NEW TO COIN COLLECTING?
A few items of interest.
COIN COLLECTING BASICS
Basically, coin collecting is obtaining or buying, collecting, trading, or selling forms of coins which are struck or minted.
COLLECTING TYPES
- Generalist: collects a few examples of a great variety of coins either historically or geographically
- Specialist: collects for a certain period of coins. Also error collectors for this category
- Completist: may collect or look for an example of every type of coin from within a distinct period or category
COMMON COLLECTING AREA
- By Country
- By Year
- By Mint Mark (P, D, S, W, C, CC)
- By Variety (die marriages, etc.)
- By Type (Barber, Morgan, Peace, Franklin, etc.) – By Subject (portraits, landmarks, animals, historic people, etc.)
- By Period (i.e. 17th/18th/19th Century)
- Copies (These are coins that are copies of originals that may be too expensive for most to own)
WHY DO YOU WANT TO COLLECT?
- Investments
- Hobby
WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS?
- Gold
- Silver
- Mint/Proof Sets
- Circulated Coins
- Uncirculated Coins
- Type Sets
WHAT TYPE OF COINS?
- World Coins
- Country Coins
- Historic
WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET?
- Weekly buys
- Monthly buys
- Occasional buys
SLABS (Encapsulated Coins)
- Major grading companies grad and attribute and slab coins for a fee
- Stay away from 5th tier graders and stick with the top 4
COIN CLUBS
- Join a local coin club to meet with and educate yourself
COIN SHOWS
- Many shows provide training (some at a cost) for many areas of the hobby
- Visit one when it comes to town
STORAGE OF COINS/PAPER MONEY
- Use only archival holders (Non-PVC Polyvinylchloride)
- Inert materials will not harm the coins/paper money
- Hard plastic holders are best. Mylar flips are okay but get hard over time and may scratch the coin(s)
- Safe: never store coins/paper money in hot and humid conditions