which coin should I give to a friend to start their child's coin collection?

I almost think you are describing many of us here on CT.

 

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Last week, I started my seven year old grandson with Kennedy Halves. I gave him a stack and a blank Whitman book and bought him a magnifier. After explaining mint marks, I told him to sort the coins at home and make a list of the different dates before he puts them in the book, so that I could print labels for him when he starts to install them. He called to tell me that some of the coins don't have "letters".

 

The problem is that there are some kids who are interested in old things and even ancient coins but they are rarely the ones that belong to old guys who have a few thousand of them. I wish medoraman had a child who like to organize, catalog and photograph coins so we could all see what lurks in his buckets full of coins. I wish my only grandson could develop an interest in ancients before he sells off my estate but we don't always get what we want.

 

I have a couple of friends that just had babies. I got each of them a 2008 half dollar commemorative, the bald eagle and it was graded PF70UC. I check the price for them once in a while out of curiosity. The coins value has been increasing but it has been a slow crawl.

 

I like that. Maybe when the kids are young, start an animal themed collection of world coins?

 

Maybe one will Doug, but we should give them a few years. The oldest just turned 4.

 

That is what I am doing sir. My 4 year old has about 25 ounces of world silver coins, from pandas to elephants to eagles and tarantulas, etc. He enjoys going to shows with me.

 

I thin the Victorinus coin has a striking error(A double nose).

 

Thanks for lots of input. My wife agreed about the Victorinus story. My thinking was the coins would stay with mom & dad for a long time and then be a gift.
I have a 6 year old grandson and have yet to start a collection for him. I hope to take him to a children's auction soon. That is a good way to start. He gets "free" money to bid on something. I think my first buy for him could be Lincoln cents or undated buffalo nickels that we re-date together.
And yes, the Victorinus has an extra nose (or light doubling on obverse).

 

I lent my daughter's 6th grade class an ancient, Julia Domna/Ceres, to look at since they were studying the Roman Empire and the idea that it was authentic, actual money from then and that old, STILL was not that interesting. My daughter likes the state quarters more than anything else since they are easier to collect.

 

I'm with John. Big and shiny.

 

Couple weeks ago i had a Dad and Son come to the door selling popcorn for the cub Scouts, the boy was 8 or 9. i was very impressed with the young man, standing in his uniform, telling me about his fundraiser. i love caramel popcorn so i bought a can.
After they left it came to me to grab a Ancient coin, so i went through the coin stack. i found a Constantine The Great coin. great details on both sides, i think it from our very own JA.
When the Father saw it, he couldn't believe the details and was very thankful.we stood in the light rain talking about coins. So i invited him to our coin club show in January, we have one of our members puts on a clinic for Merritt badges, treasure hunt and a lot of giveaways. told him to bring as many boys as possible.
Maybe that one coin will get he and his Dad collecting.

 

When my daughter was in third grade, they were studying coins (which I thought was pretty neat - I don't remember studying coins in third grade!). I lent her a sestertius of Gordian III to take to class, nothing expensive - something they could pass around and hold. When I asked her how it went, she said, "Yeah, they thought it was cool. Can I have a snack?"

I think kids are so fresh to world, and it's so brand-new to them, that they have a difficult time appreciating something ancient. It just doesn't register.