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Hobbies for Kids - Coin Collecting
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Collecting
is a very broad and popular topic for hobbies and
it
is a very easy
one for young children to pursue. Collecting can include: coins,
stamps, rocks, dolls, baseball cards, action figures, post
cards, comic books, dolls. Barbie
dolls,
sea shells, rocks, military paraphernalia, movie and/or sports
memorabilia and
more. A
collection is a great way to learn about people, places and things.
Coin
collecting can be an interesting, and educational hobby for kids.
Coins can be collected from all over the world and from many
different time periods in history. There are an abundance of books
on this subject to help with research.
I t
can be fascinating to read about different cultures and to find out
how currency has played a part in their development.
Every coin
has a story behind it.
What
does the design mean? What was the original value of the coin? Why
was it made out of the metal selected? Finding out the stories
behind a coin can be just as much fun as finding the coins
themselves.
Your child can also learn about geography by collecting coins from
many different parts of the world and tracking it on a map.
It is
easy to get started in collecting coins. The first place to look, with
parent's permission, is in common places like your piggy bank and
mom's change purse. Next let your relatives know of your new
adventure. Grandparents, aunts and uncles may have some old coins
saved or may have some from a their trip abroad. You can also check
flea markets or the cheap bins at coin shops.
Start with
whatever coins strike your interest.
For young children you can start with a box or jars for storage.
If
you like you can
put each
coin into
a small paper envelope before you
store
it to keep it from getting
damaged.
A great way to start a collection for children is to collect the
new coins from the 50 states. They have all been released into
circulation as of 2008 and it will be fun for the kids to search
each time you get change to find their treasures.
As your child reaches
the teen years and their interest increases or their collection becomes more valuable
consider purchasing
a good
magnifier so you can see the details of your coins. In addition, a
coin reference book containing coin information like dates, prices,
grading guidelines, mintmarks, and coin varieties will be helpful.
Next, you will
need a place to store and display the coin collection. There are
lots of storage items available that will work for most collections.
You
will want something to protect each
individual coin, such as the little paper envelopes or albums
designed for a series of coins. If the collection gets large enough,
you may want to start some sort of inventory
of your collection. It can be as simple as a notebook or
index cards, or you could look around for a catalog program.
Note that particularly
valuable coins will come enclosed in a special airtight holder and
you should not remove the coin from the holder.
The combination approach, meaning buying as well as finding coins,
is a good way to enhance your collection. Some sources to
investigate are listed below:
Coin Dealers
Collectors Clubs
Coin Shows
Internet Dealers
Auctions
Flea Markets
Antique Shops
Antique Shows
Mall Craft Exhibits
Remember the slogan "Buyer Beware"; be sure to use caution and
common sense when purchasing your coins. Do your homework and
check prices in shops, mail-order ads and on other Web sites in
advance before making your purchase.
Listed below are a few helpful coin collecting links:
Coin Collecting Guide for Beginners
History of Coin Collecting

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