What Is Your Favorite Coin?
FAVORITE COINS
I have given several presentations over the past few years on a variety of subjects. But what I’ve never spoken about is what my favorite coin is and why; and I’m doing this for a reason.
I currently possess several high grade and expensive coins, and I have proudly displayed them during our previous meetings. I also have several complete ‘sets’ of U.S. coins in mint state, and that’s all well and good too. I even have a nearly complete set of Lincoln Cent Doubled Dies. Yet, all of these coins pale in comparison to my favorite coin.
Have I got you hooked yet? Are you interested? Why? (we’ll get back to that later)
So what is my favorite coin? One might guess it was a 1931 S Lincoln Cent given to me by my father, which started me down the road to being a collector. One might think it’s a pretty gold piece or even some stunning MS or PR 70 coin. Or perhaps it was the first slabbed coin I purchased. But none of these are the case.
You see, my favorite coin is a Denver Lincoln Cent from 1972. It is housed in a cardboard flip and it has several carbon spots and other environmental damage. I would guess this coin would grade out at AU50-55.
So what makes this coin so special…? Well, it was purchased at a Whitman Coin Show in Baltimore back in the early 2000’s for the kingly sum of $1.00. Written on the obverse side of the cardboard flip is the notation NO ‘VDB’. But it is what is written on the reverse which makes this coin so valuable…
You see, that kingly sum of $1.00 was paid by a nine year old girl who wished nothing more than to buy a gift for her father. After a long day of looking at coins, she presented it to me during dinner at the Rusty Scupper.
I’ve held that coin ever since in a special place. It isn’t very pretty; it has no numismatic value; and it doesn’t belong among any of my collections, sets, or varieties. However, it sits in my heart and I value it above all others. It brings me back to a time when I was younger and my little girl loved her daddy and it gave her great joy to present me with this coin. Who among you can say there is anything more precious?
So….. I asked earlier if you were hooked or interested about why this coin was so valuable. Well, we are all here because of our love for the hobby and we would like to hear your answers.
We all have a favorite coin or series. So my question to all of you is, what are yours and WHY? Let’s take a slight break from the same old conversations about the club show or fake coins, etc.
I am going to stop giving presentations for a few months. So please, PLEASE, bring in your favorite coin or collection. Tell us why it’s your favorite or why it is special to you. We’re getting a bit stagnant here. Share with us. Perhaps your story will garner interest and a new topic of conversation among your fellow club members.
Thank you,
Ken Kasprzak – Vice President, Allentown/Bethlehem Coin Club