Giving away coins

ARCO

No I am not giving away coins!

When I was a younger lad, I used to do what many young people did with the resources they had which was to search through bank rolls for old wheaties, and older jeffersons. I had no discretionary income to spend on coins.

Going through a rebellious time I had a church leader in my area take time with me, and knowing that I loved coins (he was an avid collector also) he would bring me over to his house to look at his collection from time to time. The best part of it was he would let me pick out a few coins for myself. These weren't really expensive coins to him, but to me they were treasures I could never have afforded. He gave me my choice of some really nice common date XF or AU indian head cents, various lower grade silver and my favorite was an original chocolate brown VF 1855 with upright 5's large cent. When I got a redbook and saw the value at $14.00 (1979 or so) I was estatic that I owned such an expensive rare coin. LOL

Now years later the 1855 is my most valuable coin for sentimental reasons that I own. This kind man has since passed and truthfully, sharing coins with younger kids who are interested in coins is easily the part of collecting that I enjoy the most.

I have since bought an old antique, colorful blue tin tobacco can and have placed all my nice, common date coins in it. It is chock full of old wheaties, seated dimes, barbers, SLQ's, merc's etc.. , and practically has examples of every coin from 1850 onward. When Someone I know is interested in coins, even older people still dabbling with the modern quarters, I break out my tobacco tin and let them have a coin or two.

This has to be the funnest part for me. Seeing peoples eyes go big as they see for the first time a coin 100 years old that they never knew existed. Usually what is a $1.00-$20.00 coin is thought to be an expensive rarity to the reciever.



Does anyone else do this? What have been your responses from the people who you have shared coins with?

Tyler

TWODOGS

I read the first line and lost interest.

Clankeye

<< <i>I read the first line and lost interest. >>



Eh.. okay, TwoDogs.


I think that's great Arco! I applaud you that, and have always thought you were one of the true collectors on the forum.

I have a small cache of coins that I will hopefully use for the same purpose someday. Have to find some kids to dole them out to.

Clankeye

Russ

<< <i>Does anyone else do this? >>



Not me. I'm keeping every damned one I get my grubby hands on!!! Bwuahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

Nah, just kidding. I think it's a great idea. You should have seen the looks on the faces of the gals at Blockbuster when I paid with 2002 silver proof state quarters. They ran over each other getting their purses so they could buy them from the till.

Russ, NCNE

barberlover

Yes, not recently but when i go to coin shows i sometimes spot the right circ coins, i especially love to buy about good buffalo nickles and spend them in different stores or just hand them out to young kids going to there first show with mom & dad, seeing the look on there faces reminds me of how i felt when my dad gave me his coin collection back in 1966. It's been a while since i've done this but i may do this again at the next large show in Minneapolis in October. I think i'm going to stock up on some low grade buff's and some war nickles [maybe even a few low grade indian cents] before october. Les

Blackhawk

Arco, what you are doing is commendable. It's great to hear of seasoned collectors helping newbies gain interest in our hobby. The future of coin collecting is in the sharing (both time and coins) of what we have now.

I too treasure certain collectables that I got from people who shared their interests with me. There is no value that can be put on them...they are priceless.

Thanks for sharing...you get an A+.

Bill

FullHorn

"Usually what is a $1.00-$20.00 coin is thought to be an expensive rarity to the reciever."
Thats my entire collection