Coins Collection

Why should a coin collector and investor buy and collect professionally graded and certified coins?. Commonly called “slabs”, they are housed in a protective plastic holder. There are many companies - over a dozen are less than 2 years old - which will put your coin in a slab after Certifying that it is Authentic, and assigning a Grade to the coin. The first reason for buying and collecting Certified and Graded Coins applies to all of these companies. However, the most important reasons apply only to the Top Four companies: PCGS, NGC, ANACS, and ICG.

Reason No 1. To Protect Your Coin from Damage.
Visible Damage, which includes anything from finger prints/oils to being stepped on. More importantly, Environmental Damage, including such things as exposure to the air, or the wrong kind of air, chemicals in the air, and touching other objects (e.g.: certain plastics, liquids, food) and other coins, which will change the appearance and even structure of the coin. Damage causes loss of Value, which means Your Investment. A slab is an air tight container, and its purpose is Protection.

Reason No 2. To Establish Authenticity.
You want and need to know that your coin is not only the Real thing, but that it has not been altered (changing a mint mark - fraud) or changed, for example by cleaning, polishing, changing the appearance or surface of the coin, in any way that would render your coin unfit to collect. If it is Unfit to Collect, there won’t be many Buyers or Sellers. Many coins graded by lesser companies end up getting Rejected by one of the Top Four for these reasons.

Reason No 3. To Establish Identity.
Is that 1909 Lincoln penny a VDB? Did you overlook the “S” mint mark. Is it a Type 1 or Type 2? These little identifying marks can mean the difference between a $20 coin and one worth $35,000. We all make mistakes and overlook or miss, mint marks, details, and certain other identifying factors which make up “Varities” of each coin. It is the professional’s duty to look for, and establish these things to determine a coin’s true Identity.

Reason No 4. To Establish the Coin’s Grade.
A coin’s Grade is what determines its Value. You want Good Value when you Buy the coin. You want to get what you pay for (or more) and not get cheated. When you get ready to Sell or Upgrade, you want to get the most for your coin. You Have to Know What the Coin is Worth! The Grade is always an Issue when Buying and Selling a Collectible Coin. Having the coin Professionally Certified and Graded virtually eliminates this Issue, and the Arguments. This is Your Neutral Third Party.

Reason No 5. Trust and Credibility.
The Top Four companies are Consistent, Reliable and Trustworthy. They have Established and Respected Reputations. Their Standards are the Highest and the Best. You are taking a Risk when buying a certified and graded coin from any other company.

It is possible to buy and sell a coin that is Certified and Graded by one of the Top Four, sight unseen, and know exactly what you are getting. From a description of the coin (e.g.: 1903 O, MS66, NGC, Morgan #034), you know what you are buying, and what to expect. It always helps to have a little description of its appearance, such as “white hot” or “slight reverse toning”, since there is one limitation to selling a Certified and Graded coin sight unseen: It is still possible to buy an ugly coin. But that is why we have scanners, fax and email.

Therefore, as a Coin Collector and Investor, always collect Certified and Graded coins by one of the Top Four. It is the most reasonable way to verify authenticity and identity of every coin in your collection, as well as to establish a reliable Value. Every source of prices for any coin, be it a yearly book, magazine, a weekly or monthly newsprint; all base their prices on the Grading Standards of the Top Four grading companies, which strictly follow the ANA guidelines. If the Grade of your coin does not measure up to these Standards, then you are only guessing at the Value.

Robert L Taylor, JD
Copyright 2006

About Robert L Taylor, JD
He is a retired lawyer of 28 years, from Denver, Colorado, having devoted his career to representing people that could not afford an Attorney. He has been collecting coins since the age of 6, and has recently published a web site sharing his passion,
at http://www.ThePerfect-Coin.com.

And, recently, he also published a web site just for Beginning Collectors, at:
http://www.Beginning-Coin-Collecting.Com

Robert is a 58 year old retired lawyer from Denver, CO with a passion for collection coins, since the age of 6; and has published a web site sharing his passion, at http://www.ThePerfect-Coin.com

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Feng shui coins can allow you, among other things, to increase your income. By keeping three coins tied with a read thread, you would protect your already existing income as well as increase it. According to Chinese traditions, three coins tied that way symbolize prosperity and income protection.

By carrying these three tied coins with yourself you could attract personal wealth, as well as by using these feng shui coins in your house would bring prosperity and wealth for all its occupants. Number three symbolizes heaven, man and earth united, and it is a lucky number as well.

Carrying them with you would also attract helpful people to you and receive help when you need it. You can also give feng shui coins to those you love as a present; it would be a symbolic, creative and helpful gift to give. You can combine the coins representation with different numbers symbolism, achieving this way, different desired effects.

According to feng shui specifications, the best house area for placing feng shui coins is the northwest. According to the bagua map, the northwest of any space corresponds to the prosperity life area, and therefore, placing feng shui coins there would be very helpful and beneficial. You can also use them in order to protect or increase the income at a business by placing these coins by the cash register or any other place containing money.

It is also important to know where your feng shui coins come from, since they would also contain energy of the place or people who had them before. The best place where to acquire these coins is at a very prosperous or wealthy place. This way, your feng shui coins benefits and their positive effect on you would be maximized.

You can also use feng shui coins according to its main element, metal. When any spot at your house or working space lacks of metal element, placing these Chinese coins in it would be a great way to add that element and create harmony at the same time than protecting the incomes and maximizing the good luck.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com. Please visit his website and learn all the feng shui tips you’ll ever need!

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Today, the market is flooded with all types of materials for
gazebos. For instance, if you want a permanent structure, you
could choose wood such as cedar, pine, or oak. However,
permanent gazebos also come in other materials as well. The
same is true for a temporary or pop-up type gazebo in that you
have a nice selection of options. In this case, wrought iron,
stainless steel, aluminum, and vinyl are popular choices.

If durability is important to you, then vinyl is a great
consideration. While you might pay a little more for vinyl,
remember it will last a long time. The benefit of going with
vinyl is that you get the look of real wood but without the high
price or common problems. For example, with wood, you have to
worry about wood rot, termites, warping, splitting, and so on.
However, a vinyl gazebo gives you the same rich look minus all
the headaches.

Another advantage of going with a vinyl gazebo is that you can
paint it whatever color you like. In this case, you could
choose a nice white paint, making it look even more like wood.
Something like this would be ideal for a beachside or poolside
gazebo. On the other hand, if you painted the vinyl gazebo
black, the look now changes to that of wrought iron. However,
you can paint the gazebo any color you like, possibly
complementing or coordinating with the house.

In addition to being able to paint a vinyl gazebo, you can also
choose from a long list of styles. If you want something
simplistic, elegant, a gazebo that embraces Old World charm, or
a Victorian style, you will find it. In fact, of all styles for
a vinyl gazebo, the Victorian ranks at the top. This particular
gazebo is gorgeous with just enough detailing to make it
interesting.

A vinyl gazebo is also very easy to clean and maintain. If it
gets dirty, you can use mild soap and water to wash it down and
then allow it to dry naturally. Additionally, vinyl will not
face, turn yellow, twist, crack, or ever lose its beautiful
shape. That means unlike other materials such as wood, the
integrity of a vinyl gazebo will hold its own for years and
years.

Although you will find you have various options for the roof,
typically, a vinyl gazebo is made with asphalt roof shingles,
which are just like used on a regular house, known as
construction grade. In fact, the same roof material for your
vinyl gazebo will come with the same type of warranty and
lifespan as if you had it installed on your house. This means
you also have a choice of types of shingles. For example, black
shingles would look gorgeous with a black or white gazebo,
creating a somewhat contemporary look but if you go with gray,
the appearance is a little softer and more subdued.

The only real negative aspect of a vinyl gazebo is the feel,
which is not the same as wood. For this reason, you find many
people selecting a vinyl gazebo but then building up the area to
create a more natural look. To accomplish this, you could plant
flowers, plants, add molding, place an arbor nearby, build a
small fountain, add coordinating lawn furniture, and so on. For
a permanent vinyl gazebo, expect to pay around $2,500 to $3,500
but the enjoyment you get in return is worth every dime.

Dion Semeniuk has developed experience into transforming your backyard into your very own resort. To learn how the gazebo can achieve this, visit the Gazebo website.

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