coin collecting

My interest in collecting coins began when I noticed a 'P' on a Roosevelt Dime. I thought it might be an error so I asked a friend of mine if they knew what it was. He explained that it was a mint mark and asked if I was interested in collecting coins. I said I was, so he gave me some 2x2 Mylars and an old Redbook and I was on my way. I rode my bike about 7 miles on Saturdays to add coins to my collection. There was also a small coin shop right by my house that I would visit, sometimes just to chat about coins with the dealer.

I subscribed to a few coin magazines and found out about the ANA and became a junior member. They welcomed me even though I had very little experience collecting or doing shows. They awarded me a scholarship to go to Colorado Springs (where the ANA is based) to go to the Annual Summer Conference. After meeting the "celebrities" of coin collecting, I was hooked.

When living in Spain I didn't do much until the last 6 months when I began putting together a collection of Spanish coins. Unfortunately, some were stolen from the package I sent to my home in the US. I haven't gone back to collecting as much as I did when I was younger, but I started a coin collecting web site to contribute to the hobby that treated my so kindly. Even though I don't collect currently, I love the hobby and when I'm retired perhaps I will peruse the coin collection from my younger years and rediscover the joys of coin collecting, the hobby of kings.

Updated Oct 25, 2016