Pro Tip: If you want to learn the basics of coin collecting, pretend you're a Boy Scout
abcde12345
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To understand the basics of coin collecting or to teach a youngster who is showing interest in your hobby, pretend you are going after the Boyscout coin collecting merit badge. It is a wonderful way of introducing the hobby!
Here's a link:
https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Merit_Badge_ReqandRes/Coin_Collecting.pdf
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Comments
I was a Boy Scout, briefly, but did not know of this badge until I started collecting as an adult. And until just now, I had never bothered to look at the requirements.
@abcde12345 you are spot-on with your observation.
They didn't have a coin collecting merit badge when I was a Boy Scout.
I had to look it up, since I vaguely recall there being one when I was a scout in the early 70s. This indicates it's been around since 1938. https://www.sageventure.com/coins/badge.html.
I earned the coin collecting merit badge. And the stamp collecting one as well. I believe there was also a general "collections" badge, but I did not do that one.
I'm a merit badge councilor for that badge. Never earned it as a scout
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I was an Eagle Scout... had a lot of merit badges... many more than required. I think I had the coin collecting badge...not sure, but I still have my cards packed away... will have to check. Over fifty years ago now...Cheers, RickO
If that's the case I would say my scoutmaster Suxs! I would have certainly gone after it and stamp collecting if I had known about it. How many remember the 1st aid merit badge being a biggy? The best sleep I think I ever had in my life was after doing the mile swim. The most boring 1 I got was insect study! Watched a dirt dabber build it's nest for hours on end!
This seems appropriate timing
I recognize the lame quarter on the merit badge but I can't remember if I got the badge. My favorite was pioneering. Loved all those knots and we built a rope bridge. First Aid was a big one. Swimming sucked.
Hmmmm. Boy Scouts is a touchy subject for me. I earned my eagle, was an assistant scoutmaster for a few years and then scoutmaster for 5 years. I’ve been on dozens, maybe hundreds of campouts. Along the way I was lucky to help a bunch of kids earn their eagle. I loved every minute of it. I certainly did not get the coin collecting merit badge as the collecting gene in my DNA only activated in my 30s.
Sadly, at this point, scouting has caved to political correctness and no longer represents any of the values it helped to instill in me. I no longer wish to be affiliated with it and most people feel the same way. Membership is plummeting (less than half what it was 5 years ago) and they’re flirting with bankruptcy.
Would it not be brave to change it from the inside rather than simply abandoning scouting?
Sorry to go off on a rant..... Yes, the merit badge is actually a very nice way to introduce someone to the hobby.
As for changing it from the inside - sure, maybe that would have worked before it went totally off the rails. Now, it’s too far gone.
When I was assisting our local troop, we held the raingutter regatta and afterwards we lined a gutter with aluminum foil and created a loooong ice cream banana split sundae which was promptly destroyed by the scouts. Then into the pool. Gotta love summer. Peace Roy
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I got that merit badge as a kid as I collected coins way back then.