In an age known for easy credit, collecting good old-fashioned money hasn't lost its appeal.
When it comes to collecting coins and other currency, David Chism, the president of the Augusta Coin Club, is the man a lot of people turn to for advice.
"We've got two shops, and we've got several dealers here in town that I can refer people to. If you tell me that you wanted some rare coin, I'd tell you who to call to get it. Say you wanted to buy some gold; I'd tell you where to go to buy it," Mr. Chism said.
The retired construction electrician said retirement has given him more time to devote to his responsibilities as president of the club and to his hobby as a collector.
He most enjoys answering people's questions, something he gets to do plenty at the club's biannual coin shows.
"I enjoy helping people. I don't like being the president; I like being the bourse chairman. Bourse is simply selling something over a table, which is what we do at the shows," he said.
As president, Mr. Chism devotes a lot of time to putting together the club's shows, which he said usually draw 500 to 600 people.
Mr. Chism said he also enjoys getting to see some of the rare coins people bring to the shows.
"You'd just be surprised what kind of stuff comes in out of the woodwork," he said. "People have come in and said, 'I found this quarter in the crack of the floor,' and it would be an 1853 Seated Liberty Quarter."
Mr. Chism is in charge of the club's monthly meetings.
"We have a business session, then we take a break, then we have a little auction. We give away an American Silver Eagle to two people at each meeting. You have to be a member of the club and be present to win it," Mr. Chism said.
"We also have a show-and-tell at each meeting. Say you've gone out and bought a rare coin. You can get up and tell a little bit about the coin, why you bought it," he said.
Mr. Chism has advice for anyone interested in coin collecting.
"The first thing I tell people is don't buy coins off TV. Buy something that you can put in your hand and see what you're getting," he said.
Mr. Chism recommends that beginning collectors start with something that is not too expensive, such as Lincoln pennies or all of the state quarters.
Being the man in charge at the coin show has its own rewards, including getting a chance to see rare coins, Mr. Chism said.
In all the shows he has worked, one particular coin stands out in his mind. It was a $50 gold coin issued by the U.S. Assay Office of Gold in 1852, referred to as a gold slug. Mr. Chism said he remembers seeing the coin in the early '90s.
"A man that I had never seen before walked into the show and showed it to one of my dealers. Of course, he was very secretive about it. He didn't want anybody to know that he had this. That dealer came to me, and he said, 'David, do you know where the nearest SunTrust Bank is?' I told him where it was, and he said, 'Well, I've got to go get some money,' " Mr. Chism recalled.
The dealer paid the man $6,000 for the coin, Mr. Chism said. Today, it is worth about $28,000.
Reach Jonathan Overstreet at (706) 823-3708 or jonathan.overstreet@augustachronicle.com.
Join the club
The Augusta Coin Club meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at America's Best Value Inn, 3023 Washington Road. Membership dues are $12 a year. The meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.augustacoinclub.org.
David Chism
Age: 62
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: President and bourse chairman of the Augusta Coin Club
QUOTE: "The first thing I tell people is don't buy coins off TV. Buy something that you can put in your hand and see what you're getting."
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