As a professional writer I often get assignments to write about things that I'm unfamiliar with and require research.
As a result, I often end up engrossed and piqued with interest over a subject I had until then been completely ignorant of.
The other day I was given the assignment of writing informative content about American coins for collectors.
What's more, the scope of the research was very narrow, as I had to dig up so to speak the statistics on gold eagles and half eagles.
I had never heard of an eagle until a few days ago, and I always thought the dollar had always been the highest denomination of money in the United States.
Not so- the out-of-mint, now defunct eagle was a legal denomination of $10 and until 1933 the highest denomination of the United States.
As they say, you learn something new every day.
Now, I myself am not a collector of anything.
I do have a whole swirling galaxy of eclectic recipes that's is constantly evolving, but I would never call that a collection- the closest phrase that comes to mind is 'dynamic repertoire.
' Although I certainly never held any prejudices against 'collecting,' I never quite understood the collector's mentality.
And honestly, I still don't.
Having said that though, through my assignment I have gained a better understanding of what it means to have a 'lust for gold.
' Eagles were made from gold you see, and the coins themselves are absolutely gorgeous.
In particular, there is the Saint-Gaudens version of a double eagle (a $20 denomination) that I encourage you to look up, as it is quite simply one of the most beautiful coins I have ever seen.
And although I'm still not interested in collecting, as I said, I would love to own just one double eagle.