John’s interest in coin collecting began when he was 12, inspired by his father, who brought him along to a coin club and coin shows. The time they spent together collecting helped turn it into a shared hobby they could bond over. John began in 1976 by buying proof pennies at about $0.50 each, and his collection has grown steadily ever since. Now in his mid-fifties, he has an eclectic collection. “It’s hard to belive that I spent so much time agonizing over buying a .50 Lincoln cent in 1976 with the same energy that I now buy $5,000+ coins.”