From the Black Forest to Asia

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From the Black Forest to Asia(点击查看中文版)
By Dr. Martina Dieterle

Some presents - typical from the black forest - are what I bring with me when I visit the coin show in Tokyo. Exchange presents is a typical Japanese custom and with every year I visit, I enjoy the show, the people, their way of being, this special custom and more and more. But from year to year it becomes a greater challenge to find things and so at one point I was quite happy to discover a metal savings box with a lock, in shape of a typical Black Forest cow clock; though of course I did not know to whom I would give it to.

Last year a young boy, around 10 years old, came by my table with his mother, and we started to communicate without knowing each other's languages: words have never been and are still not  the only way of communication. After looking at me and finding out that it was fine for me that this young boy could touch and examine the coins, he looked carefully and was very interested. I saw that he was not familiar with using the magnifying glass, which I gave him, so I taught him how to use it. I asked his mother, who spoke very good english, to tell her son to wish for a magnifiying glass for his next birthday, which she did. Because one of the most important things in coin collection, I said to the boy,  is to ¨learn to see¨ and that doing so means to have a lot of patience as well.

When they left and thanked for the conversation and advice, I thanked them in return and gave the boy the cow-clock-savings-box. With a smile I said keep all the money you get over the next year in this saving box and next year visit me again and we will see what coin we can get for you. So said, so done. But, of course,  who knows what will happen in the future?

And life goes on so fast.. So next year came and, surprisingly enough, the boy returned with his mother and a perfect magnifying glass (!), actually the same kind I use myself. We sat down again, this time we concentrated on Roman coins, the Greek and Latin legends on Provincials and Imperial coins, we did the transcriptions .... Beside many other coins, he was very fascinated about a Denarius of Domitian Caesar with a reverse of PRINCEPS IVVENTVTIS accompanying the type of a goat within the laurel wreath. Then he suddenly took out the clock-shaped savings box out of his bag, opened it with the key, took out quite a lot of money and asked whether there would be enough money in it to purchase this denarius. What could I have said? No? Impossible! He paid me more than enough with his way of being, his polite behavior and show of love and interest for coins. So we made the deal and both of us were very happy.

This young boy is for me a real revelation - and I am so thankful to have met him and I hope many years of acquaintanceship will follow. But he is also an example for many of his generation, those who have been born in this century - a lot of them are far better than it is assumed - and we, who have been born in the last century, would be better if we would sometimes act less arrogantly and, instead, be more sensitive, selfless and serious in getting in contact with this new generation. We ourselves will be greatly enriched if we allow these young people to help us.

Author's Profile:

Dr. Martina Dieterle studied archaeology in Berlin and Hamburg prior to becoming a dealer in ancient Greek and Roman coins. Almost 20 years ago she opened her own business - Dr. Martina Dieterle Coins and Ancient Art -  in the middle of the Black Forest, specializing in customer service, including advising collectors about coins of quality; she believes in encouraging young kids to become collectors and to put them on the right road to a lifetime of knowledge and enjoyment. She is present at many international auctions and coin shows and she has very much enjoyed participating in the Hong Kong show.