Sound finance or silly advice?

If you see me on a street corner begging for quarters when I am 110 years old, know that it is my own fault.

Financial planners are apparently now suggesting that we Americans begin to plan retirement based on such a long life.

This startling revelation appeared in a CNBC story about Social Security.

110?

Whom are they trying to kid?

I will not plan to live to 110.

That is ridiculous.

Financial planners are pushing it to suggest planning to live to age 90.

If I am wrong, you can rub it in nearly 50 years from now.

It would certainly be wonderful to be a coin collector for the next half century.

Other than Eric Newman and Bob Hendershott, no one else I have known have ever come close to such forecast life span.

It has long been thought that coin collecting is a pastime that helps one’s health.

It is relaxing.

It is financially rewarding – unless, of course, you are addicted to speculating in limited-edition new Mint issues.

Missing a sellout, or buying the wrong offer, cannot be good for blood pressure and longevity.

But seeing friends at coin shows, relaxing by reading hobby news, and spending time researching individual coins is another story.

Those of us in numismatics cannot escape the realities of a frenzied world 24/7, but we can retreat into our personal quiet zones with our coins from time to time.

If anything will help get me and others to 110, this is it.

If I can vigorously collect coins for the next half century, that might be the key to my own future financial survival.

I might not be planning to make it to 110, but perhaps a decision to continue collecting coins will overcome my obvious dereliction of sound personal finance.

By the way, on that far distant future day when I celebrate my 110th birthday, you can give me new cents of that year, which the Mint will still be cranking out at huge cost to the taxpayer.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog for the third time in 2017 . He is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."