How's this idea to get the younger ones interested in coin collecting? Get a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Carefully remove the tape around the box. Insert encapsulated coins (US Dollar Coins in capsules fit well) in each pocket and replace the chocolates on top. Sit back and wait. First thing to make them happy would be the sight of the chocolates. Second thing would be a pleasant surprise - beneath the chocolates are... treasures! It's a fancy, upgraded Cracker Jack box!
With foreign coins, you can have them stick them on a world map to see how far they have traveled to them. Pick a word like "Grandma" and tell them when they have it spelled out with coins on the map's first letter ( including both "a" you will take them for a treat. Post a photo when they do!! Jim
My kids birthday are coming up in Jan and I plan to give each one an Eisenhower Dollar. There will be at least 50-60 kids. It's going to happen and will post some pics.
Novel ideas and they just may work And with the candy idea, if you happen to run across the kid who wants to pull the candy out and just set it aside so he can see the coins - well, it might be safe to say you found a likely convert There'a all kinds of way to get kids interested. I've told this story before but I'll repeat a brief version. When my son turned 10 I took him to his 1st coin show - but I took 4 of his friends along with us, 2 boys, 2 girls. At the show trying to keep track of the kids was kind of like herding cats at times but just about everybody there either knew me or was familiar with me so I had lots of help keeping them corralled Over the course of the day each one of those kids had as much fun as they would at an amusement park and my belly and jaws and cheeks were so sore from laughing smiling so much that they hurt for 2 days ! And of course each kid went home with more coins than they wanted to count - most of them gifts from all the dealers. And each one asking when they could do it again ! Seven years later, each one of those kids was still collecting coins, and from time to time over the years each one would show up at my house, not see my son, to see me, so they could show me their new coins. And me, I count that 1st day as one of the great successes of my life and one of my fondest memories ! So I strongly encourage anyone, everyone, do what ya can when ya can to get kids involved. It can warm your heart in ways you can't imagine
Some of what you write are technical (and I learn from them), but for those that are not technical (like the above), it's still enjoyable. Thanks for sharing.
