Coin collecting merit badge

csdot

My club is offering the coin collecting merit badge class at our show next week. I am about to put together a program for the kids. Has anyone here taught the merit badge before, and if so, do you have any suggestions for how to approach the material? I figure it should be pretty straight forward, but it never hurts to ask before I invent the wheel. Thanks.

JohnHarper

Our local club has done this for several years and we get 50 to 75 kids who go through the class each year. I don't know if the instructor has a written curriculum to share. Send me a PM and I will try to get you his contact information.

Shamika

I earned that merit badge back in 1980.

Yorkshireman

I have taught the class several times at our annual district merit badge day.

It is pretty easy,as I am sure you know the material. The trick is to get feedback and class participation instead of talking for the duration.
Ask questions. Draw on the board , even if you are horrible at it (which I am).

Shamika

<< <i>The trick is to get feedback and class participation instead of talking for the duration.
Ask questions. Draw on the board , even if you are horrible at it (which I am). >>



Asking questions is always the best way to make get participation and to make a talk interesting.

BryceM

I've been a scoutmaster in three different areas of the country and am currently cub master of our local pack. I earned tons of merit badges in my day, but funny thing - not this one, or photography, or medicine.

Kudos to you for doing this. Kids are great and scouting is one way to show them a larger world.

I'd recommend lots of back & forth with lots of show & tell. Keep the "lecture" to an absolute minimum. Work in a little history and let them hold a chunk of gold (with supervision) if at all possible. Don't bother letting them see or handle true rarities as they're not likely to be very careful or appreciate them for what they are.

A pile of junk large cents, some wheaties, and buff nickels will impress them plenty. Ask lots of questions. Have them draw a coin from memory - that's a great way to go over terminology. Show them a half-cent & three-cent nickel. Letting them each hold an Ike is a great way to discuss the qualities of coins. They're not going to have much patience for a loupe or magnifying glass.

If you go into it with an ability to be flexible and respond to some unexpected crazy stuff (mostly off-topic) it will more fun than you'd expect.

Have fun & let us know how it went!

csdot

Good suggestions. I am the president of our local club, and I am on the area scout board, so I have the cooperation and promotion ability from both. Our bourse chair has given me three tables and a number of chairs, so I can teach the class between 2 - 4 on Saturday. Plus, our YN committee will have some inexpensive coins we can give the scouts for their collections.

I have gone through the requirements, and I think the suggestion of a dialogue instead of a lecture makes good sense. Plus, I like the idea of using illustrations to well illustrate the materials. ;-)

I plan to bring some coins as props, but like someone suggested, I plan to either leave the pricy ones at home, or maybe display them behind glass in a dealer's case (I think our club has a few for exhibit purposes).

Shamika

You might also considering bringing along a Whitman folder as it may inspire a few new collectors.

If you have some cheap Morgan dollars, bring them along and pass them around. Kids will be amazed that such a large heavy coin once circulated.