Collecting Coins as a Family Fun Activity

Finding a hobby that a family can do together is great for bonding.  Collecting and exploring coins is a pastime that children and adults of all ages enjoy.  Coin collecting is often a family pleasure that is passed down from generation to generation.

Teaching children about coin collection can start at a very early age.  As young children, they can learn how to sort basic coins, such as pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.  Then they begin to learn the name of each coin, value, the presidents on the face of the coin and the landmarks on the tail of the coin.

Make it a Mystery

In order to make coin collecting even more exciting, consider investing in a coin collecting ‘detective’ kit.  You can easily prepare the kit at home, including rubber gloves for handle coins, a magnifying glass, a dusting cloth, coin reference book, record book, coin albums, and coin envelopes.  You can also include any other ‘detective items’ to liven up the kit.  The purpose of the kit is to teach your child the importance of handling coins and examining them for irregularities, dates, and damages.  Since your child may be a bit clumsy with the coins at the beginning, it is best to practice with basic pocket change.

Consider giving your child a regular allowance in coins to add to their collection and allow them the freedom to go on ‘coin hunts’ around the house to seek out buried treasure in the couch or on a coffee table.  If your child enjoys fine motor tasks, teach them how to put coins in a roll.

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Where to Start

A great place to start their organized collection is by collecting the “50 states quarters”.  There is a specialized quarter made bearing the name and design of each of the states in the United States.  There are a multitude of each state in circulation.  This can be done as a family or as an individual task (with help).  Teach your child to treat all of their collector coins carefully from the beginning.  Purchase an inexpensive “50 states coin sleeve” to house each quarter and have the child immediately place the coin in the designated spot upon retrieval.  After this task is complete, celebrate your child’s achievement and store the sleeve in a special place.  If possible, rent a safety deposit box at your local bank to store it in.  Your child will feel very special by having an important place to store their accomplishment.

Personalize the Adventure

Another great introductory activity for families is to find a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter bearing a specific year.  As a family, you can hold a contest to see who can be the first one to locate all the coins matching their birth year.  Just like the previous activity, store the coins in a special sleeve and put them in a special place

Some people enjoy collecting coins as a memento from every country they visit.  Others who enjoy collecting diverse currencies, but do not travel, purchase them from online sources or military men who travel frequently.  This is another version of coin collecting that involves little skill or special handling.

Turn it into an Investment

As your child gets older and is able to respect the proper handling of coins, you should start investing in coins of special worth. Golden Eagle is a great place to purchase various types of collectable coins, such as silver coins, uncirculated coins, rare coins, and much more.   

Collecting coins can be an exciting family tradition to be shared among generations.  Teach your children the art of collecting coins while they are young and you will have a family fun activity to share for a lifetime!

Guest Author: Jen Altrogge

photo Roman Oleinik via wikimedia commons