My Great Uncle passed away in 2002. He is the person that got me started in coin collecting. He bought me my first Whitman penny folder, a collection starting in 1975. I was about 8 years old, and remember not having the patience to start putting just a coin a year in the book, so I "back dated" it, starting in 1930. I wrote (in pencil) under all of the blank spaces - 1931, 1932, etc... so I could start filling the book right away with any old pennies I could find. The book goes on out to 2015 in this way. Since about 1976, I take the first new penny of the year I find and put it in that book. I just put in my 2012 penny the other day. Every time I do this, I think of my Uncle. Prior to his passing in 2002, he left me his collection of coins. My Unc was a member of the Warren Coin Club, in Warren, Michigan. I have gone through his collection many times, but never really paid any special attention to this token/medallion/medal or whatever it is - that signified his membership in the club. It is very well struck, and must have been given out to all of the members. It feels like it may be brass, though I am not sure. It doesn't seem like you see these kinds of things anymore. I think the members of the club would send away for different foreign proof sets, as my uncle has quite a few of them. I also know that the different members would buy/sell/trade with each other at their meetings. I remember that my uncle would always look through his pocket change. He would save interesting coins he found in the 1940's and 50's. As a result, I have a very nice and extensive collection of Indian Head Cents, Buffalo Nickels, Mercury Dimes, Walker and Barber Halves, Standing Liberty Quarters and Morgan and Peace Dollars. I also have the coin wrappers with his writing, his notes and some info on where and when he bought some of his coins. This brings me to my favorite aspect of collecting. Bonding with members of your family over it. My unc would show me his new acquisitions and let me read his coin books. As a kid, I just loved it and thought it was fascinating. This collection of his probably started in the 1930's, when he was a teenager. I started my own collection in the 1970's and now our collections are combined. My uncle would share his interest in gardening and baseball with me and my brothers, but coins were ours only - as my brothers didn't show an interest in them. That makes it special for me even to this day. My own nephew has an interest in coin collecting, and one day I hope to leave it all to him, so he can build on it with the things that he finds interesting. It is odd, as coins are available to anyone, but the collection is based on the tastes and interests of members of my family over a very long time. That makes it special, and irreplaceable. Everytime I "roll-search", or add something to my collection, I think of my uncle. My greatest hope is that he would be happy and proud of my stewardship.
That is a really lovely write-up. You are blessed to have such a great connection with your Great Uncle. Thank you so much for sharing.
Good for your Uncle & Good for you. It is seldom that appreciation is posted for the thoughtful persons who passes on his most chariest possessions.
Wow, this article is one of the best that I've read on here. I have to say that coin collecting to me is something very near to my heart. My Grandfather had started collecting coins back in the 60's and his mother started collecting probably in the 30's. I have recently picked up coin collecting and it's something that I have shared with my Grandfather since I was a kid. I recently turned 25 and have once again started going through my Great Grandmother's collection with my Grandfather, and now it's something we do a few times a week. My Grandfather is the most important person in my life, and has done more for me in 25 years than I could ever tell. I can only hope that I will be half the man he is. But, the time that we get to spend together, even being 25, is something that I will forever cherish, and every time I buy a coin or look through my change I think of him. I hope to have a collection like his one day and pass on to my kids. But, this was a great article about you and your Great Uncle, I think a lot of people could share stories about how they got into this kind of collecting and that one person who started it all for us!!
I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this. I look at it the same as you. I received some nice coins from my grandparents a while back. They were not serious collectors but saved some nice stuff over the years. I'm 31 and have one grandmother left that is in great health. It's nice to have a connection with people by their things after they are gone. I hope my kids will view my stuff the same way and have an appreciation for collectibles. Once somebody is gone, all you have is their stuff and the memories. Most everything is big, common, or junk that can't be stored and isn't needed. Often times can't be saved. Coin collections can be saved and reminisced about. That's pretty special if somebody is willing to realize it.
Affective motivations Hi there, I like your personal stories. Coin collectors often have family / childhood memories among their reasons for beginning their collection. My grandfather too, offered me a big French silver coin when I was 9 or 10, later as a teenager I started to collect French coins. I also had a few US ones, from American cousins from Seattle. As a young adult I gave up everything and sold my collection. Today I am 51, a decade ago I started my collection again, this time only French coins of the 5th Republic, that is to say more or less from my year of birth... So it is a bit like the unfolding of my own life, it is very personal and affective. For instance when I see my coins from the 60s and 70s they send me back to "happy days". I am happy to have found this site and bring my contribution.
Your story is very similar to mine. I have over the years moved all of the collections from my grandparents into Danscos, but the old Whitman folder that started it all will continue to get the first coin that I pull out of my change each year. The Dansco gets a nice one out of a roll, but it only feels rite if I put a circulation coin in the Whitman. Thank you for sharing your story, it is what collecting is all about.
A lot coin clubs issued medals similar to yours in the 60's and 70's. I have close to a hundred of them. It looks like MACO's work? Looks like your uncle took good care of it. Please don't worry about the black areas. It was made that way to give it an antique look.
I think I must agree with Kasia in writing that what you have written is most lovely indeed. You've 'pinged' on my past, dear fellow. God rest your dear Uncle and God bless you Sir for carrying on a family tradition........
