Earliest Hints That You Would Become A Coin Addicted Junkie

I clearly remember the moment that I became a coin collector. It was when I was shuffling off to grade school and my mom handed me a Franklin half to buy my lunch with. I was mesmerized by that huge coin in my hand..... But what about your earliest clue that you didn't know at the time was setting the stage for your future addiction?

I had completely forgotten that as a very young boy I would sneak into my grandads bedroom to ogle over his "Good Luck Cent". It was sooo old to me being 1930's-1940's vintage. Sneaking into his room to look at his ancient cent was a non-memory in my mind until the day our very own @lordmarcovan gifted me the one below and that memory washed over me like a warm bath.

What was your first clue that you would become a coin addict?

 

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I'm not sure what the first thing was, probably something my big brother was doing, maybe for Scouts. But my first clear coin-related memory is my grandfather dumping his bag of "old coins" out on his kitchen table. All those coins that looked different from the ones I was used to seeing! Mercury dimes, some Indian-head cents -- and those gorgeous Walking Liberty halves. I was entranced.

I have to admit, though, the first time I saw a Franklin half, my main thought was "wow, that's ugly!" Ben's bald head on the front, a boring old bell on the back, with only a tiny little eagle next to it -- ick. I know I resemble Mr. Franklin myself more with each passing year, but it's still not a favorite design.

 

Now that is a nice 11th birthday gift!

 

My mother had an old plastic "safe" banks used to give out for saving. I used to break into it daily when I was 4 in order to view an old Fine walking liberty half dollar. I thought that was the most beautiful thing in the world. That was the start of my addiction. I still have it, looking at it in my office. It was the only thing I wanted from my mother's house when she passed away.

 

I didn't really have an interest in coins when that picture was taken but with those pants and Hush Puppies you should be able the smell the geek right through the monitor.

Still had five more years before full geekdom.

 

Sometime in 1962, East Bay of San Francisco. Selling TV Guide magazine door-to-door, my customers paid me with coins, 15 cents a pop. My cut was 4 cents.
The day I got a beautiful AU58 mercury dime as payment fascinated me…and, so it began. I was getting IHC, Buffalo nickels and Winged Liberty from circulation. I couldn’t keep them all but I had collected a hundred or so coins within a year, after paying the bills…I was 11 years old…Spark

 

Started off CRH and was hoarding copper cents.Then I realized what am I doing!!went to the LCS and got some coins much more appealing and intriguing with them,rather then having thousands of cents that made no sense!!!.

 

OK, that's the hook, which begs the question: Did you skip lunch that day???

 

I certainly did! That same half dollar resides in my grandsons collection today.

 

When I was about 7 I spent the night over at grandma's and grandpa's. Grandfather was a roll searcher and that night he let me help him... and reimbursed me heavily for helping with the task. Nearly 3 hours and millions of cents later he paid me in an Indian Cent, Lincoln Wheat and a Buffaloe nickel. God only imagined what the payout would have been if I stayed at it for another couple hours!? I couldn't wait until next weekend to find out!

 

From my Uncle Leslie Parker who, when I was 12 & visiting he & my aunt in NM,
gave me an XF 1854-O seated liberty quarter & a 1908-S IHC from his vast collection. He was a railroad retiree and avid collector of both coins and U.S. Duck stamps.
I've been trying to replace the quarter with an even better grade, but good deals are far and few between.
J.T.

 

Mom had a quart jar of coins she had saved from circulation. Buffalo nickels, Mercury's, walkers, Franklin's, a couple Morgans, a couple Peace dollars. As a kid in his single digit years, (I'm a 1973 model), she'd let me play with them. I'd dump them out on my bedspread and examine them, and sort them. The old designs seemed very cool, even romantic to me. Old silver even has a distinctive smell doesn't it?
A few years later I ordered a peace dollar from an ad, maybe Littleton? Been chasing coins ever since.

 

Yes, yes it most certainly does.

 

About 15-17 years ago or so I wanted a hobby. Looked around for awhile and here I am, and absolutely have no regrets. There are many things I like about it, and I'll share a couple.

Like most hobbys there are numerous levels you operate in which which costs are involved. I knew I had kids to educate so my amount of money I spent was entirely up to me.

I have a good friend that is into karting, but don't think it is cheap. I went with him recently and I admit is fast and fun. He has two karts one with shiftable gears and one without. Recently he blew an engine on one, costing about 6 grand to replace. As much as I love racing it is costlier that owning a boat. Boy, let me tell you those carts are fast, 70 to 80+ on the straightway so quick.

 

I have always liked Hush Puppies.

 

Probably when I was in 3rd grade. We were learning about business and our teacher ran out of fake money so she used her own money. I got some fake stuff but there was one penny - a 1920 S Wheat Penny VF. I asked her if I could have the coin after class since it looked so different and she said yes. The rest is history. Still have the coin and always will.

 

I became "addicted" before I reached the age of reason. So, was I addicted or not? In 1948 my aunt gave me an 1885 Liberty Nickel. I was 5 years old. At the same time she gave me an 1883 W/O Cents. The 1883 was high AU. It was a beauty.

One day shortly thereafter my mother took me downtown to the only book store we had. I found a book on coins and it listed the 1885 as being worth $5. That was 75 years ago and I was hooked.