Climbs to see fool clutching coin (7)
I believe the answer is:
ascents
'climbs' is the definition.
('ascent' can be a synonym of 'climb')
'fool clutching coin' is the wordplay.
'fool' becomes 'ass' (both can mean a stupid person).
'clutching' is an insertion indicator.
'coin' becomes 'cent' (cent is a kind of coin).
'ass' enclosing 'cent' is 'ASCENTS'.
'to see' is the link.
(Other definitions for ascents that I've seen before include "rises" , "Acts of climbing" .)