Coin Collecting For Kids: How to Get Started
<!DOCTYPE html>
Coin Collecting For Kids: How to Get Started
Introduce your children to coin collecting with these basic tips for starting out. Collecting coins is a great hobby for parents and kids to share!
Introduction
Want to see your child enjoy a pastime that helps get them off their handheld devices and immerses them in a world of art, history, and social studies? Introduce them to coin collecting! Even if you're a total beginner and know nothing about numismatics (the fancy word for coin collecting and study), don't worry. This basic guide will walk you through how to help your child pursue an interest in collecting coins.
One of the greatest things about coin collecting is that it's easy to get started. You and your child can begin the hobby with as little as the coins found in a coin jar, piggy bank, couch cushions, or pocket change. Coin collecting is one of the world's oldest hobbies, and it has been popular with children for generations. In fact, many of the most prominent coin collectors who are now in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, launched their forays in the hobby with their first coin before the age of 10.
Table of Contents
Deciding What Coins to Collect
Unless you have plenty of disposable income, you probably don't want to start with expensive precious metals like gold coins or other rare coins. You will want to start with coins that are widely available and affordable for beginning collectors.
💰 Start Simple
Begin with coins readily available in pocket change before moving to more expensive collectibles like silver coins that require tracking current precious metal values.
🎯 Set Goals
Choose specific series to complete, making the hobby focused and achievable for young collectors.
📚 Learn as You Go
Each coin tells a story about history, geography, and important figures in American culture.
Two of the most popular coins for kids to start collecting these days are Lincoln cents and Washington quarters. Both are made by the United States Mint and offer excellent entry points into the hobby.
Collecting Lincoln Pennies
Perfect for Beginners
Lincoln pennies are readily accessible and inexpensive, making it easy to complete a set of coins right from circulation. Lincoln Memorial pennies were struck from 1959 through 2008. Before that, Lincoln Wheat Pennies were made from 1909 to 1958.
With a little bit of searching, it's reasonable to expect that you can complete a collection at the cost of face value. You can find them in pocket change or by looking through rolls of pennies from the bank.
- Available at face value in most cases
- Easy to find in circulation
- Rich history spanning over 100 years
- Great for learning about different mint marks
- Builds patience and observation skills
Pro Tip for Parents
Visit your local bank and ask for rolls of pennies. Going through these together can be an exciting treasure hunt that doesn't break the bank!
Collecting Washington Quarters
Educational and Colorful
Meanwhile, Washington quarters made since 1999 each feature a special design. They pay homage to a particular state or national landmark. These America the Beautiful Quarters® and 50 Statehood Quarters are all available in pocket change at 25 cents a pop.
They can provide young collectors with the opportunity to discover the people, places, and events that helped build the United States. It's like having a mini geography and history lesson in your pocket!
State Quarters (1999-2008)
Each state's unique design celebrates local landmarks, symbols, and historical moments. Collecting all 50 creates an educational journey across America.
America the Beautiful (2010-2021)
Features national parks and monuments, teaching kids about America's natural wonders and protected spaces.
Collecting Other Coins That Will Grab Your Child's Interest
The route of collecting Lincoln pennies and Washington quarters may be among the easiest and least expensive. A large quantity of these coins are readily obtainable from everyday circulation. But there are endless other avenues out there!
🏛️ Obsolete U.S. Coins
- Indian Head pennies
- Buffalo nickels
- Mercury dimes
- Walking Liberty half dollars
🌍 World Coins
- Colorful foreign currency
- Ancient coins from different eras
- Commemorative world issues
- Educational geography lessons
✨ Special Issues
- Presidential $1 coins
- Commemorative coins
- Proof sets and mint sets
- Modern commemoratives
Advanced Options
For kids who show serious interest, silver and gold bullion coins can provide an introduction to precious metals investing. While prices fluctuate with current silver values and gold market prices, these coins teach valuable lessons about economics and money.
Budget-Friendly Collecting
Any coins you can't find in circulation can be purchased for fair market value at a reputable coin dealer. Start with affordable options and gradually work up to more valuable pieces as interest and knowledge grow.
How Does Your Child Collect Coins? What Should You Do to Help Them?
Helping your child get involved in coin collecting can really be quite simple. If you yourself are an advanced coin collector, you may already have spare coin folders on hand. However, if the hobby of coin collecting is totally new to you, it can seem a little unclear where to begin. Never fear! The pathway into numismatics is as close as your nearest coin dealer, hobby shop, or bookstore.
The Red Book
A Guide Book of United States Coins (often called "The Red Book" by coin collectors) – This annual publication is produced by Whitman Publishing and contains retail prices, grading tips, true-to-size color photos, and basic hobby terminology. It covers every United States coin dating back to the nation's pre-federal colonial days of 1616.
Coin Folders
Coin folders or coin boards – These cardboard holders can be found at local coin stores and hobby shops. Most focus on one type of coin and are very inexpensive, generally costing around $5 to $10 each. They're perfect for helping a child build and arrange a coin collection.
Magnifying Glass
A magnifying glass – It's important to see all the little details on coins. For example, did you know there's a little statue of Abraham Lincoln sitting in the Lincoln Memorial on the back of Lincoln pennies made from 1959 through 2008? Mint marks and error coins often require magnification to spot.
Keep It Simple
The best advice for parents whose children are just getting started with the hobby may be to keep it simple at first. Don't overwhelm your child with too much coin "stuff" at once. Before you spend lots of money on buying advanced reference books, see how well your child engages with the coins and basic supplies you provide them.
Coin Collecting Is a Great Family Activity
Unlike so many diversions geared for children today, coin collecting is something that can truly be a family affair. Often, the most successful, and frankly most enjoyable, way for a child to embark on coin collecting is to share in the hobby with mom and dad.
🎯 Shared Goals
Many parents make it a goal to help their child fill a coin folder. You can embark on a team effort to look for all the coins necessary for completing a set.
👨👩👧👦 Quality Time
It's terrific parent-child bonding time. That's something you don't get if they're busy playing games on the phone by themselves.
🎨 Creative Freedom
You and your child can choose any custom coin-collecting goals you want to enjoy together. Maybe every denomination from a particular family member's birth year.
Before the 50 State Quarters were released in 1999, many parent-child duos worked on building complete sets of Lincoln Memorial pennies together. In more recent years, a common "family" coin-collecting goal has been to find every state among the various quarter designs.
What About the Coin Collecting Merit Badge?
Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts Programs
A lot of parents reading this article are here because they want to help their child earn their Boy Scouts Coin Collecting Merit Badge or Girl Scouts Fun With Money Patch. These achievements are relatively easy to obtain once you and your child know what the requirements are.
The goals for these badges can and do change from time to time, so it's best to check the current requirements through the American Numismatic Association's Scout programs or your local Scout council.
- Learn basic coin collecting terminology
- Start a coin collection with specific goals
- Research the history behind chosen coins
- Present collection to Scout leaders
- Understand coin values and market principles
Collecting Coins Can Be a Rich, Lifelong Pursuit
Many longtime coin collectors (and coin dealers) will try to no end to get their children to follow their footsteps into the hobby. While this can be well-meaning, it's really not best to force the hobby on a child. What's the fastest way to turn a kid off to something? By essentially forcing them into it.
The Right Approach
It is absolutely a good idea to enthusiastically introduce your child to coin collecting. And, if they seem curious and engaged, you should continue forward together. It's a great opportunity to get kids started with a rewarding hobby that can also become a lifelong pursuit.
What If They Lose Interest?
Don't become too discouraged if your child drifts away from the hobby. It happens all the time! Collecting coins at a young age is an investment in a child's future. Some of the most passionate, successful "lifetime" coin collectors took a prolonged hiatus during their high school or college years, only to pick it back up later in life once they had a secure job and spare time for recreational activities.
One of the beauties of coin collecting as a hobby is that you—and your children—can use your creativity. Kids learn most readily when they enjoy the activity. Whatever coin collection you assemble can be a reflection of all sorts of personalized meanings and inspiration.
📈 Educational Benefits
- History and geography lessons
- Math and economics concepts
- Research and organizational skills
- Patience and attention to detail
💎 Life Skills
- Goal setting and achievement
- Value assessment and budgeting
- Care and preservation techniques
- Social interaction at coin shows
🔮 Future Potential
- Possible financial returns
- Career opportunities in numismatics
- Lifelong hobby and community
- Family traditions to pass down
Conclusion
Coin collecting offers children a unique blend of education, discovery, and hands-on learning that few other hobbies can match. From the simple joy of finding a needed quarter in pocket change to the deeper satisfaction of understanding American history through its coinage, this timeless hobby creates lasting memories and valuable life skills.
Whether your child gravitates toward the affordability of Lincoln cents, the educational value of state quarters, or eventually grows interested in precious metals like silver collecting, the foundation you build together will serve them well throughout their lives. Remember to keep it simple, follow their interests, and most importantly, have fun exploring this fascinating world together.
Ready to Get Started?
The best time to start coin collecting with your child is today. Grab a piggy bank, check your couch cushions, or visit your local bank for some penny rolls. Your family's numismatic adventure is waiting to begin!