heather rege

Numismatics? ... Gesundheit!

Not the sound of an overly complicated sneeze. Not the answer to a final “Jeopardy!” question. Not even the last word in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Numismatics is more common than you would think.

It’s simply the study or collection of coins, paper currency and medals. Houma resident and proud numismatist Gary Whipple recently took some time to show off his impressive collection and illuminate the world of coin collecting.

Once called the hobby of kings due to its exclusivity, coin collecting is now an entertaining pastime enjoyed by thousands. In his case, Gary can trace the advent of his interest in coins back to his childhood.

“As a kid, a cousin and I hid treasure in the backyard—a Buffalo nickel, a cent and a Mercury dime,” he says. Fast forward to 1990, when he was a Major General in the Army; a fateful trip to a coin shop brought the memories of his youth flooding back. That trip rekindled Gary’s interest in coins. “I started with a collection of pennies, Lincoln cents.”

Over the years, he has assembled quite a collection, choosing to sell pieces when the market deems them most valuable. As it stands today, some of the most unique sets in his possession include his Hobo nickels and Civil War tokens. Hobo nickels are fascinating pieces of American history, Gary says.

“During the Great Depression, hobos would take a five-cent Buffalo nickel, flatten out the relief on it, and carve their own art into the coin,” he says. “The images they carved were as unique as the artists themselves—everything from animals, women, presidents, cars, trains, clowns, dragons ... even other hobos. Then they would take the coins they had carved door to door, bartering them for a hot meal or a stay in someone’s barn for the night.”

Today, the Hobo nickel is so widely studied that many can be traced back to their original artists, including one of the most popular artists, George Washington “Bo” Hughes. These coins are now worth from $80-5,000, Gary says.

Civil War tokens, on the other hand, were minted by the government in response to the practice of hoarding gold, silver and copper-nickel coins during that war. To fill the void in America’s circulating currency, businessmen contracted with private minters to create the tokens. A few years later, the practice of minting and using the coins was outlawed. Gary happens to be the proud owner of about 60 of these tokens.

Two other gems in his collection include his Army Air Force Exchange Service POG’s and his set of Krewe of Rex doubloons.

“I have every thrown doubloon that was ever issued from the first parade in 1960 to the present,” Gary says.

Because of his own illustrious military career and the fact that all three of his sons have
completed tours of duty in the Middle East, he has a personal connection to his AAFES POG collection.

“POG’s are just cardboard discs,” he says. These discs used by the military are very similar in size and composition to the POG’s played with by millions of kids in the early 1990s.

“I have my sons bring me a set [of POG’s] back whenever they’re oversees, so I have Afghan and Iraqi POG’s,” Gary says. “Because the military doesn’t want to have to ship nickels, dimes and quarters overseas because they’re so heavy, they issue these POG’s in denominations of 5-25 cents to be used as currency in the AAFES system.”

Upon seeing them, one is struck by how beautiful they are, as well as the attention to detail on each piece.

“The government makes an effort for them to be beautiful, like stamps,” the numismatist says. “Usually they’re printed with something meaningful to the military, like a battle.”

It’s obvious that Gary takes personal pride in his collection, but with all of these beautiful coins to enjoy, does he have a favorite? In short, no; he doesn’t have “a” favorite—he has two.

“First I would have to say my $20 St. Gaudens gold piece with a standing Liberty and eagle. Next, I’d say my Walking Liberty half dollar. I’ve had several in my collection over the years, and they are just so beautiful,” Gary says.

When collecting coins, price must also be considered.

“The most I’ve paid for a coin was probably $2,000 for a $3 gold coin,” Gary says. “I was at a FUN show, Florida United Numismatists, and a friend came up to me with this excited look on his face and said I had to come see what he’d just bought. It was a 1793 quarter; he paid $12,000 for it. It’s neat, though, because it could have been used by someone like Ben Franklin, or even Washington himself. My friend said, ‘It would be really nice if you could make out the eagle on the back.’”

That’s the thing about coins—what attracts different people to different coins can vary. Sometimes it’s beauty—sometimes rarity. Some coins have personal meaning; some have a fascinating history; and some simply seem to speak to you. That’s why Gary thinks collecting coins is such a wonderful hobby.

“It teaches you,” he says. “It’s a great hobby especially for young people because you learn so much about history and time periods. You imagine what it was like at the time some of these coins were circulated.”

Coin collecting is a bridge that links us to our past—a way to connect with people and a time gone by. Ask your grandmother about Hobo nickels; hunt for a Civil War token in that coin jar in the garage. You never know what you might find. PoV

If you would like to take a closer look, join Gary and the Bayou Country Coin Club when they meet on the second Wednesday of every month at the Ramada Inn in Houma.