I have not been active on this forum for a couple years now, but this seemed like a good place to share something coin related so I have returned. When I first started posting here I was quite young (probably 9 or 10), and although I stopped using this forum, I never lost my passion for coins. When applying to college a few years back I decided to leverage my unique hobby (not too many peers my age really collect in any serious fashion) to make my college application essay stand out from the crowd. I did not think much after writing it but low and behold it helped me attend my dream school. So for what it's worth I decided to share that exact essay here with everyone today. Please enjoy (and I do apologize about my high school level writing) I love coins, but I am not greedy. I simply collect them. What is often seen as simply a relaxing pastime, for me provides a lens through which to view the world. For me coin collecting is, and always has been, all about perspective. It forces me to look beyond just the simple monetary value of a nondescript piece of metal, and to instead look deeper and see its true story. The endless vault of potential discovery had me hooked as a child and has continued to influence me to this day. Known as the “hobby of kings,” many see Numismatics as a pastime belonging only to an affluent elite, but it is truly open to everyone. I began by simply rooting around in stray mounds of change. I did not have the scantest clue what I was searching for, yet the thrill of finding a new state quarter made up for my lack of understanding. I did not so much find the coins themselves to be of particular interest, but instead the thrill of finding a treasure in an object as mundane as a pile of pennies was the attraction, even if what I found was truly just a penny worth its face value. It was as if I had found a hidden gem, whose true value only I knew. Upon noticing my newfound hobby, my grandfather decided to give me some guidance. Together we would go out to research and discover coins. He helped sparked a lifelong pursuit of history and a desire to collect. Through our mutual interest, we formed a lasting bond that continues to fuel my fascination. With my grandfather's help, my collection began to grow and never stopped. I no longer just enjoyed the hunt, but I collected out of a desire to further my understanding of the hobby. As my thirst for knowledge grew, I began to branch out into paper money, world currency, and ancient coins. The more I collected, the more I began to realize the extent to which money connects to the world around it. Many see coin collecting as an excruciatingly mundane and boring hobby, but to me it presents an unparalleled pastime. Coins are an elegant combination of history, technology, and art, that hides in plain sight every day. When I hold the cold metal of a coin or the worn fibers of a paper bill in my hand, I feel as if I’m in possession of a living remnant of history, one which I am tasked to protect. Each piece is like an intricate time capsule, preserving the culture, the beliefs, and the technology of an era long since passed. An piece of history that will outlive me. When I grasp a timeworn coin, I am overcome with a sense of curiosity that pushes me to take a deeper look at the world around me. Take for example the Morgan Dollar, one of the most beautiful coins ever made, which upon closer inspection yields an unexpected history. It was born out of a fierce political battle, and designed by an incredible artist, and although these events and people have long since passed from popular memory, these coins still exist as a vibrant window into the past. As with the Morgan Dollar, each piece tells its own unique story that often goes completely unnoticed, but will likely live on for generations to come. It is this unique and hidden story that I seek to decipher from each coin. Once I began to realize the depth a simple metal disc could contain, I began to comprehend that there is nothing in life that can be taken simply at face value. Just as it is with life, coin collecting is not about the ultimate destination, but instead a journey of discovery and knowledge. It is the often obscured history and intricate details that make even the most mundane events fascinating and uncover a new lens into the world.
Congratulations on attending your dream College. Secondly, very nicely written essay. Very thoughtful and insightful. It shares many of the same feelings I have when exploring this great hobby. Thank you for sharing it. I very much enjoyed reading it. Welcome Back to CT.
I was being a smart aleck plus if there was the conflict, It is easy to forget. It's always good to keep the mind sharp.
Tell us about the "fierce political battle" and more about the "incredible artist" Morgan? From Wiki : Morgan_dollar
