Coin Show: From Ancient Greece to Today

Dealers and collectors alike were eager to share the history of their coin and bill collections this weekend at the Golden State Coin show.

The show, which took place at the , included 27 dealers from all over Southern California and was presented by the Numismatic Association of Southern California.

Ted Koopman, a retired Navy commander who now runs Ted's Coins & Stamps, displayed coins from all over the world. He said silver dollars are very popular right now as the prices of gold and silver rise. One such coin is his 1798 silver dollar on sale for $1,295. Koopman also had a wide variety of less expensive smaller denomination coins.

“You can still buy the copper pennies for under 10 cents a piece in bulk, so they're very affordable,” Koopman said. “A lot of youngsters go through those with their penny books, and it's a fun way to start.”

Other pennies, however, are much more expensive. Koopman had a coin from the first year of the Lincoln penny that cost more than $1,000.

On the corner of his table, Koopman had a treasure chest filled with coins that cost five for a dollar so that kids could afford to be a part of the day.

“I'm trying to encourage the younger generation to get into it because it's a fun hobby, and it's a hobby that can be very fruitful over a period of time,” he said. “I purchased coins for under $10 as a youngster that are $1,000 today.”

A large variety of paper money was also available. Vern Potter of Vern Potter Currency & Collectibles was selling paper U.S. currency. In one case, Potter's favorite currency was his collection of obsolete notes, which he appreciates for their variety and detail.

“Every bank, every state, every county, every business that chose to would design and create their own currency and print it, and it circulated locally,” Potter said. “The big draw back to that was the notes were only redeemable at that particular bank or county or city, so if you went to the next city, the notes were not necessarily redeemable at the local merchants.”

Most of these notes were high quality, pressed from engraved steel plates, he said. The artistry and detail of the notes helped encourage people to see paper money as valuable enough to represent the gold and silver they were used to.

The bills are often called “broken bank notes” because a lot of the banks that printed them failed, and the people holding these notes lost their money. Other banks were just flat out fraudulent and printed money with nothing baking them.

The notes were circulated from about 1800 to until they were demonetized in 1865 after the federal government began circulating common notes in 1862.

Potter also had a collection of fractional notes created during the Civil War because the metals used for coins were not available. The government printed 3, 5, 10, 15 and 50 cent notes to use instead of coins so that merchants could make change. This practice was done until the 1870s.

Glenn Franks, a passionate collector, carried a suitcase filled with thousands of dollars in coins. He began collecting at 10 years old and says the hobby, while expensive, has kept him out of trouble. Franks showed off his book with a sample of every U.S. coin ever minted and recommended that type of book for young people interested in beginning a collection. (Watch the video of Franks showing off his coin book)

Nine-year-old Troy Hackett attended the show with his father, who introduced Hackett to coin collecting. At this weekend's show, Hackett bought an Indian Head penny and two Canadian coins. However, his favorite coin in his collection, a 1942 Mercury dime, was something he acquired through sheer luck when he noticed it under a vending machine.

Collectors were able to find a variety of international coins as well. Pedro Munoz was drawn to to the Mexican coins as a way to connect with his family's past. His grandfather fought in the Mexican Revolution, and as Munoz learns the history of the coins, he learns about his family's experiences.

“I enjoy this show a lot,” Munoz said. “It's like when you're a kid and you're given some toys to play with.”

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