How did your United States coin addiction start?

[Hack]

In the 1950's as a child I lived in Stockton California and my grandfather would go to Reno NV and gamble. If he won in Reno, he would bring me back a hand full of Morgan Silver Dollars. I can remember to this day how excited I was when I would get the silver dollars. I would always try to save/collect the dollars because I liked the weight and look. The silver dollars would make me feel like I was rich. I would always spend the dollars because it was so much money in the 50's, and so I started collecting Indian head pennies and buffalo nickel that had visible dates from circulation, but my true love was always the Morgan Silver Dollar. In the 50's, I used to go to the store and buy rolls of pennies looking for the copper 1943 and I could never understand why I could not find one.

 

I collected coins from 1958 till 1983 and never sold one coin, but in 1983 my coin collection was stolen and I had a lot of silver coins that had taken a big jump in the early 80's. I used to "show off" my coin collection to anyone who was interested and I always felt it was someone I knew. The loss of my coins hurt so much that I quit collecting coins until I retired in 2014. When I got a retirement bonus, I bought something I really wanted, Morgan Dollars, and I am hooked again.

[cpm9ball]

1957 - Gambling in a poolroom when I was 10. One kid used a Morgan to pay what he owed. After that I'd go to the bank every time I won and exchanged part of my winnings for Morgan dollars. I rarely lost!

 

Chris

[O mint bug]

Going to Mexico in the 1960s and trading greenbacks for Morgan's and Peace dollars.

[Star City Homer]

I was about 10 and the family was visiting the parents of one of my mother's friends. The father was a collector and let me buy 100 wheat backs for a dollar. I wisely tried to get as many different years as possible. Next I was given a little album to stick them in and a coin value book and the bug was caught...with many stops, starts and changes in direction.

[okbustchaser]

10 year old boy who found a coin with a naked boob on it! Hooked forever.

[asdfgh]

My grandfather gave me a pair of morgan dollars when I was real young. My dad held on to them for me and I would look at them every now and then. I have been hooked ever since.

[orifdoc]

I'm still trying to remember......

[cpm9ball]

Hooked forever.

 

Is that "d" supposed to be an "r"?

 

Chris

 

 

[okbustchaser]

Hooked forever.

 

Is that "d" supposed to be an "r"?

 

Chris

 

 

 

No, it's a d. 50 years later and I'm still chasing them.

[mommam17]

1968, pulling silver coins out of circulation on a trip to Florida, on the advise of my father's friend, a dentist........

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

As a very young boy in Naples, in the 50s, our neighbor, Mr. Charles Luciano, an elderly gentleman, invited me, with permission of my parents, to see his stamp and coin collection. It was stunning, and to this day I have never seen such a collection and display. I spent a lot of time there, and learned a lot. It was the first time I had been introduced to cataloging and preservation and albums and the stories and History of Stamps and Coins. It continues to this day.

[rockhobby]

Below is what I posted back in Jan.

 

 

I got started in 1960 at 10 years old. I happened to notice a redbook at the corner drugstore while perusing comic books (trying to decide which ones to buy). I opened up the redbook and was hooked and bought it instead.

 

Since I had my own shoeshine route at the time and recieved mostly nickels and dimes those are the ones I started putting in the whitmans. I had a well established route and a fairly loyal customer base which enabled me to make about 20 dollars on a good weekend. I was astounded at the ease with which I could pull buffalo nickels and mercury dimes from the money I earned. Over a six year period I was able to almost fill the mercury dime book. Alas, no key dates except for the 1916D but that is a story unto itself. The buffalo nickel book was much harder since most of the buffs. I recieved were no dates.

 

 

Doug

[johnny9434]

I'm still trying to remember......

as well as i.

[tommy44]

Paper boy in the late 50s.My first route had about 80 papers and I collected forty-five cents from each customer every Saturday. Had the opportunity to go through a lot of change back then and began filing Whitman folders.

[jpcienkus]

Sent away for a prospectus on investing in Silver. I was to receive a 1 oz. silver coin just for ordering the information.

 

I received an ASE (2009). I had no idea what it was, but I liked the "sound" of it. My grandfather gave me some framed coin sets when I was a kid, but it never went further than hanging them on the wall. I always thought they were neat, but no one in my near family collected coins.

 

Once I got the ASE, I started to get interested in the hobby. And the rest they say, is history.

[Davids5104]

I bought two metal detectors and my first two coins were 1942 and 1944 mercury dimes. This happened this past October. Been hooked since and my checking account hasn't been lower.

[Houston Investor]

silver dollars grandparents gave me, indian cents, barbers, first red book

[morganguru]

Not a very intriguing story but it started with buying 1999 Silver proof sets from the Mint, sorta got caught up with SHQ program. Then I migrated to Morgans, then to PL/DMPL pieces, then VAM's, then bullion. Currently I have Seated half syndrome and currently eye balling my first 1834 Classic Head half eagle.

[powauthentics]

I decided that gold and silver would be good to invest in so I bought some. I bought a few Silver Eagles and discovered how many variations there are and BOOm I was addicted. I am so new and have so much to learn its scary. I really don't have a clue where everyone gets their prices from. Does everybody have one big guide tat they go off of???

[jpcienkus]

I decided that gold and silver would be good to invest in so I bought some. I bought a few Silver Eagles and discovered how many variations there are and BOOm I was addicted. I am so new and have so much to learn its scary. I really don't have a clue where everyone gets their prices from. Does everybody have one big guide tat they go off of???

 

It really depends on what series you collect. Bullion silver eagles are usually priced as spot + a small premium. Numismatic coins have many sources for pricing. Most of the monthly/weekly magazines have pricing. There is the CDN (Coin Dealer Newsletter), Numismedia, Heritage Auction Archives, eBay auction results and of course, experience. This site and the PCGS site also has price guides. Once you get more experience, you'll gravitate to one of the sources as a guide. Because ultimately, each coin is different and the price depends on many factors.