Very first coin...remember when?

Soon after my Daddy died, in 1966, my Mama gave me a small bag of coins that had belonged to him.
I can't remember everything that was in the bag, but one coin, in particular, fascinated me.
It was a Jefferson nickel with a big "P" on the tails side.
I began to read everything I could get my hands on, concerning coins and coin collecting.
After joining the work force in 1978, I was able to buy coins, collecting supplies and reference materials.

We got a computer several years ago, and ever sinse, I've been able to share my hobby with fellow collectors.
The internet has added greatly to my enjoyment and knowledge.

 

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I found a 40-something wheatie when I was 12 I believe.

 

I was bored with calculations on math homeworks given at primary school and I was searching for a calculator at home and I found my dad's collection in drawer , this is how I started..

 

1940 merc found in change in 2008 did it for me :goofer:

 

1956 my uncle gave me a proof set. and since then I have order 1 or more item from the Us Mint.


wow that 52 year this Xmas

 

It is good to see there are other 'ol timers here!

 

I remember using an eraser to clean off the dates too ! LOL And taping them into Whitman books ! Still have most of those. LOL

Started with the Scouts for the merit badge. Mom had a concession stand that dealt in a lot of change. I closed her till every night, sorted, and rolled her take. But I had to buy what I found. Spent nearly all my Rabbit raising profits for quite awhile.

My grandad gave me a 1932 S Washington in 1957 and said they didn't make many of these. LOL Recently, after learning that so many counterfeits were around, and knowing Grandpa was a good ol' boy. I had it checked. He would not have been above altering one.

 

I've told my story before, but I always love telling it again, it was late spring maybe may of 1986 or 1987, not sure which that I received a box from my grandfather in Boston. The box was a 25 pounds of wheat cents. Also included in the box were 4 large cents, 2 cull draped bust, an 1835 that had a rough hole through the center and marks from a square nail impressed into the back as it was nailed over the entrance to a house or barn as he recalled and an 1852 large cent with a nice round hole punched through the center. It also included an unidentified ancient, which at the time I thought was worn down, but turned out that it was encrusted, I've been cleaning it as of late to remove the bronze disease and when I'm done will post it. But I still have all 5 coins in my collection and always will. They are my favorites because of their sentimental value.

 

When I started my first full time job, I would take all my change at night and throw it into a wooden chest I owned. My way of saving a little money since I didn't have a bank account yet. Eventually it was full enough to turn into paper currency. While separating the coins into denominations (I was curious to see how much I had) I noticed some old dates and for some reason decided to hang on to those. After a year or so, I began to organize them into books. The hobby just sort of grew on me without realizing it.

 

My grandfather gave me a 1919 Buffalo Nickel and a 1919 Mercury Dime a long time ago. They aren't in the best shape, but I've been hanging onto those forever and will probably pass them on to my grandchildren one day.

 

When I was a kid my mom took our kitchen clock and glued coins where the numbers were. Over the years, the clock broke and the coins fell off, except a Franklin Half that was glued to the six on the clock. That was my first coin.

One time we went to the grocery store. That's when the gumball machines were a penny. The machine was filled with buffalo nickels. The coin thing was broke, so I was able to turn it without a penny. I got about 20 buffalos before my mom came out and made me stop.

 

It also started with my grandpa.
He had some coins he saved from circulation (silver Washingtons, an SLQ, Mercury Dimes, A Liberty Nickel, steel cents, etc).

I was interested, so when I was still a young'in in 1996 we went to a coin shop and purchased:
a Steel Cent (AU)
an 1864 IHC
and an AU 1943-S War Nickel.

 

Yes -- it was a 1941 Lincoln cent. The funny thing is that "old dates" on Lincoln cents had caught my eye since I was a kid, but for some reason that 1941 cent stuck out and I have been hooked for nearly 20 years since. I still have that 1941 cent. Unfortunately I cleaned it after first finding it (with vinegar and baking soda, before I grew up and learned not to do such things to my coins!). It still has a weird orange look to it today...

 

In the mid-70's, my grandmother and I would spend two weeks each summer traveling around to small town Iowa banks roll searching. Her brother and my father collected, so I was exposed to collecting. During the third summer of searching, we went to a now closed bank in Wadena, Iowa. I found a buffalo nickel. Until then, we had not found any buffalo's. It wasn't the first coin I found; however, it was the coin that really propelled a life long interest