Fun at a local auction with a YN

USMarine6

I've been helping an apprentice auctioneer this past month at her auction house. Only being an apprentice she needs to have a licensed auctioneer on site while the auction is taking place. Her normal guy has been out due to a recent surgery. I was asked to fill in till he was able to return. I don't use my licence much but was happy to fill in.
Last week she took in some coins. You know the type, the half full Whitman Lincoln books with not one key date pressed in it. Indian Head cents with nothing but 19xx dated coins in horrible condition. Well she doesn't know coins at all and asked me to do the calling when it came time. Of coarse I said yes.
The coins came up and only a few bidders were interested in the coins. One of them was a YN with her dad. She was on the edge of her seat and was bidding pretty aggressive for a 12 year old. The bidding was over and she won all 5 lots. She and her dad certainly way overpaid for the coins. Now normally I wouldn't care much but because it was a YN involved I kinda felt bad.
So the coins were over and the apprentice took back over. It just so happens a few hours before the auction I made a small size 90% purchase. So I went to the car and grabbed a coin I thought she might like. I went back inside and pulled them aside and asked her if she had any silver half dollars in her collection. She shook her head no. So I pulled out a 18xx barber half and handed it her and told her that i wanted her to have it as her first silver piece in her collection. The look on her face was priceless. Her eyes lit up and she looked at her dad as if to ask if she could keep a puppy she just found on the side of the road. They both said thanks and I went on my way.
I know a lot of us think that this hobby is doomed but I found an opportunity to maybe make a difference in YN's early start and maybe just maybe she will tell this story on these boards 20 years from now.

ricko

What a great story.... Thank you for making a difference in her life.... It is these incidents (small to those of us who do them - but huge to the recipients) that really show humanity in the best light. I love doing nice things... whether for kids, older folk or just someone randomly. No fanfare, no thanks needed...just feels good to make a difference, no matter how small. Cheers, RickO

AUandAG

Awesome, and well appreciated it appears. She now has a target for collecting she knew nothing about previously. Her dreams only got bigger.....well done my friend.

bob

jesbroken

My great uncle gave me an uncirculated 1878 S Morgan silver dollar and guidance to save all silver as I could. I was hooked. I have assisted with many YN's over the years and hopefully guided at least one towards being a wise collector. We all have assorted old silver coins worth only the content. To give one of these to a YN might start the new collector on a path that would benefit our hobby and the YN. Think about it.

KellenCoin

Very nice move! You may have just started off a new collector for life.

ldhair

Very kind of you. Cool story.