Throughout history there have been many famous people who were known to be numismatists or coin collectors, a hobby which is shared by millions of people around the world. Some names you might recognize, while others you may not. Many of the names in this list may surprise you to know that one of their favorite hobbies is collecting rare and unusual coins. Wayne Gretzky may be one of the most well-known and respected ice hockey players in the world and helped the teams he played with to several championship wins.
What most people do not know about Wayne is that when he not on the ice one of his favorite hobbies is collecting coins. Among other sports stars who consider themselves to be numismatists are Dennis Rodman and Andre Dawson and for those who remember ABC sportscaster Chris Schenkel whose collection filled a 436 page catalog of 3,404 different lots when it was auctioned in 1990.
Coin collecting has long been considered a hobby for kings and there have certainly been more than a few kings that have amassed amazing collections. French King Louis XIV had a collection that he visited on a daily basis and said that he always found something new to learn. Italy's King Emmanuel III had a collection of over 100,000 coins which he donated to the people of Italy when he abdicated his throne in 1946. His collection dated to ancient times and was considered to be one of the most extensive private collections in the modern world.
Several world leaders including at least three of our past presidents were avid coin collectors. John Quincy Adams is said to have been one of our nation's most well-known coin collectors from that era of time.
His face would appear on a $1 Presidential Coin in 2008 as would those of both of the other presidential numismatists. Thomas Jefferson had a collection that ranged from ancient coins of the world to contemporary coins brought to him from the farthest corners of the world. Perhaps the most prominent coin collection president would be Franklin Delano Roosevelt as he would become associated with the dime on which his face would later appear.
As Roosevelt led the battle to put an end to polio, the campaign would become known as the March of Dimes and was instrumental in raising the funds needed to end this horrific disease.
The list of famous coin collectors is huge and continues to grow. With over 140 million coin collectors in the U.S. alone, you are among good company with your hobby.
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byUnited States Gold Bureau