Making Heads and Tails of Coins

Charla Wouk looks at an old coin and sees more than a piece of metal struck by a die and worn by time.

The longtime coin collector, or numismatist, sees a tiny piece of history.

“I can just see Doc Holliday sitting there throwing that silver dollar across the poker table,” says Wouk, smiling at the thought.

For 13-year-old Noah Cross of Pleasant Hope, every coin he adds to his growing collection comes with a little sense of wonder, even if the daydream doesn’t involve someone so mythical.

“You think, ‘Hey, my grandpa probably used this coin to buy a pop,” he says.

What’s this coin been used for? Where has it been? Whose hands have touched it?

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