Kids and coins...who got you started? Who have you started?

[Peace_Fan]

JWM and I started discussing this on another thread, so to keep from totally hijacking that thread I thought we should continue it here.

 

My Grandfather (mom's side) gave me a handful of silver dollars when I was 5 or 6. I thought they were beautiful and I put them away with my other treasures, and would take them out and look at them every now and then. He bought me a bunch of Whitman folders and I would go through my change every now and then and try to fill up the albums. I didn't get into serious coin collecting for another 30+ years, but his small gift was what got me started.

 

As for my sons (3), we would spend a Saturday every couple of months going through the pocket change we accumulated. We made up contests, trying to see who could find the oldest coin, the prettiest coin, the ugliest coin, the newest coin, etc. Wheat pennies were special finds, as were coins that were minted the years they were born. They're now 18, 16, and 14, and just last week I was sorting coins and my eldest stopped on his way out to help look through the pile of change.

 

When my oldest son turned 13 we took a trip to the Long Beach show, and I bankrolled him with $100 which he used to assemble a set of Eisenhower dollars. I helped him learn what to look for, how to negotiate, and how to make his money stretch to be able to afford the whole set. I know that he still remembers that trip well, and I see him take out his album and look at his set every now and then.

 

Our middle son collects the Washington State quarters, while the youngest admires Buffalo nickels, and managed to find one that we submitted to NGC and it came back as MS66!!! He paid $25 for it and now that it's graded it's worth around $100. But he will NEVER sell that coin because of the sentimental value it has.

 

What are your stories?

[GDJMSP]

My grandmother actually got me started. As for who I've gotten started - I'd say 3 or 4 adults that I know of who collect a wide variety of coins.

 

I also got my 11 yr old son started some time ago - but he was not bitten by the collecting bug until his first show this year. He is actively collecting Jefferson nickels ( almost finished in less than a month ) - proof & mint sets & modern commems.

[nwcs]

Mostly my brother got me started. It was because he was interested that I became interested. You know how it can be with siblings. But after a while I got genuinely interested. Till I needed to buy a car. But I came back for good last year. My mother also collects, though she is only casual. And my grandfather collected. Mom inherited about 1/4 of his collection when he passed away. We have a treasure trove of wheats and war nickels. And numerous 60s silver.

[jtryka]

I got started in the late 70s I think (I was so young then, it's hard to remember all the details), but my Great Uncle Ed gave me a bunch of old coins he had stashed in a coffee can. It was wonderful, old Lincolns and IHCs, a couple 2-cent pieces, old large cents, old nickels, a lot of liberty seated stuff, including a dime love token, some silver dollars, more than enough to get me interested in collecting! I used to put all the coins in cardboard 2x2s, and on the back of all those coins, I wrote "U.E." to distinguish them. I think I still have all of those coins in various places in my collection, some are in albums, some are still in those old 2x2s.

 

As for who I've started/encouraged, it's hard to say since I don't really track it. I have helped my office manager's son, who was into state quarters, I bought him the books going back to 1965 so he can continue with the ones from circulation to start, and also saved a bunch of P-mint coins for him from change, since those are harder to find out here. I used to buy my cousins coins whenever I visited them, and I started a few other coworkers' kids by simply handing out Kennedys or Sacs. It's such a fun hobby, but I am convinced it takes a certain type of personality to adopt it for the long haul. Someone with an interest in our history and our future. When I see those sorts of folks, I plant the seeds in the fertile ground of their minds.