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Is coin collecting really in your blood?

291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,464 ✭✭✭✭✭

One of my Great-great grandmothers was originally from Silvermines, County Tipperary, Ireland. She and her children immigrated to the US in 1852. (Her husband had died during the early stages of the potato famine, cause unknown.) Unfortunately, she didn't bring and silver from Silvermines with her.

All glory is fleeting.

Comments

  • TurtleCatTurtleCat Posts: 4,628 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It is in mine. My brother, mother, one uncle, and grandfather all collected. There may be others but that’s all I’ve discovered.

  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nah! It's in my bones! :#

  • JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm afraid not.

  • moursundmoursund Posts: 3,207 ✭✭✭✭✭

    One of my uncles apparently used to have a job collecting from all the parking meters in Eugene, or some large portion of it. This was back in the 19mumbles, when people actually used coins, and when good finds could be found. He and my Father both had collections, but by the time I was sapient, they weren't active.

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  • silverpopsilverpop Posts: 6,702 ✭✭✭✭✭

    no not in my family

    Aug 11th

  • Eldorado9Eldorado9 Posts: 2,418 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It went from my Grandmother->Me. She had a huge pile of Mercury dimes, Walkers, Buffalo's and we would put them into the blue Whitman albums....Then she gave me a 1924 $20 I was hooked.

  • rec78rec78 Posts: 5,754 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, one of my great-great-great uncles was J.J. Mickley.

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  • pmh1nicpmh1nic Posts: 3,295 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's in my blood but how it got there I don't know.

    The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice is it possible for an empire to rise without His aid? Benjamin Franklin
  • koynekwestkoynekwest Posts: 10,048 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nope. Just me-no one else collected.

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My dad was a coin collector but he got into coins after I was already collecting coins. :D

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,621 ✭✭✭✭✭

    There is a coin collector in my family. Me.

  • TheGoonies1985TheGoonies1985 Posts: 5,898 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Just me and I am fine with that. My brother listings to all my coin stories he enjoys them at least there is that.

    NFL: Buffalo Bills & Green Bay Packers

  • CoinscratchCoinscratch Posts: 9,023 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My Great Grandmother collected, not sure what other than the Indian head cents in Whitman's that I used to look at when I was a kid. We would go visit every Christmas. She was already old and me and my brothers were young kids running around like wild Indians. Which prolly gave her the idea :D

  • coinandcurrency242coinandcurrency242 Posts: 1,962 ✭✭✭✭

    When I was a little kid, my grandpa told me a story of how he stole a treasure chest full of coins from pirates that he gave me. I have been collecting ever since. Of course, he did not steal it from pirates but as a little kid I was fascinated by the story. He even put a treasure map in the treasure chest of coins which are mostly foreign nothing really special. I am at least the 3rd generation to collect in my family.

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  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,368 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Collecting is in my blood, but the closest I had to collector in my family was my grandmother. She was more a hoarder, but in her later years, I did get her to fill penny boards and go through rolls of coins from the bank, in the early 1960s.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • ThreeCentSilverFLThreeCentSilverFL Posts: 1,694 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It was definitely in my great grandparents and my grandparents blood on my father’s side.

    Not so much on my mom’s side. I got my green thumb from her side. No complaints there.

    It actually skipped a generation with my dad. He wasn’t a big collector.

    My daughter likes shiny thing though, so we’ll see where that goes…

  • OldhoopsterOldhoopster Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No collectors in my bloodline.

    When I was 6, my Uncle ( through marriage) showed me some coins in his modest collection and I was hooked. Later that year, he gave me the Whitman Cent folders, and I was pestering everybody to look at their change for dates I needed. Other than my Uncle, who was not biologically related, nobody on my mothers or fathers side collected anything, and my brother actually gave me a hard time about being a collector while growing up. I'm still at it over 50 years later.

    Another interesting sidenote, is that I have 3 children who have absolutely no interest in coins or collecting anything. They all have my interest in science and math (2 are engineers and one is a physicians asst), but could care less about numismatics.

    Member of the ANA since 1982
  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,579 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No. The closest thing I can think of to collector was my immigrant grandmother socked away $80 of gold coins in 1933, because she didn't trust the government. She also saved about 50 silver dollars, thinking if they were going to take away the gold, they'd take away the silver next.

    We still have the gold coins. They are family heirlooms.

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  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,520 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I was 8, my father handed down his Mercury Dime collection to me. Eight full folders he put together from circulation, minus the 16-Ds…and then a couple rolls of Mercs. My maternal grandfather also collected.

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • HydrantHydrant Posts: 7,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @coinandcurrency242 said:
    When I was a little kid, my grandpa told me a story of how he stole a treasure chest full of coins from pirates that he gave me. I have been collecting ever since. Of course, he did not steal it from pirates but as a little kid I was fascinated by the story. He even put a treasure map in the treasure chest of coins which are mostly foreign nothing really special. I am at least the 3rd generation to collect in my family.

    You had a good Grandpa.

  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,830 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My grandmother and dad saved a few things. Late-night TV stuff mostly. My 1st cousin, 4-times removed did the Pilgrim Commem….. so that’s my claim to fame.

  • vulcanizevulcanize Posts: 1,408 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2021 8:44PM

    I grew up seeing the collection of folks from my maternal side (grand uncle and my mom's older sister). My maternal grandmother told me stories about the different coins/denominations and which of the old coins were made of silver etc. (she was the one who taught me about the ping test) and gave me clues about what specifics to look for in the change received.
    There was a break in at the home when we all were away on a holiday and things were strewn all over the place when we got back. Came across a few old wheat pennies of my aunt's collection and polished one of them (forget which year it was) and made it extremely shiny. Was feeling really chuffed with my accomplishment that I made it as good as new. This was over forty years ago.
    Now I am trying to pass on the hobby to my three kids and the older two don't want anything to do with it. The youngest is turning 16 in less than three weeks time and is more eager to sell my collection and use the monies to buy his own brand new car. :s

  • air4mdcair4mdc Posts: 934 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I never recalled hearing anyone in my family tree talking about coin collecting. I think I’m the first and my son is interested in collecting and has a small collection. My collection will be passed along to him someday.

  • CoinHoarderCoinHoarder Posts: 2,613 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 6, 2021 10:05AM

    When I was very young, my uncle had a cigar box full of coins that he kept on a closet shelf. When we were visiting, I would ask him to show me some of his coins. I do not remember exactly what coins he showed me, but I was always very amazed with the coins. When I asked him many years later if he still had the cigar box of coins, he could not remember ever having these coins.

    Other than this particular uncle, I am unaware of any other coin collectors in my family.

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I am the only collector in the family. Had a nephew that was interested when he was young... Then came puberty and females. I do not even know of another coin collector in the entire village. No coin shops or shows. Just some antique shops with overpriced Morgan dollars. And coins are one of several hobbies for me. One of the top two for sure. Cheers, RickO

  • WCCWCC Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No. My step Grandmother's family had an extensive US collection I viewed once in 1975 but that doesn't count.

  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,444 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Many people think so. But, no.

  • privatecoinprivatecoin Posts: 3,524 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My dad collected stamps, but regrets he didn't collect coins instead.

    Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc

  • InlanderInlander Posts: 88 ✭✭✭

    Yup, my Dad had a collection. My Grandfather was big on silver dollars and my Great Uncle had a lot of coins too.

  • Jzyskowski1Jzyskowski1 Posts: 6,650 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No I’m it other than my grandson

    🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶

  • My great grandfather ( mom's mom's dad) was an avid collector, but i have no idea what happened to his collection. Maybe one of my great uncles inherited it.

  • JJMJJM Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nope

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