Before I started I had been interested in collecting coins for years.  I always saved coins from my travels but didn't really collect.. more like just hoarded.  I did a lot of reading online about getting into the actual hobby and was quite intimidated by coin grades, fakes, etc. so I just never got around to it.

Then my sister decided she wanted to start collecting.  She lives in Canada, I now live in the US (moved here in 2009).  I decided to get her some US coins to help her collection and instead of just pulling from circulation I walked into a coin store.  That was the end of me.  I bought her a heavily circulated 1883-O Morgan and a 1927 SLQ for melt.  I was hooked.  It was difficult for me to actually send her those two coins, but I did.  Then I started making regular trips to the coin store.

That was only July of last year and I'm in so deep already it's unbelievable.  Love this hobby