Coin Collections: Is This Hobby the Right One for You?

Today, you will see people having different kinds of

hobbies. Some loves to collect doll houses, others

love stamp collecting, there are also some who likes

collecting different species of butterflies and

preserve them, and some people likes to collect toys.

However, if you really want a valuable collection, and

a collection that will be worth a lot in the near

future as well as a hobby that will truly provide you

with great satisfaction, then you might want to start

a coin collections hobby.

Coin collection is a hobby that has existed for

centuries. Here, you will not only get a piece of

history from different countries, but you will also

have a chance to invest in a really valuable hobby.

Coin collecting is a multi billion dollar industry. In

fact, a single rare coin can amount to as much as a

million dollars. If you love history, then coin

collecting is definitely a must.

The great thing about coin collecting is that it's not

just a hobby, but also an investment. You have to

consider that coin collectors such as yourself travel

all over the world in order to participate in forums

or events that involves this one of a kind hobby. In

fact, some people bid thousands of dollars in auctions

for a coin that was worth a single cent during its

first release.

As you can see, a coin collection can definitely be a

very lucrative investment especially if you have a

rare coin in your hands. You have to remember that

although coins are currencies, it does appreciate in

value especially if the coin is very rare and is not

being produced anymore.

For example, try imagining getting a hold of a rare

coin that dates back to the Ming Dynasty in ancient

China? You can definitely imagine how much this kind

of coin is worth nowadays. Even if the coin was worth

5 cents during the time it was first used, you have to

consider that this coin will definitely appreciate in

value because of its historic significance, its rarity

and its age.

There are many ways to start your collection.

First, you have to decide what kind of coins you want

to collect. If you want to collect World War II coins,

then you can do so. Or, maybe you want to try

collecting rare ancient Roman coins? This may be very

expensive but is also an investment that will be worth

a lot in the future.

If you are just starting out, you may want to try

collecting different kinds of coins from different

countries. Ask your friends who have traveled abroad

before to hand you some coins they have from the

countries they traveled to before.

This is relatively a cheap way to start your

collection.

Once you get the hang of it, then you will opt for

rarer coins that can be worth a lot of money. In time,

you will be able to see that your coin collection will

grow from collection of coins from different counties,

to a collection of rare coins that is worth thousands

of dollars a piece.

As you can see, coin collections are not just a fun

hobby to have, but it is also an investment. With a

coin collection, you will be able to have something to

do in your spare time as well as invest in something

that will be worth a lot in the future.

How to Spot an Error in Coin Collections

Spotting errors in your coin collections or maybe in

everyday pocket change is easier than you imagine.

It’s rather profitable and fun too. You just have to

follow the different steps carefully a couple of times

so that the impulse of checking out every coin you

receive will become a habit. These simple instructions

are productive and proven methods of locating the

different coin errors and varieties of die circulating

inside your pockets and other people’s pockets.

There are three important tools though – a magnifier

that can be seven times stronger or more, at least

three to five dollars worth of usual or old coins and

a very keen and watchful eye. Follow the sequence

below.

1. Sort the denomination. If investigating for errors,

always group your coins in batches. Example, gather

your pennies on one side, then your dimes at the

other, then your nickels, and so on. Eyes are very

keen observers and so seeing one type joined together

will let the brain memorize its features and angles so

that you can scan faster. When you go to the next set

of the same type of coins, your eyes and mind will

collaborate and do the same scanning, determining and

saving. It will be easier on your part to point out

even the slightest difference with this kind of

grouping.

2. Examine inscriptions. Look at the obverse lettering

of every coin. Do you see anything unusual or odd

about it? There are several instances wherein doubled

varieties of die show doubling effects in just one

part of a word. Polishing, greasy dirt collection or

die abrasion can cause the failure of letters to be

inscribed perfectly on the surface of a coin. Upon

turning the coin on its other side, look at it

carefully from every angle. Inspect for special

oddities like doubling, missing letters, etc. that can

be found in its inscriptions.

3. Look at the mintmark and date. Focusing on these

mintmarks and dates should give you a better idea on

what to look out for. These marks belong to the most

valuable mistakes that you can most likely find in

circulation. Several issues can be concluded in this

part of the coin because of repunched dates and

mintmarks, various kinds of doubling, overpunches and

a lot more.

4. Examine the portrait. Portraits are the major

aspects that are most likely to acquire some

strangeness in its proportion. When examining it,

consider every angle as a whole. Can you see doubling

that is quite obvious? Observe for important missing

elements, cuds and die cracks. Focus your attention on

the portrait’s ears, chin, eyes, and mouth and look

for any signs of doubling.

5. Feel the edge. That would be difficult. But then

again, what you can do is to roll the coin on the

surface of your palm to examine if the edges are the

same. By this method, you’ll see the edges clearly and

you’ll be able to point out any lines, seams and

reeded edges that are missing.

6. Separate odd ones. By doing these simple things,

you can become an expert in coin inspection and

printing out certain errors in only a matter of

seconds. Once you have determined which among them are

odd, examine them thoroughly under a magnifier

supported by very good lighting.

By being adept to these, you can easily spot errors in

your collections in just a matter of minutes.

Coin Collections for all Ages

People of all ages are getting hooked with their coin

collections. As a matter of fact, even the children

are participating actively in colleting every dime and

nickel they can get their hands on. There are a lot of

reasons why people collect coins. Among the many

reasons are:

• A good hobby

• Future investment

• Value of artistry

• Tangible history right at the palm of your hands

• Heirloom treasures

• Uniqueness

• Monetary value (some rare coins are made of very

precious metal)

• Sentimental value

Every coin has a story to tell. Every intricate design

means something. The historical value of a coin makes

it more precious to a coin collector. Collecting coins

can either be the cheapest hobby or the most expensive

ones (next to collecting cars and yachts). Coins

represent something especially when it came from other

countries.

According to preference, every gender or age can

choose the kinds of coins that they will collect. But

as a kid, it will take a lot of convincing from adults

to let them grow some interest in collecting. Even if

the child wanted so much to get into the hobby, they

just don’t possess the means, money and right

attention span to pursue it. A teenager can have some

interest in the idea but what stops them is the budget

and the equipments needed to start the hobby. In

adults, they may have the means but may not want to go

through the hobby as professionals would do. Whatever

the problem may be, here are some suggestions to wake

up some sense in you to take into consideration the

different accounts of pursuing the hobby.

Child – Low budget or nothing at all

Pay attention little one. You don’t need a hundred

bucks to start your coin collection. All you need is a

keen eye, a little box where you can put your

collected coins, and a lot of interest. You could

start by searching for change either inside your

pocket or your parents’ (with permission of course),

in penny dishes, flea markets or coin shops. You don’t

really have to worry if you have nothing to spend for

old coins seen in cheap bins for as long as you have

something. By the time you get older and your parents

are already giving you a small amount of lunch money,

you can just save that and by the time that a

particular coin interests you, it’ll be your very

first bought coin.

Teen – With middling budget

You can already afford something but not that much.

And by this time, you already have a proper place like

an album to protect your coins with. Some albums are

custom-made for collection but if this is too much for

you, an ordinary album can be good. By this time, you

would want something more than coins. You want rarer

ones, coins that only a couple of people have. If the

budget agrees, you can buy a book that can identify or

price the coins that you have. You can also search

through the Internet for coins being auctioned.

Adult – Budget varies

Varies according to the kind of coin that is

preferred. Coin collections for adults can be for

interest and investment. This is the point where the

interest gradually decreases or normally increases and

upgrades can be probable. You could search through

other places to find for the most unique coin.

Coin Collections and State Quarters

Coin collections are getting more and more popular

these days. A lot of people are already into

collecting coins. You see, this hobby is interesting

and can be considered an excellent pastime. If you

want to start your very own coin collection and you

have no idea where to begin, you should check out the

State Quarters.

What are State Quarters all about? Way back in 1997,

an act was approved and it was called Fifty State

Quarter Program. The program started in that same year

and it is still running up to present (2008). The Act

is quite popular and in fact, it is the most

well-known minted series of coins in the US Mint

history.

In 1998, five latest state quarters were released and

it continued for a period of ten years, so it would

end this year. Every 10 weeks, a quarter is again

released. These quarters are never released for public

use because it is minted.

The program also devised a new and unique method of

issuing coins – the state quarters were issued based

on the year they became part of the US. The state

quarters are minted and you can see George

Washington’s image at the obverse or front side while

on the reverse or back side, you will find a

noteworthy design about the specific state.

The program will end this year (2008) and after that,

the coins will again be designed normally, with the

reverse side having an eagle design.

Don’t you think collecting these coins is worthy?

Since the program will end this year, you still have a

chance to collect such coins. You will find it hard to

obtain the coins once the program is over because the

coins will be considered collectors items already and

it will be a bit costly on your part.

So, what makes these minted coins different?

Each state gets a chance to choose a unique design

which is of great importance to it and the current

governor of the state will determine the process of

selection. Some of the states designate a certain

design committee while other states held contests

among the residents who can come up with a significant

and unique design. Some states post various designs of

the coin in their official site and the residents

simply place online votes and the coin that gets the

highest votes win.

The coins are greatly in demand and besides, these

coins will not be minted ever again. The price of

these state quarters will naturally increase as years

pass and currently, some of the older state coins

amounts to $1 each or even more depending on its

condition. Some coin collectors are also into ‘error

coins’ collection and these flawed coins can cost more

or less $500 each.

The program of State Quarters has definitely gained

extreme popularity in the US and some people are

already into some sort of business revolving on the

said minted coins. Coin holders are popular and coin

collectors can purchase them so that they can keep

their collections in an attractive holder.

Youngsters and old alike can now start collecting

coins through the State Quarters. If you want, you can

inquire at your local state office and see if the

coins are still available. But you must hurry since

the program ends this year.

Choosing the Coin Fit for Your Collections

A collector would choose certain specifications when

it comes to his coin collections. If a coin collector

is new in the business, it is a tradition to start at

the very beginning. You can’t just flip a coin and

decide the result, although, that can be the last

resort. Alright, so down with the real thing. You can

choose your collection based on your preference. Are

you the silver, bronze, or gold type of person? How

old do you like your coin to be? In what period?

Best advice: start at what interests you. Then collect

it by the following:

Date or Period of Time

Coin collectors who see their collection as an

investment would probably prefer coins that are older

than their grandfathers. The more ancient the coin,

the better. Aside from being centuries old, there are

also Revolutionary coins and those that came from

another time in history. Some people would start by

building up decades of coin that embraces Mint

condition.

Country

If you have decided to collect any kind of coin for as

long as it came from different countries worldwide,

that would be tiring but exciting. And it can cost you

a lot. So things wouldn’t be exhausting, you could

start off by collecting coins of your own country.

After that, if you already have enough funds, you

could drop by a coin shop and ask if there are any

coins from outside the country then go to the next or

just gather it in one blow.

Metal

If you’re a beginner, you wouldn’t want to start

collecting silver or gold coins for these are the

kinds of coins that can bore a hold inside your

pocket. Better settle with the lower metal levels

first. Not unless money is not a problem. Usually, the

concern on what kind of metal to choose belongs to the

more professional collector. Aside from being a

challenging collection, it puts you in a lot of risks.

By this time you may already have an idea on where to

start. As the hour glass makes its due, you will

become more interested and selective of the types of

coins that fits your album. You will develop areas

that you may not find in other collectors.

You still need to know some specifications about the

kinds of coins that you will collect.

Details

You have seen an ordinary coin, its features wouldn’t

be different from the old one because typically, new

coins are just patterned from old coins. You have to

inspect if the writing on the coin is still clear. A

coin wherein the smallest details, like feathers or

robe folds, are completely worn away is of little

value.

Toning

Means discoloration or tarnishing, toning can increase

the coin’s value. Believe it or not, if a blue tone is

present on a silver coin, it can be very desirable.

Toning has an effect on a coin’s details for it can

accent its faded features. For as long as the tone of

the coin wouldn’t turn out uneven, there’s no reason

to reject it.

Wear n’ tear

If you have been in coin shops that are offering

bargain coins, it might be because it has been into a

lot of circulations and the market has already

rejected it. You will notice certain kinds of

scratches an even scarring that is caused by

chemicals. Scratches can be acceptable but scarring is

a no-no. Chemical scarring can be related to

corrosion, pits, etc. As much as possible, make your

coin collections spotless.

Coin Collections: Beginner's Guide to Coin Collecting

Coin collecting is a hobby that is extremely popular

among a lot of people. Whatever the age of the person

is, collecting coins has its benefits. In most cases,

coin collections gravitate on two things. For

children, they tend to collect coins that look pretty

or unusual. However, for adults, their coin

collections will tend to gravitate towards the value

of it rather than the looks.

People have different ways to acquire their

collection. Some will just collect any coin that they

stumble upon, while there are people who buy in bulk

and eagerly anticipate limited mint edition of coins.

Whatever your methods are, there may be some questions

that you may want to ask about this particular hobby.

The first would be about handling the coin collection.

As a beginner, you must understand that you should

handle the coins as little as possible. The fact that

fingerprints on an uncirculated coin can dramatically

cut the value of the coin, you must never handle the

coin at all. However, if you do need to handle the

coin, do so from the edge and never on the face of the

coin.

If you need to lay the coin down, it is important to

use a velvet pad if it is available. But, if none is

available, a soft and clean cloth will do. If you are

going to handle coins that are extremely high in

value, you must do so with surgical gloves and

protective face mask.

Most people will also tend to ask how to keep their

coin collections clean.

Basically, you don’t really need to clean your coin

collection. In fact, you shouldn’t even think about

cleaning them at all. Most collectors look for the

authenticity of the coin rather than its shiny

newness. Even if you wipe the coin clean with clean,

soft, and lint-free rag, it will leave hair line

scratches on the coin which will greatly reduce its

value. So, cleaning a coin collection is never really

an option.

Storage is also another question that you may have

about coin collecting. Basically, the goal in storing

your coin collection is to protect it from temperature

extremes and humidity. Also, you may want to protect

your coin collection from dust, dirt, chemicals, and

even fingerprints. So dehumidifying equipments will be

needed as well as locking the storage as airtight as

possible.

In most cases, low value coins are kept in almost any

container and can be handled any way you like.

However, when you are dealing with high value coins,

you will need to give it extra attention. The goal

here is to provide a container that will preserve the

coin's condition. Make the container as airtight as

possible, and the container should also be able to

display the coin in order for you to never need to

take out the coin from the container.

Uncirculated coins are very much valued by collectors.

However, if you really want a valuable coin

collection, go for rare ones if you can afford to have

it. Learning about grading coins can also help you to

determine the true value of a particular coin.

So, if you want to start your very own coin

collections, you may want to keep these things in

mind. With these tips, you can be sure that you will

be able to know how to handle your collection and also

help in appraising its value. Always remember that

this hobby is not just fun, but is also a good

investment.