Terry Caldwell and Ken Marich
The SaddleBrooke Coin Club (SBCC) held its annual Coin Show at the MountainView clubhouse on April 16 in conjunction with Grandkids Day. A special effort was made to introduce children to learning about coins and collecting. Over three dozen kids filtered among the exhibit tables, and each child received some free real money in the form of partially completed coin collection books, coin maps, coin display pages, or loose change. The show also coincided with the American Numismatic Association’s National Coin Week conducted April 17 through April 23. The national theme for 2022 was “Dynamic Designs, Artistic Masterpieces,” which focused on various coin designs and their engravers.
Grandparents, parents, and children alike showed interest in the many displays of coins and currency, starting with the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial issues featuring his early childhood through his presidency on the coin’s reverse (“tails”) side. Also popular were the Jefferson nickel’s Westward Journey (2004–2005) issues with American Bison, Ocean View, Keelboat, and Peace Medal reverse designs. Washington quarters changes started in 1976 with the Bicentennial issue, followed with the well-liked state quarter and America the Beautiful National Park issues. There were also beautiful displays of historic coins featuring gold coins, silver commemoratives, and Morgan (1878–1921) and Peace (1921–1935) silver dollars.
The SaddleBrooke Coin Club was established in 2010; coincidentally, the same year as the Arizona Grand Canyon National Park Quarter was issued. The club is chartered under the bylaws of both SaddleBrooke One and SaddleBrooke TWO. Each meeting provides opportunities to discover and discuss various aspects of numismatics, including United States and foreign coins, currency, tokens, and exonumia (items other than coins and paper money, such as tokens or wooden nickels). Members are given the opportunity to buy, sell, or trade numismatic items at the meetings. The SBCC enjoys the knowledgeable leadership of Terry Caldwell as club president, Jon Sorenson as vice president, and Jim Harris as secretary/treasurer.
Collecting coins is fun, educational, and can be a lifelong hobby. It is estimated that there are over 100 million coin collectors in the U.S. The SBCC welcomes all residents to attend any of our meetings, which are held the second Thursday of each month (except June, July, and August) at the MountainView clubhouse in the Sonoran Room from 6 to 8 p.m. At our May 12 meeting, Art Friedman, Ph.D., president of Eureka Discoveries, spoke on Ancient Judean coins and artifacts. For more information, contact Terry Caldwell at [email protected] or his cell phone 719-246-1822.