What made you start collecting coins?

Let's resurrect it, what the heck!

My paper route. Only cents though. Wish I could have afforded to save all thoughs pockets of silver I brought home back in the 60's!

 

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A family trip to Canada and getting leftover Canadian change from Dad. All at the tender age of nine.

 

Mom handed me a Franklin half to buy my lunch with at school in the late 1960’s. I had never seen a half dollar, much less a Franklin half. I was mesmerized by the huge coin in my hand. I went hungry that day and my coin journey began.

 

Boy Scout merit badge.

 

My first "fascination" with coins happened as a child upon seeing my first Morgan Dollar. The novelty of that chunky, funky fat silver coin with that big woman's head on the obverse, and thinking that this was real money a long time ago.

Later, in my late 20s, my brother gave me an almost-complete year-set of Lincoln cents ranging from Good to VF condition, and he encouraged me to get a Dansco album and upgrade the coins. All the coins in that Dansco are now at least EF, except for that pesky "No D."

That got me started investigating, and collecting, South Korean coins.

 

My grandmother introduced me to coins. That was back in 1967. I was a young lad. Great memories with grandma.

 

I got interested through Boy Scouts when I won a Lincoln Cent 1941 to present album after selling tickets for the local scout show. Then I got into collecting nickels, type coins, etc.

 

I probably first picked it up from my brother -- he's six years older, and as a little kid EVERYTHING he did was fascinating (except sports!). But my Mom's parents definitely encouraged it as well. I clearly remember the little table in their kitchen, covered with wheat cents, IHCs, Mercury dimes, Walking Liberty halves... and sometimes the grandkids got to pick some out.

 

As I have posted before, my grandfather got me interested in coins. He would pay the grandchildren 2¢ for each 1943 steel cent we brought him as he believed that because it was the only year they were made, they would be worth more in the future. Upon his death, I received all of the coins; all 342 of them in one of his tobacco cans.

 

After growing up watching Ben Hur, Spartacus and the like, I stumbled onto a coin show with ancient Roman coins, 20 years ago. I walked out with 3 Caesars in my hand. No stopping now.

 

Hit you or bit you? I'm guessing the latter.

 

My dad saved coins. Nothing special and only whet he could get from circulation. It was all he could afford. I wanted to be like my dad so I saved them as well.

Dad's been gone a good many years now but my collecting has grown. Well beyond anything he ever did with coins and I know he would be a proud father.

 

My uncle knew I had an interest in coins. He bought me the Red Book for my 10th birthday. I was hooked! The best legacy you can leave this fantastic hobby of ours is to inspire at least one young person to become a coin collector. You will give them years and years of collecting pleasure, and you'll feel pretty good about it yourself. My dear uncle left this world many years ago, but I still have that 1969 Red Book and wouldn't part with it for anything.

 

This. Also, my dad, uncle and a classmate friend.

 

My grandfather collect coins and my grandparents passed and nobody in family knew anything about them and wouldn't let let me help them ,some bought them all .about four year ago I run across old coin and told my son about how my grandfather collected all kind of coins and on my birthday he bought me silver eagle and proof quarter set and that set it off for me and love it.

 

Easiest merit badge I ever did.

That aside, I first became interested in coins when I was about five years old. My grandfather gave me an empty Whitman folder for Lincon cents as a birthday gift, and my love of coins and paper money has snowballed ever since.

 

I'm curious as to how you made the jump from US coins to S. Korea? Do you collect their medal series too? (i.e. Chiwoo and Zi:Sin series).

 

The OP ain't been seen on here for 9 1/2 years.

Paper route as well Tom, along with the old man getting me excited about a 1960 small date proof set.

 

Don't we wish we could have kept all the silver that was in our pockets during collection day? I actually remember having to hold my pants up from the weight!

 

Indeed.
Was it 'Newsday'? I was an 'Ace' carrier.......