Coin-loving autistic boy 'overwhelmed' by donations

Tommy Dawson began collecting coins after taking up magnet fishing

A boy's beloved coin collection has expanded rapidly with an influx of donations from generous neighbours.

Tommy Dawson, who is autistic and has ADHD, developed what his mother called a "fixation with coins" after taking up magnet fishing.

Describing the nine-year-old Stockton boy as a "jackdaw" who loves rifling through his coins, Helen Dawson said: "He likes the shiny ones and those from the year he was born best."

The pair are now thanking their community after an "unbelievable" response to a social media post saw people donate coins from bygone eras and far-flung countries.

A Facebook post asking members of neighbourhood groups if they had any interesting or old coins they could share with Tommy led to Mrs Dawson receiving many messages and donations.

Tommy said he was enjoying sorting through the latest additions to his collection, which included coins offered by Lord James Wharton, who wrote a message on House of Lords stationery explaining that he had also been a collector in his youth.

'So generous'

"Tommy just loves coins, they don't have to be particularly interesting, he's as happy finding a bright 5p outside Sainsbury's as he is a 200-year-old coin," Mrs Dawson said.

"Having the difficulties he has, Tommy sometimes tends to feel a bit different from other kids."

She said the donations had "improved his demeanour", and made him want to get up in the morning.

"For the community and people in it to turn around and be so generous, just because of his hobby, is so lovely - it's hard to say what it's meant to us," she added.

"It makes me feel as though he's been seen."

Tommy enjoys the feeling of sifting through coins

Wendy Walker, from Crathorne, donated her late father's coin collection to Tommy.

Jack Esther, she said, had loved children and would be thrilled to know his coins were in good hands.

"He would have loved the thought of a little boy enjoying and playing with them, and getting some escapism from looking at his collection," she added.

When asked if he had a message for those who had donated their coins to him, Tommy excitedly shouted "thank you".

His family have offered to make donations to charity in exchange for the coins, but so far, their offer has been refused.