to wonder about who held my 1787 NJ Copper or 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime or what histories these coins may have witnessed. But today, I thought about a wonderful woman and how much I miss her.