How involved do your children get with your hobby?

[Leothelion]

Hi everyone

Every once in awhile one of my children will show an interest in the coins I buy and collect. One day, my son filled a coin album with nickels. It was the kind of album that had the PVC vinyl pages that I thought I had thrown away. But I didn't know it until one day when I was helping my 11 year old son with cleaning his room. I saw the album, picked it up and it was heavy. So I'm thinking, what do we have here and it didn't take long to notice that every coin in the album was a 1953-S. But looking at the expression on my son's face instantly told me that he was very happy making such an accomplishment. And I praised him for it and told him that this was a neat thing he had done. Then I asked him where he got the nickels from and he told me that he borrowed a couple of nickel rolls to fill the book. I did remind him that every date was a 1953-S. And he responded that he knew that but wanted to fill the coin album. And I also reminded my son not to take anymore rolls unless he asks to do so.

My children have been to many coin shows with me. They have participated in those young numismatic auctions which are a blast.

Sometimes they will stop by while I'm grading some coins and will take a look at a coin or two and tell me about the marks on a coin. But first they'll ask questions like, which pile of coins are what? And I'll tell them which piles are the crummy coins and which piles are the high grade coins. They will always grab a coin from the good pile and start looking at it with a loupe. And I already know what they're going to say everytime they do this. Dad, this coin has a mark on the cheek! And I'll retort, let me see that and then that will start an arguement whether a coin is MS65 or 66 or cameo. But as of yesterday, all four of my kids are teenagers now, 13 through 18 years and sometimes I'll asked them what they think about a certain coin and get their opinions. None of them have a personal coin collection as they're always busy with friends sports and school and all the places I'm always driving them to. It's always nice to know that they can stop with whatever they're doing and show a interest in dad's coin collection. Now where do you suppose they learn that from?

 

Regards, Leo

[sanmary]

Right now my only child, a 1 year old boy, love morgans. I suppose because they are big and shiny. However he also likes to teethe on the slabs. I guess it's a start.

[reid1836]

I have three children , two boys and a girl. Both my sons have individual collections. But, the youngest seems to have a greater interest. I have taken the oldest to coin shows before but, it`s hard to carefully scrutinize coins and keep a watchful eye on him. I think the next show I attend I will take them both and let them be the primary reason for going. My daughter is still to young to understand the concept of collecting so I have started a small initial collection for her.

I hope that in the years to come my children and I can examine , converse ,and enjoy such a wonderful hobby together.

[Hoot]

...it didn't take long to notice that every coin in the album was a 1953-S. But looking at the expression on my son's face instantly told me that he was very happy making such an accomplishment. And I praised him for it and told him that this was a neat thing he had done. Then I asked him where he got the nickels from and he told me that he borrowed a couple of nickel rolls to fill the book. I did remind him that every date was a 1953-S. And he responded that he knew that but wanted to fill the coin album. And I also reminded my son not to take anymore rolls unless he asks to do so.

 

Such a patient and measured response is commendable Leo! Good job!

 

My daughters are interested in what causes me such fascination. I think that they are interested when i get them a few new Lincolns for their albums. I only hope the seeds of interest are there, but I truly only care that they develop the interests they KNOW are their own.

 

Hoot

[islemangu]

Its my alternating generation theory coming true again

 

How many hobbiest were influenced to coin collecting via their grandparents versus their parents? I think its something in our genetic code. We tend to go more opposite of parents which bring us more in line with generation previous.

[Oldtrader3]

One of my sons pulls State Quarters from pocket change, but that is about the extent of my children's interest.

[LAWMAN-migration]

No matter what I do, my kids think I'm whacked out, beyond help. My son tells me that it is a double whammy because he won't sell my coins when I am pushing up daisies because they were mine and they will have sentimental value. What's the secret? I've been taking them to coin shows since they were in diapers.

[Weidel Legacy Collection]

I've been working with my kids for a number of years in an attempt to get them into collecting. They like to look at proof sets and think that that larger no-longer-circulating coins are pretty neat, but have never really gotten bit by the coin collecting bug.

 

But, that seems to be changing. My youngest son (15 years old) just told me that he wants to work on a complete set of silver war nickels. Of course, he's still working on his baseball card collections as well, but that's OK. I'm just happy that he wants to start collecting coins of some sort as its yet another excuse to spend time with him. Now I need to find some way to hook my 11 year old daughter who is much more interested in American Girl dolls!