Coin collecting for autistic son of friend?

Hey folks!

Anyone have any experience with coin collecting as a possible hobby for a young man with autism?

*If* it interests him (major factor, IIRC), it 'strikes' me (did you see what I did there?) that the meticulous attention to detail, categorization, organization, etc., *might* be a very good way to channel some of his creative energy.

Also might give parents & siblings a different way to interact with him.

Anyone have any thoughts, experiences, resources, or suggestions? Please feel free to reach out here or via PM.

My initial thought was "start small", like collection U.S. cents in year folders... Or for a bit more expense, state quarters...

 

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Your probably on to something. Old time dealers like Thomas Elder suggested coin collecting for boys and young men for those same reasons.

 

I have no experience at all in this area but my first thought was not to restrict the subject matter to just coins. Options are vast so I would try to get an idea what his specific interests are. For example he might have an interest in cars so Hot Wheels might be a better fit. Just food for thought!!! If coins are it, I would start with less expensive coins first and see how long the interest pasts. Finally, I think you have an excellent idea and would be interested in hearing the results.

 

One more thought! You should check with his Doctor first. It could cause additional anxiety.

 

My take, based on varying degrees of personal experience -- it's quite possible he'd like it. It's also possible that he'd have zero interest. Best to offer him the opportunity, and see how he reacts.

Rain Man and a lot of popular press on autism plays up the OCD aspects of the condition, and as we've often said here, OCD and coin collecting (or any form of collecting) happily go hand-in-hand. But there's a lot more to autism than just that. Different people will have different reactions.

I guess it's good that we see autism as a spectrum now rather than a black-and-white diagnosis, but "where you are on the spectrum" is still a really crude classification. There are lots of different dimensions, and you can be fairly "neurotypical" on some of them, but far, far from the norm on others. Just like anything else having to do with human minds and personalities.

 

It would in large part depend on where he is on the spectrum. Also as someone already suggested talk to the adults in his life. His parents should bring this up to his doctor. If the word back is positive I am sure that CT members would be able to provide him with a "starter kit."

 

You might find a CU Thread of 27 Feb. 2011, by halfcentman ( Greg Heim) interesting.

Then there is the son of Eagle Eye.

 

It depends really, I know coin collecting could be a good way to spend time and really get into it. For some, it's trains, for others it's specific historical periods (I know a guy who's really into the Crusades) but that's not all there is to it. Autism can also heavily affect abilities to connect with other people, but have little to no issues in other areas of one's life. I guess the best course of action would be to gather input and see if it's something he has any interest in, or any adjacent historical periods. If he's obsessed with late antiquity, maybe some LRBs would be a good place to start.

 

Money (available funds) is an important factor, so I'm limiting it to readily available moderns.

 

Yes, The club was looking for a way to participate with an afflicted group of 10 young members with problems. They understood numbers and years. I loaned them a bag of 5000 Lincolns I had from an old purchase and provided a big
supply of cents wrappers donated from a Bank. P,D,S was too much , so only the year was checked. Over the month they completed it and were jazzed as they started checking their coins at home. I let them keep a few rolls of their favorite years and the rest of the rolls have stayed sealed with me except about a month ago, I thought about selling them unopened, but labeled by year, and this thread has triggered it again. Jim

 

Heck yes. I would absolutely pony up for that.

 

I recall you posting in the Thread I mentioned. I had bookmarked it at the time, because of the many members that were either themselves autistic on some level, or their children were. Many still post, 13 years later. It is interesting where Eagle Eyes' son landed, given his self-prediction at the time.

 

Quarters found in change (provided by adults in his/her world).

Forgive my lack of wokeness regarding relationship between prounouns and biology.

 

Noble thoughts. Thanks

 

It might be a very individual hobby - what kind of objects interest the individual? Maybe low value foreign coins with different numbers of sides would appeal to an individual who likes tactile things.

 

I’m in… let me know. Him getting coins in mail, folder etc.. But as one said check with doc but I’m in to help! I know some people connect with certain things.

 

Update!

Thank you *all* for your wonderful response. I came here for advice, and Drew's father and I are both overwhelmed by your offers.

They are open to any and all offers of assistance. PM me for Drew's address.

(Mods, I have no idea what the protocol is here. Please let me know if this is allowed, if I should be handling this differently, etc.)

I plan to make another thread to provide updates. Check back here for a link once we get started... And assuming that it is a hobby that captures his attention.

His dad and I decided to buy Drew a Whitman (or other brand... Maybe Harris) folder for U.S. Cents as well as a simple shallow cardboard box lined with some tactile 'grip shelf liner' (to keep the coins from sliding around).

Thank you all again... So much... From me, and from Drew's parents. I have very high hopes for this, not only to give Drew a relatively inexpensive hobby, that also has a good chance of "meshing" with his mental and educational challenges, that has *tons* of different directions he can "run with it", and something in which his parents might be able to participate with him.

Thank you.

 

Can’t wait to hear how this goes. Pretty excited for the young man.

Edit… Let me know if filling Whitman’s is appealing to him. I could get him a big head start on a presidential dollar book if Whitman’s work for him.

 

If you will send me the address by my inbox, I will mail a roll of cents ( supposedly all different), but the kids put them together. If you are working with several, let me know how many and I will try to find the rolls for it. Teaching college science for 55
years has often been concluded as being on some Spectrum Jim