The lost generation

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The guy that got me to become a member of the ANA is Ken Hallenbeck. He was president of the ANA when he helped me sign-up. At the time, Ken was into collecting those expired plastic cards you mention. His collection was impressive & I was glad to contribute some of my own cards to his collection (as they expired of course).

 

*Shakes fist*

 

I hate paying with cards. When you pay with plastic, you never get any change to search through! Lol.

 

The only lost generation are those who can't read a roadmap.

Chris

 

I'm very impressed with the group of YN's participating in this thread! I started at the age of 11 and I'm 67 now. Might I suggest that all of you take a serious look at attending the ANA Summer Session? It would add so much to your numismatic knowledge and give you the opportunity to meet and talk one-on-one with the hobby's current leading experts. It's really cool to be in a large group that "speaks the same language" There are quite a few scholarships available as well. If any of you are interested contact the ANA in Colorado Springs - it would be worth the effort.

 

@RiverGuy: I am already working on getting a scholarship =)

 

What?! A girl that "loves" Mercury dimes?! Lincolncent, you are no longer allowed to read my fantasy journal.

 

I started collecting at 6, I'm now 20. Stopped for a bit when the local coin shop went out of business, but he has returned to the area and opened up a few shops, so I'm back in it. His staff used to be really skeptical of me, but they warmed up quickly - which is nice, they set aside things for me to look through before they put them out on the floor, can't complain there.

 

In that case I am good. Went to Florida and back on a roadmap. No GPS, don't even own one.

lol Last time I found one in change she quite literally wrestled it out of my hand.

 

Wait til you toss in the word Ancient into "I collect coins."

 

Coin collecting wasn't that popular even when I was a child (late '70s.) I handled it by keeping my hobby to myself except for other coin collectors I met.

Here's an anecdote for you. In 1979 or '80, when I was ten, I was being babysat by a quite attractive girl who was about 17 or so. She kept an occasional eye on me, but preferred to stay in my parents' bedroom. One time when she was checking up on me, I was washing some George V pennies I had found in the adjoining bathroom with soap and water. I explained to he what I was doing, and she just gave me a "yeah-yeah" look and went back to my parent's bedroom. Later in the evening, I checked up on her and saw her lying down with her eyes closed on the part of the bed where my mom slept.

As it turned out, she had taken some pills that were highly illegal. My dad had to carry her out and take her home. (I found this out long after: my mom and dad arrived after I fell asleep.)

As I said, I was only ten at the time and I was wearing glasses that could be charitably described as "serviceable." I chalked her lack of interest up to me being lesser than the cool set (but not to the age difference.) In this case, it wasn't a bad thing she thought my avocation was boring. She might have invited me to share hers.

 

Well, I am 25 and married so I don't have to worry about find a girl to deal with my coin collecting habbits, but rather I try and make sure she hangs around lol. The other night I mentioned to her that when we have the cash I want to buy a 1932-D Washington quarter. She says "How much is that?"
"About $200" I reply.
"For a quarter!!! How can you spend $200 on a quarter!! No! Well, if we REALLY have the money...." This all coming from a woman who collected Bob Mackie Barbies as a girl, and can't connect on why I like coins and want to buy some of the rares >.<

Also, Protovdo, if the girl in your office that gave you the blank stare is cute...or any girl that gives you a blank stare when you mention coins you just say "Listen baby, I've got gold and silver. I can fly you and I to Paris and stay for a week in a beautiful hotel with the proceeds off of one quarter. How does that sound?" If she bites, just tell her she has to hang around a bit for that Paris trip =P. Oh, and I have never tried this and do NOT guarantee any positive results.

 

I had already driven to 45 states before GPS was invented.

Chris

 

This reminds me of the time when I was 15, about '62 or '63, and we decided to set up a shooting range in the basement of the two brothers who lived next door to us. Mom & Dad were at work, my younger brother and sister were somewhere playing in the neighborhood and I don't know where my older sister was. I got the Ruger single-action 22 from the closet in my parents bedroom, and we fooled around for about an hour shooting at targets. When I went to put the gun back, I didn't think anything about the door to my parent's bedroom being closed. I swung it open holding the gun in my right hand, and there were my older sister and her boyfriend lying naked on my parent's bed. You should have seen the look on his face when he saw the gun! He never came back to our house again.

Chris

 

Well, I'm 52 and get the same thing at auctions. I would bid $20 on a Coronet Large Cent and others would look at me like I was mad. I've often had people pull change out of their pocket and ask me the worth. I would tell them $0.31 (quarter, nickel, cent). These same people would bid up comic books, post cards, and art work. Although I don't collect those items, I understand that some of that stuff is worth some money. I just wait for the coins. I don't often bid on stuff that I don't understand. Please note the work "often". When I do, it usually doesn't end well.

 

Yeah, these incidents are funny long after the fact. Helluva 'bratty little brother' story.

 

Here's a curve-ball for y'all:

What would happen if coin collecting suddenly became popular? Would you feel you've come into your own, or would you get antsy worrying about a numismatics bubble?

 

You'd become a stud muffin and women would throw themselves at your feet........

 

Nice thought.

[But what about the women here?]