My first coins would have been the ones I inherited from my Grandfather when I was 16. They were the same coins that I had sat at a table with him so many times and read the dates for him when I was a youngster and when his eyes were failing. Afterwards, we would have a McDonalds cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake. I still have all those coins.
Several first coins First, when I was about 11 or 12, I bought three Austrian coins at a department store. That was about 1961 or 62. Back then department stores had coin and stamp counters. About 1975 or so, I bought an Indianhead Cent from a coin store. In 1992, I bought some tokens at a MichTAMs convention. It was not until the spring of 1993 at the Michigan State Numismatic Society convention that I saw that ancient Greek coins were affordable. I subscribed to The Celator and bought the first of many many ancients, a 1/12 silver stater from Miletos c. 550 BC. About the spring of 2000, I had enough of collecting and I sold off all but a few with sentimental value. Now, I collect knowledge. Michael "Still filling in missing items"
grandma gave me a 1943 walking liberty half and 2 kissing angels for my 10th birthday...then she gave me an 1888p morgan for christmas when i told her the wl was NEAT!
I was 13 or 14.. 1976 bicentenial quarters. I saved them from my newspaper route. Loved the minuteman with the drum. At the time I thought he was sleaveless which was the way we wore our shirts for the girls. My wise father told me I should buy South African gold krugs with my money a couple of years before that. It was a big route and gold was cheap back then. My regret for many years was that I didn't listen to most of his advice when I was younger. If I did, I would not only be rich with his memories but also just plain rich.
My first coin was actually two of them. My grandmother gave me a 1903 & 1910 dime - they were the birth years of my grandparents. That was in 1960.
Hi Chevy, I think it was a 1964 Kennedy Half given to me by my Uncle. It's hard to remember now, it's been so long ago. I was a kid.
My first coins were given to me by my father, 8 of them jump to mind as being somewhat special, the coins that really set me off, they were... 1953 Franklin half dollar 1944 Washington Quarter 1887 Victorian Jubilee Shilling 1887 Victorian Jubilee Threepence 1853 Victorian Halfpenny 1932 British Geo V Penny 1807 British Geo III Penny 1935 Jersey Penny and with those eight coins a collector was born (notice GD, not a sixpence in sight!) Syl.
My first coin was an 1864 Two Cent piece given to me by my History teacher in High School. I still own this coin today, to remind me of how a simple coin can make such an impact on someone.
My fist coin was actually more than 1. Was at a coin shop buying an ASE for my child's birthyear (not a coin purchase, but an investment), when some Canadian coins on the bid board caught my eye. I spent 2 hours looking at everything the dealer had, and walked out of there with a box of 814 Canadian small cents and a set of Whitman albums. By the end of that day, I had the Whitmans completed, and went back the next day to start buying nickels.
Well, my firm still carries on this tradition of giving coins away to school kids. My experience has been fantastic. It not only taught me history, it blossomed into a very large numismatic firm.
The first coins I got that are still part of my collection were actually in a set. My father bought me the 3pc. Proof set from 1976. This occurred around 1987 or 1988.
