I'm a golfer and I use a Walking Liberty Half as my ball marker. I find that it sometimes initiates conversation with other golfers who may be curious or also hobbyists. Are there any other golfers out there who use a coin as a ball marker? If so, what do you use? What other creative ways are there to show your interest in coin collecting?
I spend presidential dollars and sacagwea dollars all of the time. I also spend $2 bills and put tons of circulated wheat cents back into circulation. Most people don't seem to care, but sometimes people notice and ask about them.
I use coins in magic tricks. When I'm showing kids, I'll turn their penny into an Indian Head or a large British penny. There's always some patter to go along with it, like sending their coin into the past and it comes back as an old coin.
I give them away and bore them with details. My brother~in~law seems to love the Morgan I gave him he flips before pool games.
I love this sort of thing. I always carry 3-4 Ikes with me when I'm going out to dinner, and if a server does something extra or exceptional, I'll flip him/her an Ike in addition to the regular tip.
I know a non-collector who uses a half dime as a ball marker. I have no idea how he doesn't lose it. I know a collector/dealer who uses a $50 slug as a card protector. Come to think of it, I have no idea how he doesn't lose this, either. I'm not that ostentatious (although I would probably use an old coin as a ball marker if I played golf). But I am known to occasionally carry cool pocket pieces.
There's a grinder down in Tunica, MS that uses a $20 Double Eagle as a card protector. Other locals insist it's genuine. I've never had enough money to sit down with him and ask. *lol*
I have a 1900 Morgan that is beyond beat up, worn down, rolled up dry and put away wet, that I use for a good luck piece at bingo. It was lucky enough to allow me to win a $2034.50 progressive split pot 3 weeks ago. When people see it sitting on our table they ask about it and I give them a brief history of the Morgan, and let them know I am a numismatist. There are several who are going to the coin show here next weekend for their first time.
