Anyone have any suggestions for getting my teenaged boys into the hobby?

SanctionII · September 2, 2008 8:13AM

I have tried in the past, without success.

Thinking about trying it again and am looking for helpful hints.

RYK · September 2, 2008 8:15AM

Forbid them.

DorkGirl · September 2, 2008 8:15AM

Teenaged boys? Your best bet is to wait a few years, right now there are other things on their minds that seem way more important....

ChrisRx · September 2, 2008 8:16AM

For me it was something I was born with. When I was about 7 or 8 years old my dad showed me an old worn (so worn there was no date) WLH and from then on I was hooked. I took a break from about 14-20 and got interested again.

Some people will just never "get it" so to say..

Musky1011 · September 2, 2008 8:17AM

Find some girls that are into collecting

ChrisRx · September 2, 2008 8:18AM

<< Find some girls that are into collecting >>

Hard to do. I think guys outnumber the ladies 100:1 Its a sausage fest for sure. I definitely do not go to coin shows for "babes" hah.

amiller · September 2, 2008 8:19AM

By my teen years I already had the bug, but due to lack of funds, living life, and staying busy with school, stopped collecting until after college. My advice is that if the bug is not already there, to give up for now and revisit in a few years. Spend some time teaching about money management and investing, something most teens today hear nothing about, so they will be able to enjoy a hobby in the future (numismatics or otherwise). This is one of the greatest gifts my father gave me, though he is not a collector, and it has enabled me to enjoy this hobby among others.

Aaron

lasvegasteddy · September 2, 2008 8:21AM

find some teenaged girls that collect and catch their eyes

have you tried salting some penny rolls?

or challenging them with a coin budget to see who can out do the other and offer prizes?

paying um in silver dollars might help?

ask them to help you giveaway some coins to kids who care that are worth some $$$ as their not getting none no mores

find a local coin club and have a y/n come over in front of um and praise him...not them

JohnMaben · September 2, 2008 8:25AM

Good luck!!! I worked at NGC for almost nine years beside others with teenagers like myself, and NONE of us were successful in getting ANY of them interested.
My observations conclude sadly that kids just don't like coins. I have seen some get the kids interested when they reach around 18 and start to see it as a money making opportunity.

BillyKingsley · September 2, 2008 8:28AM

Buy them mint condition Type 1 Standing Liberty Quarters.

BECOKA · September 2, 2008 8:32AM

Show him some pirate movies with lots of gold treasures, maybe National Treasure will work too.

Then show him some real gold and that he can start his own treasure chest.

lasvegasteddy · September 2, 2008 8:33AM

or nevada brothel tokens

GrumpyEd · September 2, 2008 8:35AM

I've known several YNs that (10-12yrs) that did get very intrested but when they hit 13 or the next few years they get more intrested in socializing. Still the same YNs will someday get back into it.

coindeuce · September 2, 2008 8:39AM

If you're trying to get them interested in the hobby as a projection of your persona, your motivation is misdirected. Let them find their own interests in life. On the other hand, if you just share whatever joy you find in the hobby yourself, they might just take that to heart as a way to find their own happiness in life.

speety · September 2, 2008 8:42AM

I started when i was 14, and still collect at 18. I think it's more their decision, if they have no interest in it, there is no way (short of maybe paying them lol) to get them into collecting. A Madmarty wienie coin might entertain them though lol

19Lyds · September 2, 2008 8:43AM

<< Forbid them.

>>

This might just work!

YaHa · September 2, 2008 8:47AM

Lock him in a closet and give him coin books and a candle. When he reads a chapter and gets hungry give him water and candy coins.

SilverEagles92 · September 2, 2008 8:55AM

You should get them some of those Palau coins with the topless mermaids on them... That should get them interested

WTCG · September 2, 2008 8:57AM

It is very difficult to get teenagers involved in coin collecting since there are other more attention grabbing hobbies out there for teens. Parties, girls and cars tend to have more appeal than coins. Heck, I wasn't buying coins when I was a teenager and even now I have moments when I look at a double-row box of slabbed coins out of my inventory and think: "I could exchange this lousy box of coins for a really nice car".

Affinity towards coins or any other hobby comes by nature, not by persuasion. If the teenagers are intrigued by numismatics then they will find their own way into involvement with the hobby. Having someone (especially a parent) trying to force a hobby upon a person or otherwise attempting to cram coin collecting down peoples' throats will almost never create interest and may actually incite resentment towards that hobby.

It's sort of like parents who make their young kids play an instrument like the violin or enter them in beauty pageants. The true talents are the ones who couldn't resist picking up a violin bow on their own will and not the ones who had after school lessons forced upon them.

lasvegasteddy · September 2, 2008 9:04AM

<<<Lock him in a closet and give him coin books and a candle. When he reads a chapter and gets hungry give him water and candy coins>>>

i like it

you could lay their allowance down (cash) on the counter and a coin next to it...tell um they only get to pick one and no lookin the coin up at time of offer

FilthyBroke · September 2, 2008 9:06AM

<< You should get them some of those Palau coins with the topless mermaids on them... That should get them interested

>>

Or one of these babies-

Seriously, if they are going to be interested, they'll figure it out without any help.

ricko · September 2, 2008 9:06AM

Do not even try... however, you could tell them for birthday, Father's day etc you would like coins... but special coins... and they would have to start learning a little bit to get you gifts... sorta a sideways introduction to the hobby... Cheers, RickO

GoldenEyeNumismatics · September 2, 2008 9:08AM

Tell them if they learn a lot about the hobby they can make a lot of money in it. Money appeals to teenagers.

Coxe · September 2, 2008 9:11AM

Get some hot teenage girls into the hobby first.

WTCG · September 2, 2008 9:40AM

<< Tell them if they learn a lot about the hobby they can make a lot of money in it. Money appeals to teenagers. >>

That's true in part, but the majority of coin dealers do not make a lot of money when compared to other professions. Teenagers like money, but most of them would rather make some working a job that they at least partly enjoy, that does not require initial start-up capital and lessens their chances of being jeered by their school peers. Besides, not every teenager can find a financial backer or have parents that are able or willing to back their kids financially, an aspect that is probably required when becoming a coin dealer.

In my earlier coin dealing years while I was still in college there were times when my classmates who were working part time in the freshmen dining hall were making a lot more money per week than I was. That was depressing.

numisma · September 2, 2008 10:04AM

My ten year old goes in and out of the hobby. He loves it when his mind is focused on coins/currency, but then he gets sidetracked by other hobbies. Lately it is the electric guitar and he doesn't even care about video games or anything.

But, to answer your question, you could get your kids interested by offering them a business opportunity. For example, set-up an eBay account and then have them image and list coins that you guys buy as a team. Maybe that would get them focused on coins, especially if you actually make money doing it.

Musky1011 · September 2, 2008 10:11AM

Link all the porn sites to here

drwstr123 · September 2, 2008 10:15AM

Tell them they can buy 'YAGERMEISTER' with them.

BrickAlley · September 2, 2008 10:19AM

Well it’s official this thread has come full circle, with sex, drugs and rock & roll all included.

JRocco · September 2, 2008 10:23AM

Show them coins like THIS and not those brutal Kennedy thingies you like and they might bite....

coltgus · September 2, 2008 10:44AM

I think some people are interested in collecting stuff and others simply are not. Those that are not collectors will not get interested in coins no matter what you do.

options26 · September 2, 2008 10:56AM

Teach them to cherry pick. What better way than to teach them but with the money making side of it. All else will fall into place as the mature. SHow them vams, cameo proof sets, varieties etc.

Sell a couple of your cherry picks, then dance all around the house telling them what you paid and what you got for it, the wheels will start turning.

fc · September 2, 2008 10:57AM

metal detecting... leads to finding old treasures which happen to be
coins.

BBN · September 2, 2008 11:53AM

He's really young and it's very hard to get teens into it. This really is an older gentleman's hobby. He'll either be into someday or he won't, but I'm thinking many people's interest begins as young kids, wanes in the teen years and reignites in adulthod. At least I did. I was into it until around 11-12years old and never cared until my passion returned at age 30.

TwoSides2aCoin · September 2, 2008 12:30PM

I am 16 going on 17

bidask · September 2, 2008 12:39PM

take them to the Smithsonian and show them the coin collection of the US

Snowman24 · September 2, 2008 8:17PM

i showed him my Registery set on NGC and now he wanted his own

CoinHusker · September 2, 2008 8:42PM

<< Forbid them.

>>

That's too funny.

cladking · September 3, 2008 7:08AM

I'm with the majority here. It will be difficult to interest teenage boys in coins.

I might suggest that you just try to "plant the idea". Give them both a collection
of something that has some real value and is really theirs but store it for them un-
til they move out of the house. This doesn't have to be extremely expensive. It
could be a year set of nice attractive Morgans or a collection of mint or proof sets.

Be sure to sit down for at least a few minutes and talk about the coins and why
you love collecting. Just be prepared for them not to become interested later be-
cause that's always a possibility. Many people who don't start before about eleven
just don't have the "bug" and aren't ever going to become collectors.

sumnom · September 3, 2008 7:35AM

I wouldn't try . What's the point in pushing them into doing something in which they have no interest?

SkyMan · September 3, 2008 9:00AM

Kevin, am I correct in assuming you showed them coins when they were kids? Assuming you did, they either were or were not interested in them. If they weren't, then forget about it. If they were interested then it is very common for teenagers to walk away from the hobby and come back later in life. Other than that, it is their life, let them decide what they are interested in. After all, you might find what they get interested in to be fascinating also.

Boom · September 3, 2008 9:10AM

You're kidding - right?

You mean, young boys DON'T take to old coins?

That IS strange! How old are these young men?

I have THE sure fired way to get them interested!

Give them a choice! For particulars, PM me!

zeebob · September 3, 2008 9:14AM

<< My ten year old goes in and out of the hobby. He loves it when his mind is focused on coins/currency, but then he gets sidetracked by other hobbies. Lately it is the electric guitar and he doesn't even care about video games or anything.

But, to answer your question, you could get your kids interested by offering them a business opportunity. For example, set-up an eBay account and then have them image and list coins that you guys buy as a team. Maybe that would get them focused on coins, especially if you actually make money doing it. >>

I gave the issue some thought last night. My folks tried to get me interested when I was a kid. Some of the lessons stuck, but the interest only happened about the time I hit 40.

One of the things that bugged the heck out of me as a kid was that the only way to make money at coins was to hold them for 40 years. Well shucks, what kid is going to want to do that? Their time horizons are SHORT - measured in hours or days.

I think I would try either the above suggestion, or maybe this one.

Give each boy $200 (or pick a number). Give them 45 days or 60 days to grow the money using ONLY coins. Buy low, sell high. The son that has the highest profit at the end of the time period wins. The winner gets another $200 (or pick a number).

This might give them incentive to learn about coins. Worst case, you'll be out some cash. Best case one or more of your sons will find he's good at numismatics.

I seem to recall being a kid and thinking - all these coins are neat, but how many damn New Zealand hay-pennies can a fella stand to look at. I never had much in the way of money as a kid, neither did mom or dad. So I ended up with coins from the flea market or junk box. Nothing interesting in circulation. So why spend time on something as boring as coins when I could be out making a few bucks doing yard work or spending a few bucks playing video games. (Girls and cars came latter).

Just a thought. Tough problem.

Bob

Bochiman · September 3, 2008 9:28AM

Do they like photography?
Can they help you take pics? Some kids are more adept at photography than some adults and that may be one way to get help and have them learn at the same time.

Get a Dansco7070 and ask for their help/advice on some coins that get in there.....stay away from the moderns initially...they would see those and not think anything about it.
Try for the obselete numbers (2 cent, 3 cent, half-dime, twenty cent...you get the idea). Same for the type I SLQ....Tell them the difference and get their opinions.
Get different mint mark examples as well.....make sure they know about the different mints and what to look for.

DO NOT get low grade examples....that turned me off when I was young (and I didn't know better) and my son doesn't like them either, but he does like toned coins and I do ask his help in a lot of the coins we purchase.

Another thing you can do......tell them you want to give them a little starter money and will help them research, if they want, some coins/series. You will front them the money if they want to buy/sell. Don't encourage the quick flips though (maybe the mint items, but be careful there as if they get stuck with losers, they will likely lose interest quickly).

If they buy something for $100 and can sell it for $150 in a few months/year, they get $50 plus whatever you want to give them from the front money.
If you get them to do a little of this on ebay/the BST here, you can teach them about some math and business (as well as ethics). I keep hearing of too many kids not knowing how to balance a checkbook, handle simple number calculations, etc, that my son is, and will continue, doing the above with me so that he knows for when he is on his own.

Another way to get some interest in the coins (I am hoping you can trust them....not meant to be insulting at all, but I do hear stories of the kids stealing from their parents) is to show them the spreadsheet of what you have (or a portion of it) and show them the values (bought for/sold for (or still have and the current value), etc.

Tell them that you have to make a choice at some point......keep the collection to pass on (as coins and their values) or to sell at some point to get the cash so they don't get ripped off. Show them the stories here of folks getting ripped off by dealers when they don't know better. Tell them you don't want that to be them...that you would hate for them to get $100 for something worth $1000 or more. That if they knew more about the coins and dealers, then they could benefit from the full amount, but otherwise, you will have to sell off at some point (and then add in, as if in afterthought, that is "may be a good thing to do as the money could be used for mom and I on a few nice vacations....."

TwoSides2aCoin · September 3, 2008 9:29AM

Find teenaged girls who are cute and into coins.

( i know it's already been mentioned, but it is the most logical)

SanctionII · September 3, 2008 9:42AM

Thanks for the excellent (and humorous) suggestions.

I was thinking about the photography angle and the making money angle. I laughed when the "find some cute teenaged girl collectors" was suggested. Do you know of any teenaged girls who collect coins? Rara Avis IMHO

Bochiman · September 3, 2008 2:27PM

<< Thanks for the excellent (and humorous) suggestions.

I was thinking about the photography angle and the making money angle. I laughed when the "find some cute teenaged girl collectors" was suggested. Do you know of any teenaged girls who collect coins? Rara Avis IMHO

>>

For the right coinage, I could find some

GFourDriver · September 3, 2008 3:16PM

Thats a tough call, I have two teen-age boys and one is really into coin collecting, the other could care less even after I have bought coins for him. I think it's not so much what you would like them to take an interest in, but more what they want to be interested in.

Since you said that you have tried to get them interested in the past with no success there isn't much hope of getting them interested now. The only thing you can do is find out what their interests are and become more involved in that. Try taking them up for an introductory flight lesson at the local airport.... maybe you will all find an interest in flying....lol.

BobGreene · September 4, 2008 8:51AM

The idea of using the money-making angle to interest kids in coins is bothersome to me. When I was a kid, the idea of making money off collecting coins didn't even enter my mind! I think using that tactic to to inspire them to "collect" coins is wrong. Collecting and enjoying coins wouldn't be their motive, but greed and money.

zeebob · September 4, 2008 9:05AM

<< The idea of using the money-making angle to interest kids in coins is bothersome to me. When I was a kid, the idea of making money off collecting coins didn't even enter my mind! I think using that tactic to to inspire them to "collect" coins is wrong. Collecting and enjoying coins wouldn't be their motive, but greed and money. >>

Some people collect out of OCD, some out of greed. First things first.

I say set the hook with a little greed and money and let them grow into crazy OCD afflicted old men that hoard pocket change in old mason jars buried eight feet east of the north-east corner of the garage...

With any luck, some where along the way will be the "happy collector phase" that we all see think of ourselves in.

Bochiman · September 4, 2008 9:49AM

<< 

<< The idea of using the money-making angle to interest kids in coins is bothersome to me. When I was a kid, the idea of making money off collecting coins didn't even enter my mind! I think using that tactic to to inspire them to "collect" coins is wrong. Collecting and enjoying coins wouldn't be their motive, but greed and money. >>

Some people collect out of OCD, some out of greed. First things first.

I say set the hook with a little greed and money and let them grow into crazy OCD afflicted old men that hoard pocket change in old mason jars buried eight feet east of the north-east corner of the garage...

With any luck, some where along the way will be the "happy collector phase" that we all see think of ourselves in. >>

I'm w/ Bobgreene on this one....the difference being that I think they should be shown that money can be made and smart decisions SHOULD be made, since coins are a hobby and potentially an investment.
That's why I didn't talk about a lot of flipping but taking some time to see coins appreciate.

Anyone have any suggestions for getting my teenaged boys into the hobby?

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