‘Free money’ gets response

Sometimes I do not know whether to laugh or cry over the contents of some communications to me.

In recent weeks readers of Numismatic News have focused more than usual on what to do with their collections to ensure their heirs maximize values.

A letter writer a while back emailed me to lament the fact that nobody in his family seems to be interested in his coins. He would have to look elsewhere to dispose of his collection. This is not an uncommon situation and I published it as a letter to the editor, figuring that there are other hobbyists who are in the same boat.

I received an email reaction to it this week from another reader.

The latest email reads:

“I’m sending you this email due to a letter (in) the 16 July 2013 Numismatic News.”

So far so good, I thought. I like to encourage responses. Then it took a turn that I was not prepared for.

“I’d like to get in touch with Mr. ... about his coins. Do you have any contact info from him (address, phone or e-mail)?" he asked.

Offering a little background about himself, he wrote this:

“I am an avid coin collector and have a fairly large coin collection. I would love to incorporate his coins into my collection.”

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that when one reader hints at the availability of free money, someone else would rush in to try to claim it.

This respondent already has a fairly large coin collection, no less.

Obviously, my earlier thoughts about Young Numismatists getting a boost or other beginners benefitting from the generosity of the first writer might have been naive.

Nevertheless, I expect the original writer will find some worthy recipient or even more than one somewhere near his home where he can personally evaluate the impact his possible gifts might have on the recipients.

I don’t think it was his intention to make someone else’s large collection even bigger.

And, no, I do not plan to put the two in touch with one another.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."