I'll admit I'm an old soul. Some wryly call it old-fashioned. Maybe. But, during this season, I call it holiday spirit and happily concede that moniker for good reason. I've got a lot of good memories to back that up.

For instance, some four or so decades ago at this very time of year, I recall walking into my grade school and getting hit with the smell of balsam from wreaths and trees in the halls. We'd make paper ornaments for the trees and seasonal drawings. Not anymore. Even if you include images of dreidels, menorahs or Kwanzaa harvests, anything relating to secular holidays in public schools is disallowed.

So, in this modern era, what do you get kids who live in a virtual universe? With so much being digital, how much interest in tangible things is there? Well, if it relates to value and possibly getting rich, everyone's interested. Some things never change.

When I was young, I couldn't care less about coin or stamp collecting. That was until I found some lowly pennies, dimes and nickels were worth hundreds and even thousands of dollars. The realization was a game changer — not just for me but every kid I knew. And it still is.

If children's heads are buried in smartphones or video games, it's all but impossible to get their attention or get them interested in something else. That is unless you show them a lowly modern quarter that seemingly can't even buy a candy bar but is worth upwards of $150.

That's exactly how I became interested in collecting. Granted, I'm also a history nut, but first, you have to get a person's attention. That's one thing that hasn't changed. Every kid has a pocket full of coins. What if one were worth enough to buy a new Xbox?

When I first discovered some coins were worth a small mint, I turned to my dad who, in turn, turned me on to what's considered the bible of coin collecting: "The Guidebook of United States Coins." Better known as the "Red Book," it has been a collector staple for 67 years. At the time, you could find one in most every home (over 29 million copies have been sold since 1946).

Today, the book may not be a household necessity but still is the go-to definitive reference, especially with the 67th edition just having been released in time for Christmas. Each year, something new is done to improve the guidebook, and this version is no exception. In fact, for the first time, it includes over 2,000 full-color photos and images of coins worth barely a penny or two worth upwards of $10 million.

Most alluring about the reference guide is the reader-friendly way it lists every U.S. coin ever issued, including all colonials from the 1600s and 1700s, and all issues from the Civil War and through the 1900s. Of course, the most recent annual commemoratives, as well as the specially issued Lincoln cents, Jefferson nickels and 50 state/America the Beautiful quarters, are also featured.

There's one twist: For the rarer coins in top condition, another "Professional" edition of the "Red Book" was created five years ago and has been released once more but in updated form. Again, with detailed color illustrations, the Professional version focuses only on top-grade coins that are worth the most and of greatest interest to dealers and advanced collectors. It, too, includes more auction records, new die varieties, special sections on early American coins and trade dollars.

Both versions are written and edited by numismatic icon Kenneth Bressett and researched by leading coin author Q. David Bowers. The guidebooks are unquestionably the premier source for collectors to identify and evaluate the coins they have or hope to find.

Prices for the 67th edition begin at $14.95, with the Professional version selling for $29.95. Both are available at many larger booksellers, as well as by mail directly from Whitman Publishing at: www.WhitmanBooks.com. There's still time to order in time for Christmas. And, if you want to speak to a live person about it, their customer service number is: 866-682-6657. Here's to happy hunting and uncovering valuable coins in the New Year!