Brockton numismatist makes sense out of coin collecting

BROCKTON – The niche hobby of coin collection was in mint condition in Brockton last week, with a display of rare quarters, dimes and dollars during an event at the city's public library.

Richard Hand Jr., who is a “numismatist,” or someone who collects or studies coins, put on a program at the Brockton Public Library, sharing his passion for coin collection as part of the 93rd annual National Coin Week.

“With any hobby or sport, it’s important to keep it alive,” said Hand, who wore a black top hat and suit jacket for the occasion. “It’s worth it. It really is.”

During this year’s National Coin Week, Hand said local numismatists were mourning the death of Thomas Kalantzis, who was scheduled to give a presentation at the Brockton event about “repunched mint marks” and “doubled dies.” Kalantzis, of Eastham, who was a shop steward during the 9/11 cleanup in New York City, died at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston on April 13 at age 65.

Kalantzis studied the Eisenhower dollar coin for 30 years, looking for mint-made errors, which can add value to the currency for collectors.

“People who do this stuff – there is a vast knowledge he’s willing to share,” Hand said. “It’s now lost. ... His level of knowledge is irreplaceable.”.

During the library event, Hand provided activities for children, to help them learn about the science of grading Buffalo nickels and other coins on a standard scale used by the American Numismatic Association and others. Hand passed out “2-by-2” cardboard coin holders, which have plastic windows, allowing the children to examine the coins without degrading their value.

“They love it,” said Hand, 55, of Brockton. “What I tell everybody there, especially the kids, is that I’m doing this because at some point I’m going to need someone to sell my coins to. I’m going to have to educate you to get you to like it.”

Hand said that he started collecting coins at a young age, after being gifted some coins as a relative, including silver dollars, Morgan dollars, Peace dollars, Lincoln cents and the so-called wheat cents. Hand said he quickly learned how the date and mint mark for each coin was a distinguishing factor in its worth.

“I started filling albums, which was a big thing at one time,” Hand said. “I’d look for every date and mint mark where the coin was made and fill in the holes like a puzzle.”

Hand said when he got older he dropped the hobby as he was “chasing gas and perfume,” and served in the Marines for three years. But later on, he returned to his beloved hobby, after coming back home.

“There’s a science of money, and to the history of what its made out of,” Hand said.

Hand said that coin collecting became a “graying hobby,” as children nowadays are more interested in electronic games, but he said the trade was given “a big shot in the arm” in 1999 when the state quarter collection was launched.

Hand thanked James C. Johnston Jr., who gave a presentation at the Brockton library event on U.S. coins, including the Mercury dime, the standing liberty quarter and the walking liberty half dollar.

Hand said a standing liberty half dollar, which shows Lady Liberty standing, can be worth $7,000 to $8,000 in a “low grade” condition, but can be worth $10,000 in “extra fine” condition.

To get more information about coin collecting, Hand said to contact The Collector’s Club of Boston, by emailing its president at williamharkins@comcast.net.

Collecting coins is worth it, Hand said.

“You’re kind of like a little museum,” he said. “You are preserving history. If you like this, there are just endless directions that it could take you in.”