My Coin Collection #
Getting Started #
My coin collecting began when my dad gave me my first coin book. I don’t remember my exact age, but I must have been 7 or 8. He gave me one of the unfinished Lincoln penny books he had from his collection. I was also given a big book of the U.S. to use for collecting the state quarters (1999 - 2008). From there I have continued to grow my collection and a love for coin collecting. As a side note, while in the Boy Scouts, I did earn the coin collecting merit badge.
My Collections #
I began my collection by collecting pennies and state quarters. Eventually I wanted to add to my collection and began to collect nickels, dimes, and Washington quarters. I have even begun to amass a small collection of foreign coins as well. Most all of my U.S. coin collecting has come from finding coins in circulation. I always ask people to see their change, which they may think is a little weird.
Pennies #
Pennies have always been the main thing I have collected. I have only focused on Lincoln pennies (1909 - Present) and mainly find them through circulation. When my grandfather would come over he would always bring any quarters he found that were on my needs list. I began to get into the older Lincoln pennies (1909 - WWII) when my grandmother gave me a penny book she had with a number of pennies from the 10s - 40s. I have been able to even find some pennies from the 20s in circulation.
Nickels #
I have begun to collect nickels as well, but as this is not one of my main focuses I have not been as headstrong as I have with pennies and quarters. I look through change to see what I can find, but do not go out of my way to find nickels as I do for pennies and quarters. I hope to find a way to pique my interest in nickels, just like I have in pennies and quarters.
Dimes #
As with nickels this is not one of my primary areas of collecting. I have gotten a good amount from change, but do not always remember or make a conscious effort like I do for pennies, and quarters. Just as I mentioned with nickels I would like to find a way to pique my interest.
Quarters #
The second focus of my collection would be quarters. Since 1999 I have collected at least one of every quarter that has been manufactured (50 State Quarters, D.C. and U.S. Territories, and America the Beautiful). It has been fun to collect and see all the different amazing designs the artists come up with to depict the area being represented. Only more recently have I begun to collect quarters prior to 1999. I have been working on the Washington quarters (1932 - 1998). I still look for these in circulation, but the older ones which are hard to find lead me to visit coin shops in the area. Currently my oldest quarter is a 1932, the first year of the Washington quarters.
Future #
In the future I hope to continue to add to my current collections as well as branch out into older coins. My dad has a coin collection as well, which I hope to continue adding to. He has both buffalo nickels and mercury dimes, of which I hope to continue adding to the collection. As I said earlier, I have a small amount of foreign coins that belonged to my parents. I have always liked the design on foreign coins and paper money and keep them mainly for that reason instead of the value. I would also want to attend a coin show, which I have never done. I may branch out into paper money, but will stick to adding coins first. Coin collecting is fun and something I can continue for the rest of my life.