Coin Collecting Through The Ages

Today, coin collecting is known as the "King of Hobbies." That's because it is one of the oldest and most popular pastimes

. I'm not just talking about in one specific location. Coin collecting is a worldwide hobby and has gained popularity amongst all classes of people in many different countries.

Back in the times of Ancient Rome there were scholars, historians, and state treasurers who collected coins from all across the Roman Empire to catalogue them and study them. This was done mainly so they could know who was minting coins and study the histories of different regions. After all, coins in these days bore the face of the local rulers as well as the Roman Emperor.

That does not mean that individuals in this time did not collect coins. Some of the wealthier citizens collected older coins as forms of art they could carry in their pockets. Some of these coins were quite beautiful and can still be found in archaeological sites today.

During the Renaissance, there was an Italian scholar named Petrarch who collected coins because he was fascinated by them. After this passionate aficionado of coin collecting began to show off his collection to the heads of Europe, they too became interested by the idea of collecting old coins. Popes, Emperors, and princes across the continent were all largely immersed in coin collecting. It is because of these heads of state that coin collecting became known as the "Hobby of Kings." Interesting that that sort of carried over into today's nickname for the pastime.

After a fashion, the study of coins actually became a point of academic study. Scholars looked at coins and examined the collections of those who began the trend long ago. They gleaned much from their studies and began to call it "Numismatics."

Today, coins are not only created for the act of circulating as currency but also they are minted specifically for collectors. These coins are sought after because of their limited runs. Modern collectors have conventions, groups, and swap meets all over the world. You can find auctions online and at prestigious auction halls. To think that this whole form of collecting and study began thousands of years ago as a way to keep track of who was ruling over who. It's not hard to see why the practice continued into modern times. It's most certainly a passionate, ingrained, and loved hobby.

by: Mark Etinger

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