I am a coin collector. To some point you could call me a numismatist. You may be wondering how I started collecting, and what got me hooked onto this hobby, a hobby that I probably will possess for the rest of my life. So that is what I will tell you today.

As a background on my history, I was born in the United States of America, but my parents along with me moved back to my mother country: India, after three years of life in the United States. Fortunately, I traveled back to the United States in 2011. There it is where I started what I look toward for joy today.

When I first began collecting my parents encouraged me to collect the 50 state quarters, so I went to a coin shop and bought a folder for the 50 state quarters along with the District of Columbia and Territories. Also, I was presented by the owner a few wheat cents since I was a beginner collector. That hooked me on coin collecting. By 2013, I was done with the 50 states and District of Columbia and Territories, I just needed a few Philadelphia’s and one or two Denver’s to finish the set. Plus I got the complete joy out of it since I did not look through bank rolls to complete my collection, but I looked through pocket change to complete my collection. Also, I did not purchase any coins for my collection. In 2012, I got a folder for the wheat cents that I was given by the shop owner (by the way, I forgot to mention, but the shop owner also gave me a free 2012 Red Book). Then I looked through boxed of cents from banks to fill my folder. Also, from the coin shop, I purchased wheat cents in good to very fine condition for five cents apiece – if I bought a 100 or more, it was four cents apiece. Till today, since that collection has never been the priority, quite a few times because of the tantalizing 1909-S VDB, 1909-S, 1914-D, and the 1931-S (of course, then there is the 1955 DDO, and the 1922 no –D). But mostly because I have always had sets to complete which are more appealing and important. There have been others though that I haven’t even touched. For example the Peace Dollar, I have wanted one since last year. Or the Walking Liberty Half Dollar, which I would choose below a Franklin Half Dollar that I have needed (not as such wanted because as I said I don’t like the design very much, also I think it is over used, and many may not agree with me on those two opinions) for my 20TH Century type set since late 2012.

I could just go on and on and on about my proudly made collection, but I will not because that is not the topic for today’s article, which is solely based on my experience becoming a collector, not my collections, or me as a collector improving as time passes by. I shall keep such stories for another day. But do listen to the one last thing I have to say.

‘Don’t wait for such a magical experience to come to you; go to it’