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How the Official Coin Maker of 'Game of Thrones' and 'Lord of the Rings' Got Started Tom Maringer has been a coin and stamp collector since age 9.

By Gary Bredow

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Tom Maringer honed his sword-making and metalworking skills for over 30 years, and one fateful day, he purchased an antique coin press that changed the course of his life. His first coin prototype led to an official license with George R. R. Martin ... not a bad start.

As orders started pouring in, his wife, Peggy, and son, Woody, joined in and officially making it a family business. Today, over 250,000 Shire Post Mint coins have been sold across the globe to fans and collectors.

Join host Gary Bredow as he travels around the country interviewing over 26 small business owners to hear their personal stories and find out what it really takes to start a successful business from the ground up. Energetic, inspirational and educational, Start Up is a fast paced new series sure to capture the imagination and hearts of the nearly 50 percent of Americans who dream of starting their own business.

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