Numismatics  click the pictures for 600dpi scans

First things first. I keep all of my coins in a bank safe deposit box, and on my modest budget I don't collect big money coins. That said, I admit that I am a coin junkie. I subscribe to numerous periodicals on the subject, and I attend coin conventions on a regular basis. I have always had a collectors mentality, and have always had a passive interest in coins. 

How I started collecting coins:

My earliest exploration into coins began as a young boy. At the age of about 8 or 10 I found some old coin folders in a file cabinet that belonged to my father. The folders were filled with buffalo nickels and mercury dimes he had pulled from circulation as a boy.  Without asking, I raided his collection and took some of  the coins to satisfy my own curiosity . Not the best start, but the seed of collecting was planted. When ever my parents went on trips to far away countries, I looked forward to their return with a pocket full of foreign change. I even visited a local coin shop once or twice as a pre-teen, purchasing a few pieces like modern proof coins. Although coins were interesting to me, at that age they were a passing interest at best.

My active interest in collecting coins was sparked  in Las Vegas in the late 1980's after seeing a Grateful Dead concert.  I was sitting at a black jack table with my girlfriend (who is now my wife) and my friend Bob. Bob hit blackjack, and in his payout he received a half dollar. I saw that the coin was dated 1964, and knew that dimes through half dollars dated 1964 or earlier were made of silver. I paid Bob $5 for his half dollar, and it became a pocket piece. I was so happy with this silver coin that within a few weeks I found myself a regular visitor at a coin store in San Diego where I was living at the time. This coin store had bid boards which were like auctions for modestly priced coins.  The rush of buying old coins made of precious metals was strong, and I began to read about the coins I was buying.

The coins pictured on this page were struck for collectors in 1875 with a reflective Proof finish. By contrast, coins struck for circulation in commerce are less reflective and frequently have softer strikes thus showing less sharp design elements. Coins are fun to collect and they let you hold history in your hands.

One evening I was sharing my new interest and some purchases with my parents. My mother told me that my deceased grandfather also collected coins, and that she had his collection in a safe place. She left the room and returned with an old tin can. She said I could keep this collection under the condition that I did not sell these coins because of the sentimental value they possessed. I agreed, and eagerly opened this family treasure. In the can were rolls of Morgan and Peace silver dollars wrapped in aluminum foil. I spread a towel on the kitchen table, and opened all of the rolls. Soon I had over one hundred silver dollars spread out on the table. It was this event which hooked me on coin collecting. Although the coins in my grandfathers collection had relatively little monetary value due to their worn condition, they were a link to the past. They linked me to a grandfather I never meet, and the bakery he worked at where he took these coins from circulation. I also felt a connection to all the people who held the coins before me, and used them in daily commerce, starting from the earliest date on one of these silver dollars from the late 1870's. I had history in my hands.

Over the past dozen years of active collecting, my interests within numismatics have evolved, but they are still rooted in the monetary wealth that coins represent, as well as the history associated with their production and use.

Over the past few years I have enjoyed collecting coins from the California gold rush. I enjoy studying the history of the gold rush, and all of the ramifications that this event has had on our world.

Disclaimer: I do not own many of the coins pictured on this website. My modest collection is kept in a bank safe deposit box at all times. I do enjoy examining and studying these fascinating coins and artifacts. If you have quality scans of California gold rush coins, artifacts, or assay receipts, I would love to see them for possible inclusion on my web site with or without a photo credit. Please e-mail to goofyft@aol.com. 

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