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My Father's Collection

While cleaning out the parents’ house a few months ago I located my father’s coin collection.  His interest was generally simple.  He would stick away just about anything out of change that looked interesting, items such as: silver coins, wheat cents, world coins, Mexican and Canadian coins, and anything else that caught his fancy.  For a number of years he purchased mint and proof sets directly from the government.  Unfortunately the years of which I speak were the late 1960’s to the early 1980’s during a time when mint and proof sets were poorly produced and in abundant quantity.  Even at that, I have had fun going through these.  Many of the coins still in their original sealed holders have odd discoloration, oxidation-caused browning more than likely.  One very nice proof 1971-s cent has a huge fingerprint on the obverse, just as black and distinct as it can be.  Several of the cases have split open.  A couple of the coin slots have debris in the form of dust particles or almost microscopic pieces of paper included.  During one of our Greater Houston Coin Club Show and Tell sessions I’ll bring a few of the worst offenders.  I comfort myself by noting that many of these sets came out during the Nixon administration when so much else was going wrong that a few bad proof sets were the least of the difficulties. 

            The one that I really enjoy is the item shared above with the big fingerprint.  Chances are good the fingerprint is of such fine quality that the perpetrator could be located even thirty five years later by checking into the FBI’s file.  I suppose that the one responsible doesn’t even realize that his momentary contact with that particular coin was so duly and eternally noted.

            But when it is considered, throughout our lives we leave behind evidence of who we are through those with whom we come into contact.  It can be said in a more symbolic way that our “fingerprints” remain on the lives of those we “touch” in some way or another.  In the legal world the fingerprint left behind may be evidence of a criminal activity.  In the case of which I speak one’s fingerprint is actually the influence someone has on the life of someone else.

            Within the next month, for example, we will be gathering for the 50^th annual Greater Houston Coin Club’s Money Show.  It promises to be a spectacular event.  During this time there will be plenty of opportunities available for us to be in contact with others.  Volunteers are needed and will have the blessing of doing something positive for someone else.  I like to think of it as leaving one’s fingerprint on the life of somebody else.  Even though a word of welcome, or direction, or patience on our part won’t seem like much, such a positive effort might just make the day for one with whom we might even briefly come into contact.

            This is what life is about; being in “touch” with each other and offering friendship.  Following our most recent Numismatic Lunch Bunch one of the members observed that the day was quite beautiful and it was a very good day weather-wise.  He then noted that it was also a good day to have lunch with friends.  I like that.  We can do more than work together; we can be friends.

            See you on the 18^th, if not before . . . Regards and God Bless. . . Richard