The Importance of Curiosity

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When first entering the hobby, many young numismatists are told to “collect what you can afford.” In too many cases, a young collector’s enthusiasm in starting a collection outpaces their ability to build it. When the initial excitement fades, they eventually drift away from the hobby. Their interest was piqued but not engaged, and their collection felt defined by what it lacked, not what drove them to build it in the first place. In many ways, I think YNs are often conditioned by the community to view numismatics from the wrong perspective, one that inherently discourages consistent, long-term engagement with the hobby.

The Curiosity Problem

For better or for worse, the numismatic community is strongly shaped by the numismatic industry, an industry in which YNs have a marginal impact. Yet the impact of youth in numismatics goes far beyond their monetary spending: young numismatists’ joy, drive, and perspective are just as, if not more, valuable to the hobby than the money most adult collectors spend. Not only has the wider community’s recognition of this fact kept numismatics alive and thriving, but my own collecting journey has been profoundly shaped by those who were willing to meet a young collector where he was at without projecting assumptions about who he was or what he could do. Numismatists realize that the battle to keep youth in the hobby is an uphill one. Recognition is part of the solution, but how can we engage YNs so that they are ensconced as long-term members of the hobby?

Change the Conversation

The term “numismatist” has become synonymous with “coin collector,” which is logical, given that nearly all numismatists collect coins. However, I regularly see YNs only engaged on the basis of what they collect. This presents a few problems. Many YNs in elementary, middle, and even high school do not have the finances to build collections of “objectively” meaningful objects. While each YN must start somewhere, if numismatic interactions are based solely around the coins a YN has in their collection, it would make sense that the depth of the conversation matches the depth of the collection. Although most people aren’t in a place to help YNs build their collections, they can adjust how they engage the young numismatists they meet. After all, numismatics is by definition a hobby in which collectors study and learn about monetary objects.

So, the next time you meet a YN, don’t ask them what they collect. Instead, ask them what stories are their favorites. Not only does this put the conversation in terms of passion, it is also open-ended, allowing the young numismatist to drive the conversation. Under many young faces and quiet personalities you may just find something unexpected, whether that be a bright new perspective on collecting or even an original research project they’ve conducted. When you give a YN an outlet to share what they are truly curious about, you might just learn something new, since oftentimes a YN’s knowledge often far outpaces their collection. For example, I remember being fascinated with the gold 1877 Half Unions when I was first getting into the hobby, despite the fact that they would easily sell for eight digits should they ever get out of the Smithsonian’s National Numismatic Collection.

Advice to YNs

Engagement is a two way street: you bear the responsibility for your own growth. Whether out of intimidation, timidity, or inexperience, many YNs unintentionally limit their opportunities by passively waiting to be engaged. While it may be a good idea to start with a type set or specific series where you can be confident in your purchases, don’t be confined by a set. Branch out and actively pursue tangents as your numismatic knowledge grows. By focusing on threads and historical context, a collection of esoteric items centered around a specific topic can be more interesting (and meaningful) than a collection built around a list. More than anything, numismatists collect stories, not coins.

Once your curiosity finds an outlet, don’t be afraid to pursue it: you never know what you might find. You may discover an abundance of research has already been done on the topic, but if you come up empty, don’t be surprised—it’s perfectly normal. Numismatics is a broad hobby, and there is much original research to be done. In today’s world, there are more resources available than ever (such as the Newman Numismatic Portal), and many numismatists would be delighted to point you in the right direction. As you come to understand your topic, encourage others’ curiosity by sharing your passion with them. Writing is one of the best ways not only to understand numismatics at a deeper level, but also to contribute to the broader community and connect with others of similar interests. In the digital age, you can reach hundreds, if not thousands, of other collectors through the power of the pen or, in this case, the keyboard. You would be surprised how many publications welcome and even encourage submissions from YNs (such as The Young Numismatist). Don’t be intimidated by the thought of sharing your work with others. If you are passionate about your topic, it will show in your work, potentially even sparking someone else’s curiosity.

Publicly sharing your curiosity will oftentimes reveal opportunities you didn’t even know existed, whether that be free resources, summer programs, mentorship opportunities, or even, in some cases, a career. In my opinion, no other hobby affords as many opportunities for youth to explore their interests as numismatics does, so don’t take your time as a YN for granted. Take advantage of the opportunities to build relationships, which can be more valuable than any coins.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. Young numismatists rarely lack enthusiasm—they simply lack the outlets to explore it. Engaging fellow collectors’ interests not only encourages their curiosity, it also integrates them into the wide and wonderful community of numismatics, creating long-term contributors to the hobby.

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President of the Young Numismatists of America, Elliot Eng is a high school senior from Anaheim, California. A multi-award winning numismatic author, he has published over 20 articles in various publications, including ErrorScope, The California Numismatist, The Young Numismatist, and the Reading Room. The 2026 ANA Young Numismatist of the Year, Elliot currently works for Stack’s Bowers Galleries in the U.S. Coin Auction department.

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