Coins Collection

Coins have been always been a part of our country’s history. Prominent people are featured on them. A change of government is sometimes accompanied by a change of currency. The look and feel of these coins reflects the advancements in technology as scientists find more complex metal combinations.

Coins’ being of historical value is one of the many factors why people collect them. Beauty and variety also contribute to the collector’s growing numbers.

To be a collector, you must be aware of how to ascertain the worth of your coins. Who knows, you might just be holding on to a very rare artifact, or one that would cost millions on an auction or bidding.

First step in being a coin collector is to look up literature. You need to be in the know of what coins are available out there, where to get them and how to get them. This is extremely valuable to one who’d see the coins as a form of investment.

You also need to determine four things before you take a coin to your collection. You need to identify them, have them authenticated and examine them for damage. This would be vital points to consider in collection coins.

To identify them, you need to look at your coins very thoroughly and note the shape, the colors, and the writings. You also need to verify which country issued that coin. If there is no denomination on the face of the coins, it’s just a token or probably a medal.

Authentic coins should be treasured and prized. They’re hard to find, especially if they are rare, limited issues. A lot of fakes and counterfeit coins are available in the market, so beware!

The value of your coin will depend upon its grade. Coin catalogs usually have their own, specific grading guidelines but here’s a general list of them.

* Mint State Perfect Uncirculated (MS-70) is an uncirculated coin. It should show no apparent damage and be in top shape. It is considered to be the best quality of coin possible.

* Uncirculated (MS-60) is another uncirculated coin having a few scratches on contact marks and that have lost some of its sheen.

* About Uncirculated (AU-50) is a coin which has evidence of light wear on most parts but still retains at least half of its original sheen.

* Extremely Fine (EF-40) is coin wherein the coin design is lightly worn off but the features can be still distinguished and are still quite sharp.

* Very Fine (VF-20) is another coin wherein some of fine details like hair or eyebrows are mostly worn off. There is evidence of modest wear on some points of the design but all major parts are still clearly etched.

* Very Good (VG-8) is a coin wherein even though the rim is still clearly visible, the design is almost worn off and only few details of it are clear.

* Good (G-4) are coins that are heavily worn but the design and the legend are still visible. Much of the details are gone.

* About Good (AG-3) are coins that are very heavily worn that some of the lettering and the original design are not discernible anymore.

Damaged coins come across frequently in the course of a collector’s quest. Most collectors steer off coins that have undergone cleaning or re-polishing. Corroded, scratched and drilled into coins are also a big turn off. Although it’s sometimes hard to find one, it’s better to find an untampered specimen.

The question on most beginners’ minds is this: How much do I get paid for a particular coin. The answer is: It varies everywhere. It depends on the qualities of the coin as well as the guide the buyer is using. For a general idea of pricing, here’s a quick list.

1. U.S. wheat cents (1958 and earlier) that were in circulation goes for a few cents to 3 dollars each.

2. 1943 “steel pennies are very uncommon and of high value 1943 cents set on a normal bronze planchet. They are tested to determine if it attracts magnets and if so, it is plated using copper. They are sold for 5 to 50 cents if circulated, and up to a dollar or two if not in circulation.

3. Silver dimes, quarter and half dollars from 1964 or earlier are composed of almost 90% silver. So their amount depends on their silver content.

4. Silver dollars from 1935 and up are collector favorites and can be usually be sold for more than their value in silver . The less common the date, the higher the pricing goes.

5. Susan B. Anthony dollars are worth about one dollar.

6. Bicentennial quarters, half and dollars are usually worth what’s on their face value.

7. Coins in commemoration of the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana are spotted to cost from $5 to $30.

8. A coin with two heads, tails or those that have different designs of two coins have no value to collectors because they are coins that have been change to introduce a novelty item.

There are also the kinds of coins that are made by mistake. These are called ‘mules’ and are often produced because of an error in pairing different dies. Expect rare coins like these to cost a little higher than most.

So with these things in mind, have fun in making your own collection grow. Who knows what part of history you’ll discover by finding rare specimens.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://collecting.leisure-webzone.com where you can learn more about coins and other antiques and collectibles.

Share This

A collectible is usually an item that is plentiful and affordable such as new items that were created by companies and then marketed specifically to be collectibles or gifts. An example of these items are Hummel figurines, Barbie Dolls, PEZ Dispensers, and even United State Mint Proof sets. Many collectibles are limited in production and then discontinued after a period of time or the popularity fades. After a period of time it is almost impossible to find these pieces in new and unused condition. This causes the value of many of these items to increase and a collectible is born. Many companies see this resurgence of interest and re-release the product or make an updated edition. This starts another cycle of limited production and new collectors. Some collectibles are never reproduced and the originals will become even more valuable over time.

Collectibles of this type are more valuable if they remain in their original packaging or boxes. Serious collectors consider their unused items as a wise investment and some times buy more than one item when the price is low. Investing in high priced collectibles as well as the stock market is uncertain, so do your homework.

A collectible can also be an old item that over time has created a great deal of interest to a collector. The earliest collectibles were product incentive or the product themselves. An example is baseball cards of the 1950s and 1960s depicting individual baseball players in a pack of gum. Postcards from the early 1900s are another collectible that has a great deal of interest by topic and location. Old trade tokens that were used in the late 1800s to the 1940s is another example. Many of these items are highly prized by a special breed of collectors and can also include Coca Cola, coins, stamps and movie memorabilia.

As a result we now have two basic types of collectibles. Items manufactured to be collectibles and much older smaller items not yet antiques. Things that are more than 100 years old are considered antiques and not all old collectibles are antiques! However, the most popular collectibles are items from the early 1900s to about 1960. Other examples of these small collectible are advertising memorabilia, autographs, bottles, telephone pole insulators, cuckoo clocks, knives, tools, toys and photographic images. Some collectibles or groups of collectibles have taken on unusual names such Numismatics (coins), Exonumia (tokens), Breweriana (brewery and beer), Disneyana (Disney), Militaria (military) etc.

How do you decide what to collect? Actually, collectibles probably choose you. Something that sparked your interest as a child or that unusual item you saw on a table at a local flea market. It doesn’t matter what you choose as long as the item is affordable, attracts your attention and will spark your interest for years to come. Don’t be influenced by what other people collect and never look at collectibles as an investment. Collecting is about becoming more knowledgeable not richer.

Where do I find collectibles? From commercial dealers on the web, antique shops and flea markets. My favorite place is eBay. The eBay Collectibles category is the premier place to find popular and hard-to-find items on the web. The best part about eBay is you decide what to pay for an item! eBay is also a great place to find the value of your collectible by looking at closed auction prices.

Glyn Farber has published a catalog of all known Hickey Brothers Cigar Store Tokens and co-authored two books about Louisiana Trade Tokens. In addition he wrote several articles for The Token and Medal Society (TAMS) and The National Token Collectors Association (NTCA) and is a member of both. Glyn has been a devoted collector of Louisiana Trade Tokens, Louisiana collectibles and Lake Charles, LA postcards for almost 40 years.

Web sites include http://www.most-popular-collectibles-at-auction.com and
http://www.louisiana-trade-tokens.com

Share This

Newbies to coin collecting tend to WASTE a lot of time and money on erroneous and deceptive purchases simply because they have insufficient experience and knowledge. If you don’t want to commit the same mistakes of other newbies like you, here are some tips to help you have extra time and money to make your coin collection as beautiful as any other veteran coin collector’s:

Step 1: Information First before Purchases

Don’t start collecting coins until you’ve gained a considerable amount of knowledge about your prospective hobby. While reading books on coin collecting would certainly help, what will truly aid you best is interaction with old-time coin collectors. These guys have learned from experience and some of the things they’ll share with you probably wouldn’t be found in any coin collecting manual or article.

Step 2: Find a Playmate

There’s nothing better than having someone else to share your hobby with. Friendships with fellow coin collecting enthusiasts will make your hobby twice as fun and meaningful because they understand the value behind each achievement you accomplish.

Step 3: Deciding What to Collecting

Now that your “coin collecting crew” has been completed, all of you are now ready to begin your quest for old and rare coins. Having a theme for your collection will make your hobby more interesting and challenging. You have several options when choosing a theme for your coin collection:

Firstly, you can do what most coin collectors do and collect coins according to their country of origin; seeing the physical differences among coins of various nations can be quite beautiful to observe.

Secondly, you can collect coins according to series, but in order to do this, you must look up for information about different coin series, and check the price range and rarity for each series. That way, you’ll know which series is within your budget.

Thirdly, you can also organize your coins chronologically. You can divide them into different eras such as the Victorian Period and the Medieval Period.

Lastly, you can choose to collect specially made coins - ones that can’t be used as financial instruments but instead have special or commemorative value such as coins given as medals or those used to honor events like the Olympics.

Step 4: Cleaning and Handling Your Coins

Always hold your coins at their edges so that you won’t accidentally leave any indelible print on them.

Although old and financially used coins generally have flawed surfaces already, it’s best to minimize the chances of giving them additional scratches and further reducing their value by placing each coin in a separate casing.

It is only in rare circumstances that coin collectors find it necessary to clean their coins. Don’t attempt this without consulting an expert, and if possible, simply hire a professional cleaner to do the cleaning for you.

If, however, you’re determined to clean your coins by yourself, make sure that you test whatever method you choose to use on a replaceable coin to see if anything untoward happens. Avoid using strong cleaning solutions and tap water when cleaning coins because this may damage the coin’s appearance.

Step 5: Improving Your Coin Collection

The first attempt of most newbies’ is usually not enough to have a “perfect” coin collection; simply put, their collections mostly lack an integral element or two. To improve your coin collection, you can subscribe to a coin collecting magazine or newsletter and receive alerts and notices regarding rare coins on sale. You should join a coin collecting club as well in order to meet other coin collectors and possibly trade some of your goods with them.

Step 6: Organizing a Coin Collecting Party

To cement good ties with coin collectors in the area, you can try organizing a coin collecting party for all of you. Always hold an event like this indoors because a sudden downpour of rain can cause irreparable damage to anyone’s collection. Advise guests not to eat and drink while handling any coins to avoid damaging any coin treasures as well.

Coin collecting is a challenging hobby, albeit expensive, to pursue. The great thing about it though is that it’s inevitable for the coin collector to pick up some nice trivia along the way as his collection starts to grow. Hope you enjoy your newfound hobby!

Lee Dobbins writes for http://antique-coin-collector.info where you can get more coin collecting tips.

Share This