I'm thankful I found coins
When the family gathers for Thanksgiving tomorrow many thoughts will go through my head.
First among them, I expect, is I am glad I did not have to travel through the big winter storm that has been buffeting parts of the country.
There will even be room for a stray numismatic thought or two.
Numismatics has given me many things to be thankful for, a career foremost among them.
It has been part of my life for half a century in varying degrees. It has taken me from being a kid scouring household change to being able to watch 1804 silver dollars and 1913 Liberty Head nickels sell at major auctions.
Numismatics has given me an opportunity to meet so many nice people over the years. We have a great hobby, but more importantly, we have a great group of people who are active in it.
Collectors come from all walks of life. Nobody quite knows why some people collect and others don’t, but somehow we all coexist.
I remember holidays as a kid where I would see uncles and cousins and aunts and get the inquisition from some aunts to find out if I was still collecting coins.
I am sure they were simply trying to take a friendly interest, but sometimes it seemed more like it was a case where I was somehow suffering arrested development.
Those days are long past. The shoe is on the other foot.
I find myself from time to time looking for signs to see if there is anyone at all in the family circle who has taken an interest in numismatics.
Other than the occasional childhood dabbling with coins, no near relatives of mine have managed a continuing interest. It’s their loss.
I suppose I could wonder what state of their development prevents them from enjoying collecting, but I don’t.
That’s life. Numismatics is for those who find it and then love it as much as I do. A few coins might be given to others in attempts to ignite an interest, but the interest itself cannot be forced.
Those of us who are collectors should take great pride in numismatics and enjoy it. It is a great gift from life and I am thankful that I have been the lucky recipient. I hope you are, too.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Buzz blogger Dave Harper is winner of the 2013 Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."
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