Is this the Forum for coin collectors?
James1
You are the SYSOP here too?
Well, I collect coins as a hobby. I am looking for pennies, wheaties. I was hoping to find someone in hard to reach places, where the coins tend to stay. Sometimes you can find some really old coins. I am just into American Coins, although I have a professional interest in pre historic coins, accounting records, etc-Accounting History is one of my professional interests. I started my coin collection in 1964 when I decided to earn the Coin Collecting merit badge from the Boy Scouts. Been at it ever since, and I have a few valuable coins.
I started to collect stamps, but didn't get into it like I did coins. Since I am associated with a university, I did collect a large assortment of stamps from other countries ( I sweet talked the admissions counsellors into pulling all foreign stamps and sending them to me) and some sets of very rare stamps, at least I think they are rare. I attended the Haque Academy of International Law in 1971 in the Hague, the Netherlands. The Academy is an appendage of the Court of International Justice, and we students we allowed to buy and use the Court's stamps. So I have some 1971 stamps from the World Court. Be that as it may, I gave all the stamps to my oldest daughter. Right now I am trying to figure out who I should leave my coin collection to. My oldest son collects coins, and he likes to compare his to mine, but he is the one who has tourettes-I am concerned about his compulsiveness. My coin collection has several coins that are now worth a fair amount of money-several quarters worth 30-45.00 each, a 1909 VDB penny (not the "s,") that is probably worth some dollars, and bunches of older coins that will pull one to ten dollars. I have several completed series of coins and some others where I only lack one or two coins.
Hi James,
>collect coins as a hobby.<
So do I but, I gave up on a US type set+ and switched to a theme collection that is mostly old German. Both have been fun.
I started when the steel cents came out, ie. 1943, so it has been a long time. Have a significant accumulation of US cents and would be glad to sell some for slightly above what a dealer would pay but below what a dealer would charge. I get "World Coin News" but will have to hunt, probably online, for buy/sell prices for US coins.
Merry Christmas.
Bob - from Anaheim, Calif.
I don't subscribe to that-probably should, but have been too busy.
>I don't subscribe to that< = World Coin News
No reason to unless you are interested in foreign coins. You can't collect everything.
Ok, thanks. Nope, not really into foreign stuff. I enjoy collecting American coins, and I simply love finding a collectible out of general circulation. When I visit a small town somewhere, I will take an extra hundred or so dollars, go to bank or some other financial institution, and exchange for coins. That is how I found my 1909 VDB penny-wish it had be the 's' version, but still-it was quite a find. I sometimes go to estate sales, etc when I know there is a collection, and I buy new proof coins (have almost all the quarters, including s, and new American Presidential dollars, in proof. My collection is in two suitcases-a collector friend suggested I need to go to the next step, display boxes, etc-but that is expensive, and a bit beyond my scout merit badge days :-)
I have thought about opening a hobby collector shop-even talked to a guy who would rent me part of his floor space-he trades baseball and football cards.
Like you, I tried to find specific Lincoln cents from circulation - but that was in 1943 - 1948. Got most of them but, like you, I did not find a 1909-SVDB; have never owned one. All S mint marks were hard to find in Pennsylvania.
>Scout merit badge<
There wasn't a coin collecting merit badge in those days. I just now dug deep in a drawer and found my merit badge sash. If coin collecting had been a possibility, I would have had it as an easy one. Brought back memories; Thank You.
I wonder when Coin Collecting became a merit badge. It has brought me a lifetime of enjoyment. I don't keep many multiple copies of coins, but it is fun especially when you find one. What do you use to clean dirt off of coins?
Bob, where in Pennsylvania are you from? I was born in West Virginia, but raised, until I was 16, in western Pennsylvania-just east of Pittsburg, in the mountains.
>clean coins<
All I can remember using, and I haven't cleaned a coin in many years, is water, deterigent, and occasionally benzine or paint thinner. Benzine is apparently hard on the lungs so must be used in a well ventilated place. Main thing is to not scrape the coins; the scrapes aren't necessarily visible to the unaided eye but experts will decrease the grade because of microscopic scratches. Most of my coins and medals are from dealers, auctions, etc. so any simple dirt has already been removed.
>Where in Pennsylvania<
Greensburg, which is about 30 miles east from Pittsburgh. My wife = Sue is from Newell, West Virginia, way up in the panhandle across from East Liverpool, Ohio.
I also am from Greensburg. My family lived in south Greensburg, on Hamilton Street, and Stanton Street (until the by pass-they took our house). Then we moved out to the country (out by Mt. Odin) and I started attending Hempfield Schools. I occassionally go back. All of my cousins and I like to buy cod fish sandwiches from that area-there is a favorite store in Grapeville, and another in Southwest Greensburg. As a kid, my family attended a small church on 4th Street. I was born in West Virginia, and my grand parents lived in a suburb of Charleston, called Nitro.
For about 15 years, we had a social group where I currently live (Sarasota, Fl) called the Westmorelands. I dropped out-work got too busy, so I don't know if they are still active.
We share a lot of common background. I graduated from Greensburg High School in 1948 = long time ago. I realize it is long gone. Went to the 50th reunion but not the 60th.
My mom graduated from Greensburg High in 42 or 43. My dad went Jeannette High. You can imagine my household, when I was growing up, when Greensburg played Jeannette. To add to the fun, I went to Hempfield until my family moved my Junior year, and of course, I played football. You may have known my uncle (Ray) Dutch Shaffer, or my aunt Anna Belle Shaffer.
I have asked the Sysop of this Forum to create a Coin and Money section.
