Gift of a coin carried feeling of self-worth

From the Numismatic News 60th Anniversary Special Issue – Kenneth Lord • Toronto, Canada

When I was 2 years old, I became a ward of the Toronto Children’s Aid Society, in Toronto, Canada.

It was a very confusing time for any young child. During the two years that I was a ward, I was lucky enough to have a very nice social worker by the name of Miss Read, while I was in foster care. She used to come to my foster home and take me out for fish and chips once a week.

One day, Miss Read came to take me out for my usual fish and chip lunch and when I got inside the car, she said that she had a present for me. It was a silver coin. I don’t remember what the coin was, but I remember how much my social worker spoke about it.
I learned from a very young age how important history was. Not only did the coin have history to it, but she told me how important I was and that I as a Human being had history to me that was very important.

Embrace, the deeper motivations that urge us to seek out that special coin.

Just by saying that, Miss Read gave me something very special; it’s called, self worth. That everything in life has worth. She made me understand how important I was. She had given me something very special to think about when I was a ward of the Toronto Children’s Aid Society.

So coins have stayed in my life for many years because they have taught me self worth and that I value every coin, no matter what kind of a coin or actual dollar value it is.

Today I am 54 years of age. I have been a police officer in Toronto for 24 years. I know how important it is to make people understand how much value we all are to each other. It’s very important to always know that out of something very small and seemingly worthless, with a little care and concern, it can someday become a world of treasure.