How To Bring Children Into Numismatics

The American Numismatic Association, the world’s largest non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of numismatics, is having trouble getting youngsters involved. The ANA wants to show kids the fun in numismatics. There are occasional success stories, but basically, children in numismatics are a non-event.

One thing about children is they’re smart. Kids know what’s fun and what’s not. No matter how much you try to convince them or the different angles you might try, you aren’t going to talk children into having fun. 

For example: The baseball card hobby doesn’t have to tell kids about the fun of collecting baseball cards. Kids know what they like, and they know they like baseball cards. When children like something you can see it; they jump in with both hands and feet and go at it. Kids know they like baseball cards. It isn’t necessary to convince them that they do. 

Find something kids are enthusiastic about collecting

It’s up to the ANA to find something children are already enthusiastic about that’s in numismatics. There’s one thing currently in numismatics that a child will jump up-and-down for: his own MasterCard. If you were to ask any 12 year old, “Would you like your own MasterCard?”, the answer would probably bring a giant smile, sparkling eyes and an enthusiastic “YES!”

Try an experiment: Take dozens of baseball cards in one hand and a MasterCard in the other and ask a youngster, “Which hand do you want?” The MasterCard will shut-out the baseball cards almost every time. 

The ANA should develop a bank credit card program for young adults. An ANA Young Numismatist bank card would probably become a status symbol. Think about the word-of-mouth advertising an ANA Young Numismatist credit card would generate. Imagine trying to get a kid not to show-off his MasterCard; it would be next to impossible! Literally, every kid on the block would want one. If the ANA created the proper program, it would be flooded with applications from children wanting to become young numismatists.

Teaching children about numismatics

If the ANA really wants to teach young numismatists something, let it teach the youth of today what they need to know. Grab the youths’ interest and enthusiasm with a MasterCard, then tie it in with handling money and numismatics.

Credit touches virtually everyone’s life today. Few are teaching the youth of today how to handle it. An ANA MasterCard can give children hands-on experience with consumer credit. Many valuable lessons can be learned while young.

The ANA Young Numismatist MasterCard will generate much goodwill and support for the ANA when those youngsters become adults. And those new adults, who are society’s next leaders, will teach their children what they learned, how they got started and all about the ANA’s educational programs. 

If the ANA wants to draw children to numismatics, then give the kids what they want. Kids of today want MasterCards.

Find out more about collecting credit cards here.

Copyright 1990 by Greg Tunks

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Frequently asked questions

You can find out the value of old credit cards by checking how much similar cards sell for. There are several ways to do this.

The simplest way to determine the value of old credit cards is to ask an experienced collector. If you submit an inquiry via our contact form, we can connect you with an expert who can assist you and point out if there is anything rare or unusual in your collection.

Alternatively, you can become a member of the American Credit Card Collectors Society. Membership in our credit card collecting club provides access to resources and knowledgeable members who can help. Benefits of membership include access to a gallery containing thousands of cards with historical pricing information, and access to our entire collection of newsletters, from 1994 through the present day.

You can look at recent sales on auction sites, however, there are some considerations to keep in mind when doing this. Firstly, it’s important to look at selling prices, rather than asking prices. Selling prices are the prices people actually paid, while asking prices can be very different. Secondly, historical sales on some sites are only saved for 3 months, so you may not find something that exactly matches what you have. Thirdly, it is sometimes possible to see rare or unusual cards sell for lower prices than they should have because people do not understand their worth, the ads don't do justice to the card, they're listed in the wrong category, or any combination thereof.

There are always people in our club who are actively buying cards. Collectors tend to focus on a niche, like gas cards or retail cards, or they might focus on a slightly broader area, like bank cards or travel and entertainment cards. Many of the rarest or most unusual cards will exchange hands in private sales. Please contact us if you are thinking of selling your collection.

You can also sell your old credit cards on online marketplaces. You will get the highest price if you sell each of your cards individually, although this approach requires the most effort. At the opposite end of the effort scale would be selling all cards as a job lot, an approach which typically results in the lowest price on a per-card basis. Halfway between these two approaches would be to group cards into different categories and to sell these individual groups, e.g., BankAmericard, Master Charge, oil and gas, retail, and so on.

To join the club, visit the membership section and complete the registration form. You can pay by check or PayPal. We offer annual or lifetime memberships. If you have any questions please contact us via the form on our website.

Credit cards are more worthwhile collecting if they are rare, in good condition, have historical significance, or are associated with famous personalities or events. Valuable modern cards might include those that are difficult to obtain, such as American Express Centurion (a.k.a. ‘black’) cards, while older credit cards might include early independent bank cards, American Express, Diners Club, or BankAmericard (Visa) cards from the 50s/early 60s, or Master Charge (MasterCard) cards from the late 60s. Rare or unusual cards can also be sought after, such as those issued in small numbers, like small independent department stores or gas stations, or cards with appealing aesthetics.

Consulting with other collectors or experts in the club can provide valuable insights. Contact us for more information via the form on our website.

We do not offer an appraisal service in a traditional sense (such services are normally a paid service) but we can connect you with an expert who should be able to assist for free and point out anything rare or unusual in your collection. The simplest way to do this is to submit an inquiry via our contact form.

The American Credit Card Collectors Society accepts donations and is most grateful for any we receive. When donations happen, we strive to find good homes for cards where they will be looked after, matching cards with collectors who will appreciate them. The club may charge members a nominal fee for donated cards, and the proceeds are offset against the running costs of our club. We are a non-profit organization. Running costs include expenses like our convention and website hosting. Donations are most popular for people getting out of the hobby, or when someone has inherited a collection and doesn’t know what to do with it.

If you wish to donate your collection, please contact us via the contact form above.

American Credit Card Collectors Society