So my five year old is addicted to studying maps. And hasn't stopped looking at a huge wall map of the earth I got him. He wants to know everything about every country. So I figured one way to learn is to try to collect a coin from each country and then study that place.
Guess my question, since I've never collected coins, is whether its possible to do or not. So far I know the Yap coin of micronesia is probably improbable of obtaining. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.
Hello, it's virtually impossible to have everything from everywhere, since there's a lot of states and countries that have vanished a long time ago. There are even coins that are not really intended for circulation, e.g. Antarctica, Cabinda. You can get a lot of coins from most of the countries, but there's some you would probably not find. Have you had enough luck to find coins from every single country from the beginning of the world, it would have taken you the entire life. But it's a great idea even so, because you can find coins from about 200 different places, which is a good deal.
Regards,
Ginger
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Hey, thanks for answering my post. Appreciate it. Just from what I've started, I've learned so much already. More importantly my son. Its incredible watching him start to understand that the world is so much bigger. Probably the same expression people had long ago when they realized the world wasn't flat.
On the subject of countries, from what i've read, is that there are about 194 accepted sovereign states in the world at this time. So I figured I would try for that. Are there any countries now that have no coins?
Certain countries do not have their own currency. For example, if I'm not wrong, Montenegro uses the Euro, although they do not issue Montenegrin Euro coins. Kosovo also do not have their own currency, if I'm not wrong.
Certain colonies or territories do not issue their own coins too.
One of the most interesting feature of coins, I find, is to see how many countries issue coins with a certain monarch or face on it. For example, Elizabeth II is found on the back of many coins, including that of the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. It can also be found on the old coins of India and Hong Kong. This is an excellent way to educate about the changing political status of some countries.
To gain more insight into history, you could start explaining the faces on the coins to your son. You might have chanced upon a coin with the bust of Francisco Franco, or Vladimr Lenin, or the Eagle of the Third Reich. These shows the rise and fall of powers of individuals in these territories.
Another way to gain more knowledge into the world is to dwelve into coins of extinct states. This need not be expensive. The coins of recently dissolved/succeeded states of USSR, East Germany, Yugoslavia, Third Reich, Weimar Republic, Eastern Bloc states and former empires (Greek, Indian etc.) can be purchased at very reasonable prices on ebay.
My greatest joy in coin collecting, though, is going to a coin dealers and search through the boxes of coins, uncovering new countries I do not yet have. These coins are generally low in denomination, and are therefore sold at low prices. It is the most practical way to get low cost coins from every country, instead of the money changers.
Thanks for your insight. He's starting to learn about the presidents from the US coins. Amazing how such a little thing can teach so much.
Ok, so certain countries, territories don't have their own currency. Like Micronesia again. They use American currency. But searching online, I found a commemorative coin that the country issued. Are these coins official, fakes...? Is there a way to find out? Sorry for the odd questions. New at this.
Those are official, issued by the government. However, they are not meant for circulation, and might not be legal tender. They are issued merely for commemorative purposes. For example, Austria issues coins with values such as 50euros. While I'm not sure whether shops will accept it as legal tender, they are not meant to be used, but to be kept in a collection, or to be sold later for the precious metal.
Thanks for your insight. He's starting to learn about the presidents from the US coins. Amazing how such a little thing can teach so much.
Ok, so certain countries, territories don't have their own currency. Like Micronesia again. They use American currency. But searching online, I found a commemorative coin that the country issued. Are these coins official, fakes...? Is there a way to find out? Sorry for the odd questions. New at this.
I guess I'm just looking to collect at this point. I got interested over the summer after I collected all 50 US state quarters. Now its really fun cause I'm doing it with my son. And hopefully its something he can continue through out his life. I recently read a story of this gentleman who decided to hike and camp in every US National park. Now he's in his 70's and his son and grandson are helping him finish, while trying to accomplish the feat themselves. Its good to hear families doing things like that.
One last question, though I'm sure I'll have many more. On this site it says I can show my collection (not much of one yet). Can I display my own coins or do I just use the one they display. And how do I know their grade?
You use their pictures. For a project though, I would suggest you start a blogspot ( or your favourite blog site) page and you can display your own coins there. Underneath the picture you could get your son to write a short caption on the history represented by the coin.
Numista has 5 grades.
Generally, for a normal coin that looks nice, it's VF.
If it is scratchless and looks almost perfect, XF.
If there are one or two flaws, such as scratches or stains, it's F.
More than that it's a VG.
UNC are for uncirculated coins, where you would buy directly from a dealer, not get off your change, so you would probably know.
Hi.
If you send me a PM with a list of the countries you already have, I can check my doubles. Maybe you can reach 100 sooner than you think ! (today : coins from 183 countries in my collection...)
Strange coincidence. My son is now 8, but has been into maps and geography since he was 4 or 5. His favorite book is a big world atlas he got a few years ago, he reads and studies it just about every night. Over the years he's collected a few coins and paper bills from relatives who went on vacation, and cherished them. Then, a few months ago my dad gave him a binder of foreign coins that he got from my grandfather. It probably had about 150 coins from 50 countries in it at the time.
Since then, he's wanted to spend all his allowance money on acquiring new countries. So, we go to the local flee markets and a local coin shop every weekend. He's pretty much cleaned out the coin shop of foreign countries that he needed, and flee market vendors mostly carry US coins.
So, he basically has the same goal. Try to get a coin from every country. He's up to 82 different countries, now, but a few countries (Yugoslavia, East Africa, Czechoslovakia) don't exist anymore. Then we're finding that some countries (Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Liberia, etc.) seem to only make expensive commemorative coins for collectors, rather than circulating currency.
Anyway, we have a lot to learn, but this is becoming a fun father-son activity. Good luck to you guys.
Hey Greg. Thanks for writing. Glad to know my kids not alone. I have to agree on the some of the prices for commemorative coins. My son wants Micronesia so badly, but the cheapest i could find was $60. Told him if we can get over 100 maybe i'll get it.
As for collecting the coins, I tried to make it alittle challenging for myself. Instead of pawn and collectable shops, I'm trying to use a sorta grassroots style campaign. Basically, I've asked everyone i know and don't if they have any foreign coins. The response has been amazing. For some reason people are treating it like a scavenger hunt, mixed with a bit of six degrees of separation to Kevin Bacon. "Well, my cousin's father-in-law went fishing with a neighbor whose mother is from Paraguay..."
My sons preschool teacher who he hasn't seen in a year stopped by cause she went on vacation in Denmark and brought back coins for him.
So I guess I'll see how far that gets us. Like you said though, eventually we'll have to start payin for some.
The country of choice this week....Tuvalu. Can't wait to see how we pull that one off.
Heck, I had that thought as well last year. I'm up to 83 countries now between my travels and lunchtime trips to a local coin dealer. Some of it helps because he has a fish bowl full of foreign coins that he keeps topping off that's about $10 a handful (and I'd like to think I've got big hands). I know he's got more in there and sorted elsewhere that I don't have yet, so with a little work (and numista pulled up on my mobile) I should be able to hit 100 pretty easily. If anyone has any country in particular they're looking for I'd be happy to take the list in and see what I can find. I'm also happy to trade what I have (including some of my coins not listed for trade if it's to help a young man learn a little more about a country or period in time).
In the mean time I've been getting off track thanks to a few things:
1. Silver coinage. I'll buy a lot just to snag the silver in it. I have no intentions of melting it, but it just has such a nice feel in my hands.
2. Paper currency. I've fallen in love with some of the currency from the German Weimar Republic era. Particularly the local issues which have some great deco and nouveau artwork on them. They're also relatively inexpensive compared to some of the older coins thanks to the recent rise in silver prices.
