Circ or mint state...where's the "wonder?".....poll

topstuf

With discussion of the merits of condition collecting, I'd be curious to know where most of you find fascination.

IN COINS.....IN COINS....

tmot99

I can't vote. I like each for their own merits. I think it's really cool to own a coin that has survived a couple hundred years without any signs of circulation. At the same time, I think it's cool to think of where a coin has been, who's pocket it was in, who shot at it and missed in the wild west, etc.

On a side note, I think it would be really cool to make old coins (or scans and printed) and give to kids in school. Their history project is to talk about the history of that coin. This 18XX cent left the mint in a wagon. It ended up in a bank in KS. John came into the bank after working all day at the cotton mill..... The student would have to describe the different scenes.

XpipedreamR

Circulated coins really just don't float my boat. I wish they did; it would be a lot cheaper!

topstuf

tmot99......They USED to do that in schools. When I was in school in the '40's, (yes, they had schools) part of our history lessons were AMERICAN history. I know.......backward times. But I can still feel the regret of the 4th grade book we had that was a story of making soap, building barrels, making candles, hunting deer....YES HUNTING....and all sorts of pioneer America activities, but.....we never FINISHED the book. Teacher wouldn't let me take it HOME cuz they needed it for other classes and I would still like to finish it even if the silly thing was monosyllabic.

We even had "show and tell" and some kids brought knives......(no one was killed)
We ALL played mumbledy-peg at recess.
In high school, my best buddy and I brought our guns and ammo in the trunks of our cars and went shootin after school. In a CITY SCHOOL.

They were different times. In my opinion.....BETTER .... times. But all good things must end.

Edited to add: In 1949, a Mr. Skinner who actually saw Lincoln when he was a boy came and spoke to our class. He gave each kid a 1949 penny with a dot punched in the center of the O in ONE. I regret losing that coin.

mgoodm3

I prefer mint state and proof, so I tend to wonder who has owned this coin over the years. Which collections did it pass through.