Collection junction
08.26.2005Technorati tags: coincollecting
A certain someone is amused at my new-found interest in coin collecting. Although. It's not entirely a "new" interest. I've always kept coins from every overseas adventure. And both my grandparents had informal coin collections.
Sometimes, coins can say a lot. Take this 10 peso coin (click to see larger) I brought back from my trip through Chile in 1998. It's a 1981 coin, w/ a date inscription "11-IX-1973" and a winged woman w/ broken chains around her wrists & the text "Libertad" ("Liberty"). The coins were no longer minted after the Pinochet years. But they were still in circulation.
I've always liked how coins carry a bit of national history on them. I can appreciate this because of the sharpest break in my life. In December 1984 I began my life in the US; my family left Bolivia in the midst of an economic meltdown. Within a few months, there was a currency devaluation & a whole new set of coins.
To be blunt, the new coins were crappy. Light, tin, indistinguishable. Except for the 5 Bs. coin which is much more impressive.
I really like British coins (from my trip to London, December 2004). I can see why they're currency's the pound. Those coins were so heavy, I could really feel the weight of them in my hand. There was no mistake. This. Is. Money.
I was sad Europe had converted to the Euro. No lira, no pesetas, no franks. But I was happy to see the Euro coins retained bits of European nations' histories on them. And the differences between those minted in Italy, France, Spain, Germany were impressive.
I have a jar of coins from all the countries I've been to: Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Peru, El Salvador, Great Britain, Spain, Italy. And a few from friends who've brought me back coins from Japan (thanks, Bill!) and Israel (thanks, Bay!). So. I've decided to start organizing them into something that'll keep. Someday, like my abuelito, maybe I'll have a little coin collection to show my grandchildren and let them begin to imagine what traveling the world might be like.
I do also collect other things, both now & before. But I'm curious as to what other people collect. K8 seems to think this is more of a "guy" thing, but I'm not entirely sure about that. My mom used to collect little tea cups, my cousin Kathira collects Coca-Cola stuff from around the world (cans, bottles, etc), my Gramma used to collect refrigerator magnets, my aunt Cindi collects ceramic clowns.
So I'm mostly curious to hear what, if anything, other people collect. And why. I'm really curious. Oh, and if you're over sometime & wanna see my coin collection, just ask.
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NOTE: If you're wondering: The date on the Chilean coin is significant because it's the date of Pinochet's coup. It's ironic, then, that Chileans had to carry such coins in their pockets, coins that commemorated the date of a brutal military coup as a date to be celebrated as a date of liberation.
Posted by Miguel at 06:57 PM
Comments
Postcard collecting. I've collected postcards from every city to which I've ever been. My great granda' started the collection during the first world war while he was a sailor for Her Majesty's Royal Navy, with all sorts of postcards of ports and frigates and cities and the like. My granda' had a few from his time serving in the US Navy during WWII. My dad contributed while he served in the US Army during the US-Vietnam conflict. Since I began traveling internationally, the collection has thus grown.
Posted by: tom at August 26, 2005 08:52 PM
Sorry Tom. I owe you a postcard from Indonesia and Sg. =P
I used to collect stamps. Some years later, I was given a collection of old stamps, tons of them from China. That was a treasure.
Posted by: Stephanie at August 27, 2005 05:19 AM
Oh, if I would've known this beforehand, I would bring you coins from the countries I've been this summer. N.
Posted by: Nenad at August 27, 2005 08:14 AM
Thanks Steph, but the only postcards that can be added to this collection are from places to which I've actually been, purchased while there. Otherwise, obviously, such a collection could spin wildly out of control and lose its personal significance. Though I appreciate the sentiment :)
Posted by: tom at August 27, 2005 01:43 PM
Ok, where to start. I collected cigarret packages. I covered the wall of my room with them. I also got to try some exotic cigarrets. I also had a collection of match boxes, which grew thanks to the help of my bro who sent me many of them. I once started a collection of bottle caps. And so on.....
So, as you might just imagine, I happen to collect coins and bills as well. My collection grew in recent years because of my travels. I have some cool coins from the Arab Emirates, Iran and Iraq. But my most special coin is one beautiful golden dollar coin. I don't know anything about it but it looks really good. I also like the euro coins. Specially the ones from Greece, San Marino and Vatican. Oh, I am also looking for the new Malta ones that will be coming out.
Posted by: Miguel (MABB) at August 27, 2005 05:40 PM
i collect smooth stones when i visit places with coasts or lakes. it's more of an artistic collection than a desire for breadth. i have a window dedicated to soft light green rocks from the ecuador coast, another window sill filled with ones from lake titicaca that a good friend toted in his pockets for me. i have one smooth stone from the harbor in lima, and a few from a stream in colorado. the newfoundland rocks are in the living room window. they look great in the light.
i guess i collect them because they're beautiful, and a tangible memory of a place i've been. also--they're free--and walking along a coast looking for the perfect smooth stone is fun. finally, it makes for fun to tell someone you're carrying rocks in your luggage!
Posted by: paula at August 28, 2005 10:05 AM
well, i have collected sugarpacks from the cafes i've been to. and also once i found a coin of the 18... year (dont remember, very old). it was at the riverbank at the place of the old old village which was destroyed and then covered with water. if you still collect coins i can send you that one or at least its photo)))i guess it is cool to collect ways of making people feel happy or just smile...(Moscow, Russia)
Posted by: mazerland at August 30, 2005 08:50 AM