While coin collecting, or numismatics, may be perceived by others as a dull hobby, it has numerous benefits for kids. Here are just six of the benefits kids can gain from becoming a numismatist.
1. Improve reading ability and comprehension
There are lots of things to read and examine on a coin. For this reason, studying a coin can help improve a child’s reading and reading comprehension. Comprehension is improved when a child is able to learn what unfamiliar words mean and integrate them into their current vocabulary.
2. Improve organizational skills
Organizational skills can be improved by the simple act of sorting coins by material, size, and/or denomination. If lucky, this skill can translate to other areas of a kid’s life. Maybe they’ll even learn how to organize their messy rooms. (A parent can only hope!)
3. Boost self-confidence and self-esteem
A child with a hobby is much more likely to be confident about themselves, which will often lead to a higher self-esteem as they mature. This is particularly helpful to kids who may not have many friends. Coin collecting is also a great way for kids to make friends. The U.S. Mint has resources to help young numismatists start a local meetup group for fellow coin collectors.
4. Learn to establish priorities
This is especially true if kids are taught to use their own money for expanding their collection. Furthermore, this lesson will likely roll over to other aspects of the child’s life as it shows them the importance of sticking to a committed to a task.
5. Gain specialized knowledge
This includes learning about how and where money is created, the materials used for minting, as well as the history of minting in the US and in other countries and times. All of this knowledge adds to their education without feeling like traditional schooling.
6. Obtain a greater understanding of the value of money
Once kids know how money is made, having a coin collection can teach them the value of money. This doesn’t just refer to what money they can make from their collection one day, but it can also be simplified to learning about the face value of coins.
Additionally, this knowledge can be expanded to include lessons on saving their money and mathematical calculations.
We think there are many benefits to getting children interested in coin collecting as a hobby. Be sure to check out our other articles for parents and educators like you for more ideas on how to get started.