OldSilver, its not that these kids think that they know more than you. Its the fact they are close minded and stubborn. A lot of kids in HS want to make believe they are smart and tough. It takes maturity to confess to oneself that they are wrong and clearly these are kids not adults. Let them see the errors of their own ways, you can teach them the truth, its up to them to actually learn something.
yes, people who know little will always pretend to know alot. As long as even us coin collectors know we can be wrong sometimes, its all good. I'm sure we all have told someone a "fact" in another field and inside they laughed at us as well.
Just because you tell someone you collect coins doesn't necessarily mean you are what you say you are though (just put yourself in their shoes)? There's plenty of coin collectors that are not very knowledgeable about the actual thing they collect as well (trust me, I've met some). Sure it's unlikely this kids mom does work at the U.S. Mint but look how quickly you dismissed his claim? I mean, for all we know she could work there, perhaps in accounting or as a janitor and thinks she has knowledge about coins but actually doesn't. But you were debating a kid who was likely thinking the same thing about you, that you think you're a big know-it-all coin collector and you really aren't. :yes: I don't miss high school drama at all.