Ah, money. 🙂
Cash, loot, bread, shekels, scratch, dinero, moolah … money. Who doesn’t like money? Yes, I know the saying about “the love of money is the root of all evil” and all that. But I must repeat … who doesn’t like money? For all kinds of reasons.
Speaking of the “root” of all evil … I was “rooting” around in my closet yesterday and came across two small bags of old coins that I had forgotten about. One of the bags held coins that my dad had collected over the years (he was born in 1898). The other bag held coins that my very good friend, Mae, had collected over the years (she was born in 1928 and had lived in Germany for a few years right after WWII). I’d been meaning to research the value of these coins for many years. Now’s the time!
Here are the piles of coins from today’s work, separated into country of origin. Most of these coins are from the early to mid 1900’s, some from the 1800’s.
The photos may be deceiving. Some of those piles (Denmark, France, Bahamas, the Philippines, Mexico, etc) were so tall that they wobbled and threatened to topple over. I had to separate Canada and England into two piles each.
With the coins now separated by country, I’ll next make a list by year and denomination of each coin within each country.
I could sell all of these coins on Ebay, or I could take them to a place that buys old coins. I do know one reputable business that buys coins like this, though they would of course give me a fraction of what the coins would be worth on the open market.
So no, I’m not going to make a fortune off of these coins, but I’m having fun. My friend Mae told me about many of her adventures outside the USA. I too have lived and traveled extensively outside the USA (mostly as a child with my parents). It’s fun to remember and to dream of new destinations.
Of the coins I have that I have researched so far, the oldest USA coin is dated 1851 and is worth about $6 according to what’s for sale on Ebay. One can’t trust Ebay prices necessarily, but it’s a good starting point. There’s one German coin from 1920. The one coin from Turkey is 1991 and is apparently worth around $4 USD. Canadian coins include some from 1910 and the late 1800’s, long before Canada was Canada, and yet they say “Canada” on them (I can see more research about the history of Canada coming in the near future). The one Hawaiian coin is dated 1833!
Some of the most interesting coins, I thought, were the Australian coins. Here are images below that I borrowed from the internet of the backs of the four denominations of coins that I have.
So … now I’m a pneumat… ah, a numasmer… hmm, a neumister….. let’s just say I’m a coin collector! 🙂 This will be a fun winter hobby while the travel trailer rests up over the cold winter months.
[The real word for a person who is a coin collector is numismatist.]
Update: Today, in that same closet where I found those coins yesterday … today, I found an envelope stuffed with mostly uncirculated paper money from several countries from the 1960’s through the 1990’s, although there are a few Canadian bank notes that date back to 1900. This paper money will wait for another day for its research.
What do you collect? Tell me about it. I’d love to know. Do tell!
We previously owned a big old house with lots of storage cubbies – I loved collecting old crockery, dishes, platters. Not formal ones, just odds and sods that seemed to be asking to be brought home. Love, love, love collecting old books about old houses (can you see a theme here?) Also love adopting wool blankets, colourful quilts, and any and all yarn and fabric for quilting. Don’t get me started on my husband’s “stash”. He collects fishing rods, tools, golf balls (yes, he does golf) and 99 cent books from Goodwill. (Yes, he does read!)
How cool is all that! Sounds like fun stuff. When moving from my 2500 square foot house into my 1300 square foot condo/home, I found that it was the older stuff that I wanted to keep, not the newer stuff … the old dishes, the old books, old but recovered furniture, and yes the old tools (well, ok, ALL the tools), and one old set of golf clubs. The older things do seem to have a spirit don’t they?
Hi Ann. I liked your comment about some country’s coins toppling. Sort of like some country’s have toppled! Sometimes I wish I could topple some countries like a stack of coins but I guess it is best that I can’t. Collecting, my wife collects salt and pepper shakers and other dishware and has quite an extensive collection. She also collects Christmas decorations. You wouldn’t believe our house at Christmas. I like books and have a room where my computer is that has the walls lined with lots of books that I’ve probably forgotten all about. You make me want to go read them again. I think I will. Thank you!
I have a stash of interesting salt and pepper shakers too! And I have a very good friend who has their attic stuffed to the gills with Christmas decorations, so your wife isn’t the only one. And books … well, books … they are just wonderful.
Interesting that the Turkish coin is worth $4. Is it no longer produced?
Hmm, well, that’s the least expensive asking price for this particular coin that I could find on the internet. Keep in mind this coin and I are in the USA. Coin collectors here in the USA are willing to pay sometimes significantly more than face value for coins or bank notes from foreign countries especially if they are considered old. And, yes indeed production of this particular coin stopped in 1998 and it was “demonetized” in 2005, so it’s no longer used as money even in Turkey. One seemingly professional website states that this coin was worth $.29 USD in 1991. Yet another consideration is that $4 is the “asking” price online and not necessarily the price at which the coin has sold. I will likely take this whole pile of coins to a dealer and ask their opinion. Good question!
Mostly just collected memories
Oh, boy, that’s the best comment of all, Vernon. Memories are so important and so wonderful. We all collect memories, and those are the sweetest and best collections of all.