9 Questions with… 9 y/o Ethan!

What up, what up coin lovers! I’m beyond thrilled to share with y’all today’s 9 Questions, featuring someone not only super passionate and AWESOME at collecting coins, but who’s also shockingly young at that.

Meet Ethan. My new favorite 9 year old! :)

(That’s him holding a stash of coins he found while metal detecting one day!!!)

Ethan’s dad wrote in to us a while back, and I was finally able to make this live today. Here’s what he sent (and what a great dad for helping support his son’s passion!):

“Hello! My son would like to be considered for your 9 questions profile. We were told about your site by Richard over at moneygraffiti.com. Ethan has been collecting for a couple of years now and is always up for a trade. He’s a saver to be sure.”

This is for you Ethan and dad! Keep collecting and inspiring people!

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What’s your favorite coin in your collection?

It would have to be my 1 POUND silver walking liberty coin. The size and value makes me happy. I also have a $50,000,000,000,000 bank note from Zimbabwe, Africa that I like a lot.

How did you get started collecting?

My grandparents came back from a trip to Europe and gave me a lot of unspent foreign coins. They looked so strange. Some had holes or were made from 2 kinds of metals. Very cool!

What’s the coolest thing you’ve found in circulation?

My younger brother and I had a lemonade stand at our family yard sale and someone paid with a 1939 silver quarter. I could tell right away it looked different. We made over $30 that day.

What was the most you’ve ever spent on a coin?

I’m lucky, I haven’t had to use any of my own money! Besides my grandparents, I have an aunt who likes to travel and I have gotten a lot of coins from her. I also trade extra coins with other collectors around the world. One collector in Japan wanted to help me get started and he sent me over 30 coins for free! (Thanks Mr. Pathfinder!)

What’s the best bargain you’ve gotten?

Well, it’s hard to beat free, but I guess it would have to be my 1939 silver quarter. That was one expensive cup of lemonade she bought! They say there’s more coins in the ground than there is in circulation so my dad and I go metal detecting. Free money!

Have you ever been ripped off?

No. Most of my coins really aren’t worth a whole lot. I keep some of them in a kids ATM bank and one of my friends figured out my PIN # but he didn’t steal anything. Everybody I have traded with has been really nice and honest.

What’s your favorite type of coin to collect?

I like any coin from a country I don’t have, any US coin before 1965 or any coin that looks weird.

What’s one piece of advice you could share with us today?

Don’t spend.

If you could own any coin in the entire world, which would it be?

The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Coin – it’s worth $7,590,020.

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Ethan’s dad also mentioned the following in his email which I find to be all kinds of fun:

“We use a world map for plotting what countries our coins were minted in. Each coin in the collection gets a pin on the map.”

Thanks for playing along, Ethan!  You’re an inspiration! And I’d be happy to trade with you any day :) Perhaps you’re interested in participating in our “trade up” game?

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