Bringing the Hobby to Younger Generations
Several organizations are working to challenge preconceived notions young people may have about coin collecting as “an old people’s hobby.”
It is no secret that the interest in coin collecting has waned over the years, partly due to a lack of popularity among younger generations. Admittedly, coins are far more intimidating than Pokémon cards, but the hobby tends to be associated with an older generation with whom many young people have difficulty connecting.
In a world where everything moves faster, and information is only a handheld device away, engaging young minds in a hobby that requires no characters running through imaginary lands slaying mythical creatures or the filming of oneself influencing social media followers can be tricky. How do you teach young people to forgo the immediate gratification of their iPhones while helping them discover the thrill of the hunt and the joy of collecting?
Let’s face it. Kids like cash. At age seven, my son found a Texas state quarter, liked it, and decided that he would collect all the state quarters. He regularly raided the coin jar and my purse to beef up his collection. Within the next few years, and with some help from my friends, I fostered his interest, buying inexpensive but interesting coins from eBay, encouraging him always to check his change, and fetching coin books from the local library for him to peruse. Friends gave him mini collections of steel pennies, buffalo nickels, and mercury dimes, which inspired him to build a hoard a dragon would envy.
I have no problem admitting that I preyed upon his childish greed to steer him away from his Gameboy addiction. He had fun collecting coins. It remained an exciting part of his life through high school and beyond, and he learned a few things along the way. My son is now 27 and has quite a nice collection of intriguing coinage. Sometimes, all it takes to start the process is to take advantage of children’s natural desire for more when holding a handful of coins.
Organizations are working to challenge preconceived notions young people may have about coin collecting as “an old people’s hobby.” Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of America, and the Girl Scouts of America all offer merit badges that are centered around coin collecting. The American Numismatic Association is lending its expertise with classes and guides to assist burgeoning numismatists in the pursuit of these awards.
According to the ANA website, “Classes for Young Numismatists that include information needed for Scouts to earn their badge are held at the National Money Show®, the World’s Fair of Money®, and at the ANA headquarters in Colorado Springs. Scouts can earn a free initial one-year membership to the ANA by earning their collecting patches. For more information or to order the “Fun with Money” patch, please contact the ANA at education@money.org or call 719-482-9846.” Requirements for Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts are found on the ANA website, along with hints for completing these requirements.
The Boy Scouts introduced the Coin Collecting Badge in 1938, which featured a gold stater of Alexander the Great surrounded by a green background. Its current badge features the Washington Quarter. The Coin Collecting Merit Badge requires the seeker to, among other things, collect a set of current U.S. coins, locate the mint marks and designer’s initials on each coin, collect and identify 50 foreign coins from at least ten different countries, tour a U.S. Mint facility, attend a coin show, or collect and identify 15 different tokens or medals.
Cub Scouts’ Adventure in Coins badge requirements include age-appropriate prerequisites, such as identifying different parts of a coin, finding and identifying mint marks, playing a coin game, making a coin rubbing, and more.
The requirements for the Girl Scouts ANA Fun with Money badge are divided by age group. Brownies are required to complete four of the eight listed activities, while Juniors must complete six. These include designing a new coin, writing a brief biography of those featured on United States currency, touring the ANA Money Museum, collecting all the state quarters, and more. Some of the requirements for the Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts include coin design, debates, touring the ANA Money Museum, and attending coin club meetings.
Organizations such as these are vital to the life of the hobby. If a child in your life is involved in scouting, encourage them to earn this badge. With your support, it could turn into a lifelong hobby.
Barring that, you could always try the bribery method. It worked for me.
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Kele Johnson is the Editor of Kovels Antique Trader magazine and the Digital Content Editor of Active Interest Media's Collectibles Group. Her captivation with collectibles began at a young age while dusting her mother’s McCoy pottery collection. She admits to a fondness for mid-century ceramics, uranium glass, and ancient coin hoards. Kele has a degree in archaeology and has been researching, writing, and editing in the collectibles field for many years. Reach her at kelejohnson@aimmedia.com.
