US Coin Collecting 365 - History of the "Hobby of Kings"

US Coin Collecting 365 - Coin collecting began as soon as coins were minted as currency. People began hoarding coins to collect on their bullion value.

Coin collecting as we know it today started in the 14th century. An Italian poet and scholar named Petrarch is credited with starting the coin collecting trend, which royals and other wealthy people eventually picked up.

Because only the very wealthy could afford to keep coins for collecting purposes rather than for currency, coin collecting became known as the "hobby of kings."

In the 19th and 20th centuries, coin collecting societies and conventions became popular. A few of these organizations, such as the American Numismatic Association, are still around today.