How much did you know about coins the day before you started collecting them?

Me? Well, let's just say I was so bad, I didn't even know what a numismatic was


How about you?


stainless

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

As I tend to measure the start of my collecting from my restart in 11th grade, I knew an awful lot. But as far as ancient coins, I knew only that they existed in various denominations back to the 8th century BC and that they were debased in 3rd century Rome.

 

More than me...lol....for some reason I thought all ancients were kept in museums.


stainless

 

I would like to express my ignorance with photos. I thought this was an extremely rare and ultra valuable 1834 Classic Head Quarter Eagle when I was a novice collector. I even remember telling someone who was holding it to be careful not to drop it because I didn't want to reduce it's value.




All in all, not bad for a contemporary copper counterfeit.

 

Me? Depends how you define when I started collecting. When I got interested? Or when I got serious? When I got interested, I knew basically they were coins, lol, and I believe that I knew to hold them by their edge. When I got serious, I knew not too clean them, definetly how to hold them, sort of what too look for (basics, lol). Interesting question man. :thumb:

Phoenix

 

Everthing I knew about coins then is eveything you see after the period in this sentence minus the sig line.

 

For me, I had a grandfather interested in GSA Carlsons and gave me some introduction of the hobby, but it really didn't take until about 3 years ago when I became more interested in the artistic nature of coins as well as the historical context.

What did I know? I knew 2 mercs and a buffalo made 25 cents

Ruben

 

I knew NOTHING. I got started when I found a 1939 Canadian nickel and thought it was worth ALOT! HAHAH. I went onto eBay to see if I could sell it, but instead got sucked in, and became interested in buying rather than selling. I dove head first and read up on a lot numismatic related material; yet still made some unwise purchases at first. I learn more and more everyday in this hobby and think I've been a lot wiser than when I first started.

I'm so happy I found that nickel that faitful day. It still is the main interest piece in my colletion and is in a nice holder.

 

I started so young I honesty don't remember... there was a coin shop in my area and the proprietor really encouraged me by selling me old worn out coins for almost nothing. It apparently worked. That was back in my single digits.

 

I'm not sure it's necessary to know anything about coins to begin collecting them -- as long as you collect within the scope of your knowledge. Collecting from pocket change is risk free even for the beginner. But the more you spend above face value, the more you had better know about what you are buying.

 

Lets see now that;s going back a long time ,you have to remember I'm ancient . My father got me into collecting around 14. I actually didn't know about error coins. I only used to look for the rare dates. and fill the slots up in those cardboard holders with the common dates. I finally relized how much more there was to the hobby, as i got into it. When i was young there was no such term as an MS coin, so it was easier to grade a coin only went up to uncirculated condition. I am still learning now that;s why i joined cointalk. So don;t feel bad stainless.:smile:smile

Jazzcoins Joe :whistle::whistle:

 

I didn't know anything at all !

I thought all dimes looked alike. They were all a uniform silvery grey ... until the day in 1965 when I noticed a band of color around the rim (the first clad coins with the copper in the middle). Of course, all us school kids thought it was gold, so we got all excited.

I also thought all dimes had a picture of FDR on them, until I got a mercury dime in change at a little kid's garage sale I was staging. And with that, I was off to the races !!! On a paper boy's budget, of course...

 

I started by collecting coins that were pretty, shinny and funny. I had no idea of what a coin was even used for. Back about 1943 when my Dad started giving me those new shinny, silvery looking pennies that just came out.

 

I knew almost nothing when I started collecting coins. Of course, I had alot of help shortly afterwards.

 

had we progressed to hammered coins ?

 

I knew nothing except to keep the wheaties and the coins without the copper on the edge. I would guess I started in the mid 60's as my uncle's helper when he would buy change at the banks.

I got a Whitman folder and that started it. Back then you could do a set of Roosy's from pocket change I am told, I dont remember, but my first key Lincoln was a 1909-S that cost me a cpl months allowance, about $10 my dad says.

 

They were still using Miletos at this time.



stainless

 

i knew absolutely nothing when I started, but when I started i went all over the internet to find contests, and came here!! With winning a couple of contests and looking at all the info this site has to offer, I learned so much in about 5 mos.

 

Before I collected coins

My Daddy showed me how to spot silver quarters and dimes in pocket change by looking at there edge to see if they were silver or brown and even showed me the nifty trick that a little crest tooth paste shined them up real pretty :headbang: