My seven-year-old son has recently taken an interest in old coins, so I decided to help him get a modest collection going. I figure this would be a great way for us to spend some quality time together, plus I think he might be able to learn a bit about U.S. history as we acquire different coins. For instance, we recently came across some Franklin half dollars, which served to whet my son's curiosity about the origins of the coin.
As everyone knows, modern 50-cent pieces bear the likeness of John F. Kennedy, the nation's 35th president. But before Kennedy, there were Franklin half dollars in circulation, commemorating that man's many wonderful contributions to the country. Franklin half dollars were minted from 1948-1963 before giving way to Kennedy halves after the assassination. To be honest, I didn't even know these facts prior to looking them up with my son, so obviously coin collecting is helping me learn about American history as well!
Franklin half dollars aren't worth all that much in the world of coin collecting, mostly because they simply aren't rare enough. You can usually pick one up for as little as $2 or $3, which is a nice price for those just starting out. I certainly don't want to spend tons of money on a coin when I don't even know how long my son will be interested in this pastime! Some of the nicer Franklin half dollars in mint condition run closer to $25, which is still a bargain in coin collecting circles. Yes, that particular price is 50 times the face value of the coin, but try comparing that price to how much you'd have to pay for a Gobrecht dollar, Bust dollar, or other truly rare pieces.
We bought this coin, one of the first in our collection, by going to a numismatics convention last month. The convention brought together dealers and collectors from all over the country, and it was a lot of fun to meet other people who share the same interest and to see some rare coins up close instead of just in books. In addition, we picked up several brochures and business cards that will help make it easier for us to make future purchases through reputable sources. Apparently that's a very important consideration in coin collecting because there are a lot of scam artists out there that are just waiting to prey on those new to the game.
All in all, I've been happy with my coin collecting experiences thus far. Our collection might be limited to a few Franklin half dollars, buffalo head nickels, and wheat pennies right now, but we're still having a lot of fun and spending time together in a positive way. No parent could ask for anything more than that!