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.: Coin Kids Committee
C.N.A. members from across Canada have gone into schools to speak to students about our great hobby. They did an admirable job of getting kids interested in the hobby by telling them about the history and art found on coins.
Thanks to a group of our dedicated members who realized that these people were speaking to kids, the speakers were put in touch with each other. They compared notes on what each of them was doing to promote coin collecting in their respective cities. They all spoke to students in school classrooms and assisted in getting student coin clubs set up and running. With all of them doing the same type of speaking, it was natural for the C.N.A. to organize a national program. This program is called Coin Kids. Membership in the C.N.A. Coin Kids program grew from 12 at the beginning to over 120 by the end of the first year.
The success of the Coin Kids Program is a result of the committee's continuing efforts. For example: Western Canada Chairman, Ron Darbyshire of Edmonton, Alberta, spoke to over 8,000 students since 2002-03. On average, schools invited him back three times to speak to other classes in the school. Topics covered included: Canadian coins, and tokens, how coins are works of art, metals used to make coins and the basics of the Canadian banking system. Ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian and world coins were also covered. In Edmonton there are now a number of school clubs running with more in the planning stages.
Committee members in other areas have been busy in their communities. Fred Freeman has been successful in starting various coin clubs in his hometown of Woodstock, Ontario. Other members who have contributed to building the program include: Geoff Bell, who first appointed a Coin Kids Committee during his tenure as C.N.A. President, and John Regitko, who solicited donations for the Coin Kids kits and mailed one to each junior member. The President of The C.N.A., Charles Moore, an ex officio member of the Committee, also helped. As well, former Committee member Chris Boyer has been successful in starting various coin clubs in Guelph and Kitchener, Ontario and currently boasts a school group of close to 100 junior members.
When a C.N.A. membership application is received from a junior collector, that person is mailed a quantity of books, catalogues, back-issues of The CN Journal and numismatic collectibles donated by: the Royal Canadian Mint, Charlton Press, Canadian Coin News and a number of dedicated collectors and dealers.. The shipping costs for this material and the costs for providing the member 10 CN Journals during the year exceed the $16.50 membership fee. The difference is absorbed by the C.N.A. to promote the hobby of coin collecting to juniors with the long term goal of creating future numismatists.
Young collectors are offered membership in the C.N.A. at the very attractive rate of $16.50 for the calendar year 2005. Juniors are encouraged to apply as soon as possible because the offer of the free Coin Kids Kit may be withdrawn at any time if the supply of donated material becomes exhausted.
For further information on the C.N.A.'s Coin Kids project, please contact:
Ron Darbyshire, Western Canada Chairman at: thecoinguy@telusplanet.net
Fred Freeman, Central and Eastern Canada Chairman at: coinkids@execulink.com
Juniors interested in joining the C.N.A. should visit Member Services for further information on all of the benefits of membership. Juniors who apply will qualify to receive a Coin Kids kit.
To obtain a sample copy of The CN Journal, the official publication of the C.N.A., without cost or obligation contact:
The Canadian Numismatic Association
5694 Highway #7 East, Suite 432
Markham ON Canada L3P 1B4
Telephone: (647) 401-4014
Fax: (905) 472-9645
E-mail: cnainfo@rogers.com
If any collectors or dealers wish to donate items for inclusion in the Coin Kids Kits to be sent to all junior applicants, please e-mail us at cnainfo@rogers.com with information on what you would like to donate so we can confirm that these items are not already on hand in sufficient quantity. Donors are acknowledged on the summary sheet in the Kits as well as in The CN Journal.
Fred Freeman, Central and Eastern Canada Chairman has recently completed an exciting new home-study course for beginning collectors. Canadian Coins 101 is your best choice to help you in learning how to enjoy your collecting activities. Learn more about this course and how you can obtain a copy.