The Joy of Teaching about Our Hobby!

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by djbuna, Apr 26, 2009.

  1. djbuna

    djbuna Member

    We had a huge yard sale this weekend and I always put a few coins out, wheat rolls, binders of cents, nickles, etc. I had a young man show up late in the afternoon with a plethora of questions! He was quite obviously very interested and unfortunely misinformed. So, being the old man I am(my wife says we all talk too much) we spent the next two hours in a question and answer period. He learned about mint marks, proofs, silver vs clad, obsolete vs modern and so forth. I gave him a redbook, a type set folder, a 09 VDB, and the Cointalk web address. As he finally left I smiled and remembered back to 1964, when an old part-time dealer had done the same for an uninformed 19 year old that has kept me in the hobby for the next 44 years.
    When you get the opportunity to teach, remember your early teachers. That is what will keep our hobby going forever!
     
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  3. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor Supporter

    Knowledge is a great gift to give or receive. It is renewable and expandable. You have done a good deed for the hobby! congratulations!

    Jim
     
  4. mrbrklyn

    mrbrklyn New Member

    i dont know..
     
  5. the_man12

    the_man12 Amateur Photographer

    wtg! sounds like you did good
     
  6. Just Carl

    Just Carl Numismatist

    Not to be pessimistic but I once spent time explaining to a person about coins. Also, gave them extra Red Book and some not to expensive coins. Later turned out from a friend that knew that guy that he does this all the time. He gets lots of free stuff from people that way.
    On another web site they were having a log of YN Giveaways. I too joined in and actually gave away a lot of coins to what I thought was YN's. Later I also found out that about half of the so called YN's were in reality much older coin collectors just getting free stuff.
    When my Son was in college he told me a professor went around to all the little towns in the areas asking farmers if they had old coins so he could show them to students. Never really did of course.
    Hopefully in this instance all is for real. I just may live in an area and find people of a not to honest nature.
     
  7. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor Supporter

    Sometimes people take advantage of your good intentions and efforts, but that doesn't mean you fail, it means that they failed. When a person stops doing good deeds because they fear someone will take advantage of them, then they fail.

    Jim
     
  8. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins

    Carl, I want to believe that this is not the case with the OP. Call me a cock eyed optimist or a "Mary Poppins" but I think it's great what the Op did....MHO.
     
  9. TheNoost

    TheNoost huldufolk

  10. bobbeth87

    bobbeth87 Coin Collector

    Very nice.

    Thanks for sharing!
     
  11. Rctoners

    Rctoners RcToners.com

  12. bizzybill2000

    bizzybill2000 Senior Member

    It is a great thing to do, to share and teach what we know. For one day it would be good to know that we could have started others in a hobby we all love.
    Bill
     
  13. houston3204

    houston3204 Numismatic Consultant

    djbuna: very nice......Thanks for your story....and you are right....
     
  14. quartertapper

    quartertapper Numismatist

    Mice story! I take pride in informing people of the ins and outs of coin collecting. You never realize the amount of knowledge a person accumulates over the course of twenty plus years!
     
  15. CamaroDMD

    CamaroDMD [Insert Clever Title]

    I think it's a great story and a great thing to do. Sure, sometimes someone might fool you and take advantage of the situation (like some others have said), but I think you have to take that risk. If you can help someone discover a lifelong passion...its worth it.
     
  16. coinman0456

    coinman0456 Coin Collector

    Oh yes, thats very cool, when you get the curiosity of a youngster.
     
  17. jello

    jello Not Expert★NormL®

    Carl

    Well said!!
    And great remainder to all us old farts. we need to help the younger folks so they do not get scammed on ebay & other site
     
  18. hasfam

    hasfam dedicated searcher

    Very nice. I love it when someone shows an interest and wants to talk coin talk. Back when my kids were small and still at home, their school would have a career day once a year and although I have never made a living with coins, I was "the" coin guy so the teachers always invited me for the event to talk about coins. Kids loved it and every kid in the school got a shiny new wheat cent to start there collections.
    Rock
     
  19. Dimedude2

    Dimedude2 Member

    Awesome!

    We need to see more of this, as this keeps interest in the hobby. I got my 6-year old daughter interested in the hobby and she can tell you the dates, mintmarks, coins minted before what is out there today, etc. She is learning history, cities from Mint Marks, what is nice in a design, etc. She has the Coin Collecting for Kids album and has fun collecting the state quarters, cents, and the 20th century coins. We have a lot of fun, and the dealer at the coin shop likes her interest. Now don't get me wrong, after an hour at a coin shop, she is ready for tacos...

    I'll talk about the hobby to anyone young or old. I also love to learn from others too - there's always more info to absorb.
     
  20. ice

    ice Just happy to be here

    You did a solid by giving him what he needed to get started. I had some insterest in coins until my wife gave me a redbook it brought me back to why I like coins. Don't be surprised if you see him again. Good for you you did the right thing a little karma is coming your way maybe a 1916 d merc for you at face. Ice
     
  21. Fish

    Fish Half Cent Nut

    The effort counts for a lot, as do the intentions.
     
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