Coin collecting has become a meaningful hobby for one local teen.
How it started
Otto Goertzen, a Grade 11 student from Steinbach, says his interest in coins began back in Grade 2.
“That was the year that we were learning about currency in school. Then that just exploded my brain. And I started just looking around and finding cool coins in pockets and started trying to do some research and this is just what it turned out to be. It started from the imagination and just exploded into this.”
Since then, Goertzen has been building his collection piece by piece. Some coins he’s stumbled upon in pocket change, while others have been picked up at coin shows across the country.
“Me and my dad have been around Canada, and we went to one a few years ago in Edmonton. And I was able to pick up a whole bunch of these coins from the show. And as you can imagine, it was a bit interesting for airport security to be going through the bags and they they'd be pulling out ‘What on Earth is this?’ And they'd be pulling it out.”
People in the community have taken note of Goertzen’s passion and have reached out to share coins with him.
“I used to go to Ron Kornelsens shop, it's called Woody's, technically. But he would always have coins ready for me to look at when I was younger, and I would always go there and enjoy it. He'd have me sit down at a little desk and I'd be going through different coins all the time. And it was lots of fun.”
Special coins
Among the many pieces in his collection, one of Goertzen’s favourites is a coin from Newfoundland, dating back to before it became a Canadian province.
“Newfoundland only became a province in 1949,” he says. “But here is a [coin from] 1941, a $0.10 coin from Newfoundland, when they had their own currency. It's quite small, it's slightly larger than our $0.10 at the moment, but it's made of silver. And they had their own currency that was made in Britain for a while, and it was a British colony, so it would have the King George the 6th on the coins and all the monarchs on the coins over the years. So, this was one of the last coins before they changed to Canadian currency after they transferred over.”
Another cherished item in his collection is tied to local history, a program from Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Steinbach on July 14, 1970.
“Inside it features a little medallion. It's sort of a coin, but it's a little medallion here. And this actually got from the vault at the City Hall. And that was a very cool experience I had, and the staff brought me back there and I was able to take one of these home and I've kept it and it's very neat. It was a fun experience.”
Recommendations for future collectors
For kids, or parents of kids who are curious about coin collecting, Goertzen says a great first step is attending a coin show.
“There's always one a year in Winnipeg for sure. And there's awesome kid's tables there. They'll have lots of fun there. I can guarantee you I have never seen a kid frowning at those coin shows.”
His advice to beginners is simple, he says just follow your curiosity.
“If you love it, just let it happen. Search your change every time you see a coin that looks interesting or has colour on it, like the quarters or the dollar, and just keep it aside, maybe it will have some value someday.”
He also offers tips for protecting a growing collection.
“Honestly, I like displaying them in my basement here. I keep them all safe in the basement. I keep them in these little holders, the plastic holders and they protect the coin from being scratched or these here too. They cover the coin, these are two by two cardboard flips. They protect the coin from being scratched by fingernails or whatever else.”
What’s next for this coin collector
Goertzen says he would love to share his passion with others, especially young people who might be interested in the hobby.
“That would be my dream. That would be lots of fun. I would enjoy that.”
He’s open to visiting classrooms and schools to speak about his collection and hopes to inspire a new generation of collectors.
“I would love to do presentations and get younger kids into the hobby and it would be wonderful having more people in the hobby here, especially here like out in Manitoba, there's not too many people that are into the hobby, so I would love to do that.”
Anyone interested in having Goertzen present or speak can reach him at 431-205-7620.
In the meantime, he’s staying active online and continuing to grow his collection.
“I'm actually part of several Facebook groups across Canada that buy and sell coins all the time, so I've been pretty active on those groups. I always have coins coming in and then I'm selling a few coins so it's always something new and I've been enjoying it. You always find the good deals and you take it in and sell it for a little bit more, and so it's been great.”
With files from Judy Peters
@steinbach_online Otto Goertzen shares his some cool coin’s from his collection! Check out the full story on #Steinabchonline coming soon! #coincollecting ♬ original sound - SteinbachOnline