National Coin Week Collector Spotlight: Jay Turner

National Coin Week 2024 is being celebrated around the United States from April 21 through April 27. This national holiday has been celebrated since 1923 and celebrates the wonderful hobby of coin collecting. PCGS honors this beloved annual tradition by shining the light on a diverse array of individuals who love coin collecting and recount the very first coin that helped get them started on their numismatic journey.

Today, let’s introduce you to Jay Turner, who remembers a popular doubled die Lincoln Cent that opened the door to the wonderful world of numismatics…

“My journey into numismatics began when I was only 13. It was early 1995 when news reporters were live at Los Angeles International Airport featuring a story about a rare cent that had been discovered. The coin, a 1995 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Cent, featuring doubling on “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST,” was found in circulation. The reporters were showing people hanging out at the LAX airport at arriving flights from the East Coast offering a premium for those who would offer to sell their 1995 cents to them. It was with great glee that we found three 1995 cents in our change reserve, only later to discover that the coins we had were from the Denver Mint and worth only a cent.”

Check in with us tomorrow as we continue our National Coin Week Collector Spotlight Series.