Numismatics

One day in school my teacher gave me some change from a carton of milk I had purchased. Among the coins was what became the first coin in my collection, a 1910 penny, Denver mint.  When Dad saw that I took an interest in coins, he bought me a display folder for a penny collection.

I  collect American coins. Let's face it, pennies are cheaper than silver dollars, so I have more of them. I have a fairly complete set of Lincoln cents, including the steel pennies of the war years. I have a few Indian head pennies and hope to improve my collection of these before I move on to the higher coins.

I stand in awe of the beauty of the Morgan silver dollar, a work of art. Buffalo nickels are not exactly beautiful, but they have a rustic character I appreciate. What could be more American?

In recent years, there have been a few strange coins minted. I can understand putting presidents, buffalo, "Miss Liberty", and Indians on coins, but Susan B. Anthony? I can't seem to remember who she was. Beside that, the darn thing is too easy to mistake for a quarter. Then there is the coin with the eagle landing on the moon; a little bizarre if you ask me.

I have a little currency in my collection, too. I have a Confederate bill that has been in the family a long time. That makes it worth far more to me than one I could find in a coin shop. I have a silver certificate in excellent shape. It is almost indistinguishable from an ordinary dollar except for the fine print.