Introduction

Did you know that collecting coins, stamps and currency is one of the most popular hobbies in the world? Many rich and famous people are avid collectors. Coin and currency collectors are numismatists. Stamp collectors are philatelists.

For example, when the pressures of running the United States during the great depression of the 1930’s and World War II in the 1940’s become almost too great to bear, President Franklin D. Roosevelt would retire to his study to work on his famous stamp collection. Many people do not realize that one of the world’s great fortunes began most humbly in Europe when a small coin dealer, Mayer Rothschild, began selling coins to Europe’s kings and royals. But, YOU don’t have to be a king or president to collect – you just need to be curious about, and interested in the world around you. There is no limit to what you can learn when you collect coins.