Welcome To Coin Collecting 101

Collection of updates and essays and information about coin collecting

What is the rarest coin?

Posted By on February 19, 2023

It is difficult to identify the single rarest coin, as there are many factors that can affect a coin’s rarity, including the coin’s age, historical significance, minting errors, and overall condition. However, some of the rarest and most valuable coins in the world include:

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How to find rare coins to collect

Posted By on February 19, 2023

There are several ways to find rare coins to collect:

  1. Attend coin shows: Coin shows are a great place to find rare coins. You can meet with dealers and other collectors, who may have rare coins that are not available elsewhere.
  2. Visit coin shops: Coin shops are a great place to find rare coins as well. Most shops will have a good selection of coins, including rare ones.
    • Online marketplaces: There are several online marketplaces where you can find rare coins. Some of the most popular include eBay, Heritage Auctions, and Stack’s Bowers Galleries.
    • Check coin auctions: Coin auctions can be a great place to find rare coins. You can find auctions at major auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s, or smaller regional auction houses.
    • Join a coin club: Coin clubs are a great way to meet other collectors and learn about rare coins. Members of the club may have rare coins in their collections that they are willing to sell or trade.
    • Check your change: It’s rare, but you never know when you might find a rare coin in your pocket change. Keep an eye out for coins with mint errors or other unusual characteristics.
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    Differing designs of USA coins

    Posted By on December 15, 2022

    Coin collecting is a fun hobby that anyone who has the time can do. A coin’s history and its development can be learned by collecting them.

    At one point in time, between 1838 and1933, the United States issued gold coins for circulation. The Liberty Head bust was used as the design until 1907. The design was then changed to the Indian Head and Saint Gaudens motifs until 1933 when the “Great Depression” started. This prompted the recall of the coins which makes it very rare to find any of them today.

    The most valuable coin in the world is the 1933 Double Eagle. This was a $20 gold coin that was made in the 1800’s after the California gold rush. This coin was not allowed to be used in the 1930’s and when this coin was auctioned in 2002, it sold for nearly eight million dollars.

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    Grading Coins

    Posted By on November 25, 2022

    Coin collecting is not just about having as many coins as possible. More important than the number of coins is the quality of those coins. This quality is measured by the coins’ grade and the grade is measured using a scale from zero to seventy (seventy being the highest point grade). Doctor William Shelby introduced this point scale in his work “Penny Whimsy”.

    Here are the classifications of coins according to grade.

    1. “Mint State” Coins

    This is equivalent to a value of 60 to 70 in the Shelby’s grade scale. This means that the coin has no blemishes whatsoever. Most of the coins in this category are uncirculated, shiny, new coins, with absolutely no signs of wear.

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    Collecting Ancient Coins

    Posted By on November 14, 2022

    Collecting coins is so much fun! It is both a hobby and a source of income for many. One type of coin that you may want to consider collecting is ancient coins. Many collectors hesitate to buy ancient coins to collect because they can be terribly expensive. What is most important is the uniqueness of these coins and the benefits they provide their collectors.

    Here are some tips that should be considered when buying ancient coins:

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    The History of UK Coin Collecting

    Posted By on November 4, 2022

    Money was never been quite so valuable until coin collecting entered the world of the hobbyists.

    Since its inception, coin collecting has continuously represented the ancient way of preserving the history of the human race. Coin collecting allows people to protect and conserve their nation’s history. Through this kind of activity, coin collectors allow other people to touch and examine the kinds of coins that ancient people used.

    In the United Kingdom, coins are considered one of the most precious relics that the nation has ever produced because most of their coins are considered to be a true representation of the royalty. For instance, U.K. coin collectors would be happy to own the 50-cent coins that were manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint for the “Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.”

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    What do you need in your coin collecting kit?

    Posted By on October 30, 2022

    Coin collecting is not as simple as keeping coins: it may be observed from numismatists or even coin enthusiasts that it is a systematic and somewhat complicated hobby. Certain tools must be employed to ensure both fun, discipline and to some extent, good profit.

    Here are some of the essential things that must be included in the coin collecting kit.

    1. Coin Guides

    Coin guides should be used, not just by beginners, but by professional coin collectors as well.

    Coin guides give tips on how to start, as well as special instructions on how to proceed with the hobby of coin collecting.

    They also provide information on coins, since different coins have different ways of grading, pricing, etc.

    It is recommended you read guides before doing starting the hobby to avoid making wrong decisions caused by lack of information.

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    Taking care of your coin collection

    Posted By on October 17, 2022

    There are collectors that specifically find classic editions of coins that existed during the period from 1892 to 1954. These coins have marked events or may signify the work of royalty during that period. There are those collectors that prefer the modern series that are very distinct as well. One modern collection is that of the quarter dollars that represent the 50 states of the US. Minting and circulation started in 1999 and will continue until 2008. These are specially made editions available for collectors.

    Many collectible coins are made of copper and a collector may encounter problems in maintaining their features and appearance. A person collecting this type of coin should learn how to maintain and take proper care of these expensive collections. Copper coins should be cleaned correctly and must be preserved the same way professional collectors treat their coins.

    Professional collectors clean their coins by the process of placing the coins in a container that is airtight. This is a safe way to preserve the features of the coins. Because of the coins’ years of circulation, there is the possibility of a coin accumulating encrustations, coatings, dirt, and other problems on a coin’s face. These accumulations may cause pitting and corrosion to the surface of the copper coin. The corroded portions should be removed properly without making any scratches.

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    Avoiding Fraud When Collecting Coins

    Posted By on October 17, 2022

    Many people enjoy shopping online where there are great buys of coins that can be found. A person may prefer do his shopping while he is at home because it is convenient and time-saving instead of going out looking for stores that sell collectible coins and other souvenirs.

    A person can differentiate between a live auction and an Internet because an online auction can take several days to complete. They entertain bids for the highest price up until the time the auction is about to close.. Many people that are bidding online enjoy the experience and they may be familiar with the strategies to use to win an online auction.

    There are also online sites where a person can buy any item that may capture his interest. This is where most coin collectors purchase their desired coins. By searching and finding the item that they want, they can actually negotiate and make the payments through the Internet. This can be very risky as you are dealer/seller that is unknown to the buyer, yet many people are still making transactions and payments through this kind of online auction.

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    What affects the value of coins?

    Posted By on October 17, 2022

    When one is just starting in coin collecting, often the first question is: “What is the value of the coin?: and the answer is that the coin will cost as much as you are willing to pay for it and the amount can vary considerably. For instance, a coin dealer’s offer can be much less than a coin collector that certainly wants your coin badly to add in his collection.

    The following are factors that can influence the true value of a coin.

    1. Grade or condition of the coin. Your coin will be worth or valued more when it is in good condition. When in a perfect or unblemished mint condition, an “uncirculated” coin will be worth many times more than a similar coin that has been in circulation.
    2. The rarity of a coin is the principal basis for a coins value. Generally, the rarer that a coin is found to be, the higher it is priced. Do keep in mind that rarity has very little influence on the coins age. Chinese coins are a thousand years old normally sell for about ten dollars since there are so many of them; while a “1913 Liberty Head Nickel” can sell for up to or over a million dollars because only five specimens are known to be in existence.
    3. Bullion value. A coin’s precious metal content can determine its value. A platinum, silver or gold coin will not, in general sell for less than the coins value when melted.
    4. Demand. There are coins that are greatly in demand; sought after by many collectors, and if that a particular coin is in great demand the price will be even higher. Even comparatively plentiful coins can mandate higher value when they are popular with coin collectors.
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