Coin collection, or numismatics as it is known, is one of the oldest hobbies in the world. This fascinating hobby of collecting coin requires a lot of patience and a good eye for detail. You have to be quick to identify the value of a seemingly innocuous coin and be obstinate enough to know the history of the coin.

Numismatics is a hobby that can be picked up by anyone irrespective of age, gender, profession or socioeconomic standing. It is something that can be pursued by people across demographics. If you thought collecting coins is for those with too much time on their hands, you are wrong. Here we list 5 famous people who have been and some still are ardent coin collectors.

Nicole Kidman
This Hollywood superstar is very much into the old-school and old-fashioned hobby of numismatics. It is rumored that the Moulin Rouge star collects Judean coins. Judean coins are ancient Hebrew silver coins that originated in Judaea, which was a part of the Persian empire in 6th century BCE. Although Kidman’s connection to these ancient coins is a gossip column rumor, it never hurts to speculate on the numismatic side of the actress.

Thomas Jefferson
The founding father of USA and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence was known for many things, numismatics being one of them. The third president enthusiastically collected gold coins. The period of these coins ranged from contemporary Europe to ancient civilizations from the past.

Franklin D Roosevelt
Roosevelt was another president who was an enthusiastic numismatic. He was an ardent collector of coins and later became associated with the humble dime. Roosevelt started the March of Dime, a fundraising campaign to fight polio. This program invited people to contribute at least a dime to help find cure against polio. To commemorate Roosevelt’s legacy, the US Government and the US Mint decided to put Roosevelt’s image on the humble dime (10 cent).

John Quincy Adams
The sixth president of United States was also a keen collector of coins. Adams’s specialty was collecting ancient Roman coins. He was known as one of the most prominent coins collectors in America. His interest in coin collection began in Europe when he started collecting coins from Greek and Roman civilizations along with his father John Adams, the second president of the country. The great coin collection of the Adams family was acquired by the Massachusetts Historical Society. In 1971, this collection was auctioned off.

Coins are more than just a legal tender or currency for most people. They are memories, histories, symbology, souvenirs, mysteries and because of these things, a hobby and/or business. We all know someone who collects coins as a hobby or who loves to research on coins and is really interested in knowing about different coins of different places of different times.

But, there is always a start and we are going to discuss about numismatics, that is the word used to describe study of coins but is also colloquially used for coin collection. This hobby or interest of collecting coins came only after the iron age in Anatolia (which is today called Turkey), that is when coins were first developed. They started rapidly around the world and each empire or kingdom would have its own unique coin(s). People started collecting coins that we discontinued soon after they were initiated, making them rare and hence, invaluable. Such coins were also a potential source of money as many would pay a fortune to possess rare yet artistically and historically strong coins.

The hobby of collecting coins started gaining popularity in the fourteenth century. It was during the Renaissance, when numismatics became a fad among people from the elite classes, especially kings and queens. In fact, today, collecting coins is called the king of hobbies’ as in the old times it was called hobby of kings’. Study of coins or numismatics became a part of academic discipline in seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. And hobbies were later turned into serious studies and became more systematic.

Numismatics helped people understand the history and culture of different places. There were hidden meanings as well that these hobbyists found and that helped in many discoveries as well.
As time moved ahead, this hobby started spreading among people from the middle class as well as things started getting more accessible. Today it’s not just about ancient coins, people keep coins from different countries they have traveled as a souvenir. Storytelling also emerged from the collection of coins.

Today you will find books that have been written on coins and the collection of coins, shows that have been conducted on the same, and there are a lot of people who are interested in this and devote great amount of time to numismatics. Coin collection also brings or unites the world as understanding culture of each other is a great way to mend countries.

Whether you are an enthusiastic numismatic or a novice, or whether you are into American numismatics, world coins, bullion or ancients, there are probably certain coins that are you covet than all coins. There are some coins that are the crème de la crème in the world of numismatics. Not only are they significant in terms of their value, but these coins are quite rare.

Each of these coins have interesting stories attached to them, which adds to their value. Avid coin collectors covet these coins not only for their artistic value, but also for their historical significance. It is quite interesting to note that all these coins are worth more than their face value.

1955/55 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent
This coin is an error coin. Nonetheless, keen Lincoln penny collectors have an avid interest in this coin. This coin was the result of a simple error during minting. While minting this coin, the United States Mint used a coin die that had two impressions that were offset from each other. After minting, a batch of this coin (about 20,000 to 24,000 coins) were mixed with a batch of correctly minted coins. Since, it was not worth melting the whole batch of pennies, the mint decided to keep the doubled die cent in circulation. However, after the story was published in newspapers, many people pulled the coin from use.

$1 Million Gold Canadian Maple Leaf
This coin is the first, and perhaps the only, million dollar coin to have been ever minted in the world. With 3cm thickness and diameter of 50cm, this coin was minted by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2007. It is made of 3527 ounces of 99.999% pure gold. On one side, the coin has an impression of Queen Elizabeth II. On the other side, it has three maple leaves printed on it. There are five of these coins, owned by investors all over the world. The last of these coins was auctioned at a value of approximately $4.02 million in June 2010.

1974 Silver Dollar
The first dollar coin minted by the newly formed US Federal mint is worth approximately $10 million. This coin made of 10 percent copper and 90 percent silver was issued by the US Federal Government in 1794 and 1795. Also known as the Flowing Hair dollar, this coin has an image of the bust of Liberty with flowing tresses. The most expensive coin possessed by a private collector, this coin is quite significant historically.

We all know coin collection is a hobby among many and started back in the fourteenth century by the members of elite groups and royal families. However, gradually this hobby started getting popular even among the middle class with the rising availability and interest in history, symbolism and art.

There are a lot of reasons for starting this hobby. Also, there are many benefits and advantages of collecting coins as a hobby. Many hobbyists have confirmed that soon after they took up collecting coins, they see lot of changes in them. Let’s talk about these changes and the improving mental health from collecting coins.

Hobby of kings
Back in the 14th century, this hobby was not popular among all classes. Only the rich and royal families could afford to have this as a hobby. But today, everybody can develop it, and despite the commonness, it’s referred to as the hobby of kings. You will always get the rich and royal feeling if or once you develop this hobby.

Increases your knowledge
It’s true. The more you collect, the more you inquire about the background of the coin and get deep in the history. One piece of information that you find will lead to another, leaving you highly informed about a lot of things from history to the present.

Help you travel
Nope, we don’t mean having an interest in coins will take you places for free, but it will definitely raise your interest in knowing about other cultures and countries, and that will build your interest in wanting to see the place you have been reading up a lot about. This interest will work well with your subconscious and can lead you to many foreign lands.

Storytelling skills
Everything has a story. Every coin also has a story. With your keen interest of knowing more about the symbols and pictures engraved in each coin, you will come across many stories, which you can tell other people in social gathering. People are interested in knowing interesting and lesser known facts from the past.

Eye for detail
You will develop an eye for detail once you are into coin collection and numismatics. There are also many health benefits to it as it calms you down. But with the art and story behind every coin will give you the skill of giving attention to detail that can be helpful in your normal day-to-day life as well.