The initial thing on your inventory of what not to do is the golden rule of coin collecting: Do not ever under any circumstances clean your old coins yourself. That’s coin-homicide and can result in a major decline in value of the coin’s mint state.
Clued-up buyers definitely won’t look twice at a coin that’s been cleaned so keep away from the enticement. It’s not worth it in the end. It’s also one of the first things that I did when I was younger.
Because my coins weren’t looking nice and polished and some of them were a bit dull in color I gave them a good careful cleaning with soap and water and dried them off with a hand towel.
That was a disaster waiting to happen naturally and when I loaded them back into my small coin vault unfortunately some of them hadn’t dried properly and I ended up with green tinged coins instead of the slightly non-shiny ones I had earlier.
So avoid temptation and keep your itchy cleaning fingers away from your coins. Unless of course you just dug it up from your backyard - or someone else’s backyard - and it’s covered in mud. In this case you can clean it, but follow directions carefully on how to clean your coins.
There are many ways to do this but I can’t give any of them to you since I’ve stayed firmly away from cleaning any type of coin after that first disastrous attempt. Nowadays I just give it over to someone who’s better trained than I am and leave well enough alone!
For the most part though you really won’t want to clean your coins, they’re better off in the state they are and don’t need added help to appeal to other collectors. Part of the appeal lies in its current condition anyway, and you don’t want to be messing with that.
About the Author
Tips and Advice On Coin Collecting, Coins and Coin Values Please Visit Our Very Old Coins Website. http://www.easycoincollecting.net
February 28th, 2007
Coins hold a wealth of information on their small faces, from the year of their birth to the language spoken at the time, from the metals a country holds valuable to the cultural influences and historical figures that its people hold valuable.
The history of gold coins dates as far back as 2,700 years ago. The first gold coins in the world were issued in Lydia around 640 B.C. certain internet websites will provide you with a lot of information about the history of gold coins.
The value of gold coins is usually higher than the value of their weight in gold bullion, making them a better investment than the gold market alone. Collectors covet the unusual and uncommon above all else, and these minor oversights result in a very limited number of coins. This means that supply is much lower than demand, and even something that looks almost exactly like a common penny can actually be a precious rare coin. Although the aesthetics may change, price does not. The value of your coins stays the same regardless of colour.
To the collector, bragging about ‘finds’ constitutes one of life’s most enjoyable pastimes.
Collecting coins is a hobby that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age. A lot of coin collectors started as children, with the help of their parents or grandparents collecting pennies or dimes. For some coin collecting can become a lifetime hobby. Commemorative coins are a popular form of collection, as are rare minted coins like those which had an error in their stamping. If a certain set of coins doesn’t interest you, it won’t be any fun at all to become a collector.
If you are interested in making the highest profits possible with your coin collection, you will need to find a merchant partner who is experienced in the specific rare coins that interest you, and who will sell them to you at a good price.
The Basics of Coin Collecting
Coin collecting is said to be the “Hobby of the Kings.” Coin collecting is different from money hoarding. Collecting coins as an art form can be traced back to the 14th century. Today, people all over the world are collecting coins. Some collect it for their value, some just like the sheer fun that they get from getting their hands on different coins.
If one is interested in making coin collecting a hobby, he can very well do so. It is a hobby which does not require a certain skill and it can be done by almost everyone. There are many different kinds of coin collectors. There are those who do it for fun, and others do in a more serious manner.
Informal coin collecting
Most coin collectors, especially the children, start out as informal coin collectors. They are laid-back collectors which do not have a specific goal in collecting coins. They might collect coins from different countries or from different time periods without any intention of being serious about it. Inquisitive coin collecting
Once the informal coin collector starts noticing the details of the coins, he becomes an inquisitive coin collector. This kind of coin collector won’t bother much into spending money to get coins. He merely wants to appreciate the coins. Soon, he will start to put them in containers or albums.
Coin collecting for investment purposes can be a tricky endeavor. As you become a more experienced coin collector your “eye” will mature and you’ll be looking more closely at details like the lettering on a coin, making sure the letters are still clear and not worn down.
American Eagle gold coins are valuable not only for their lovely appearance, but also because they are the only bullion coin whose gold content is guaranteed by the United States government.
Coin Collection in Renaissance Times Modern coin collecting, where the coins are viewed as a work of art as well as a collection of valuable legal tender, is widely thought to have begun with Francesco Petrarca, or Petrarch, who is often called the father of the Renaissance.
For most gold coin collectors, there are the highly coveted rare gold coins and a lot of gold coin collectors are interested in these rare gold coins that they will offer high bids just to be able to get their hands on these.
Another common oversight is when the mint mark, the tiny letter on most American coins that indicates which mint created the coin, is missing or incorrect.
Buy quality! Buy quality! Buy quality! That’s all you hears these days when you are considering rare coins as an investment. Ancient kings (and even today’s leaders) had a telling habit of having their faces imprinted on their currency.
A highly motivated coin merchant will go to shows and retailer auctions, keep abreast of current prices and trends, and will generally keep up-to-date with the current coin market. Any investor will recognize the impact of current information on profit levels.
Advanced coin collecting
An advanced coin collector will collect coins with a specific target in mind. He may want to collect coins from a certain nation, or a certain time period.
There are many tracks which coin collectors pursue when engaging in their hobby. Here are some of the ways one can use in collecting coins:
Coin collection according to nation Always be on the lookout for rare gold coins, and have coins appraised by a gold coin expert to avoid large differences in price. Many coin collectors would want to collect coins from a certain nation during a certain period of time. This kind of coin collection lets the collector travel the globe through the coins. People may want to collect coins from countries they had visited.
Historical coin collection
Another way of collecting coins is by taking in mind history. Many coin collectors engage in collecting coins during a certain period in history like wars or declarations of independence.
Error coins
There are people who find collecting coins with errors exciting because these kinds of coins are rare nowadays.
There are many ways to collect coins and each way is as fun as the other. One must feel the hobby first before he decides whether to stick with it or not. Coin collecting can require certain amounts of money and the collector must be wise in engaging in such a hobby.
A numismatist holds an ancient coin that has passed through dozens or hundreds of hands throughout the millennia. In medieval times, the collection of ancient coins was already popular, but it was known as a hobby for kings. An avid coin collector will be able to tell you virtually every piece of history that surrounds any coin in their collection both because they tend to specialize and because knowledge is one of the most important factors when it comes to starting and maintaining a collection of any value or worth.
Some people have made a lot of money buying and selling coins, others have lost fortunes. If you are serious about investing in numismatics, first spend a bit of time learning.
A good number of coin collectors collect coins according to themes. The coins they collect all have a common topic.
State coins can appreciate in value if you know what to look for.
American coins have undergone several changes in material. For example, during World War II, pennies were made out of steel, because copper was needed for the war effort.
The internet is home to a lot of gold coin dealers wherein you can meet all sorts of people from all over the world who are into both buying and selling gold coins. Free Ebook! More on Rare Gold Coins and where you can find them at http://www.goldcoin-rare.info You can get a silver locating device or a magnetic pole for finding loose coins in ditches, under cars, or in other hard-to-reach places. Or simply rely on your eyes to identify those gleaming metal circlets of potential wealth.
So popular was the pursuit and trade of ancient Greek and Roman coins in this time period, that a brisk business in high-quality counterfeits sprang into being. Today, these counterfeits even have a high value, due to their age, quality, and historical significance.
About the Author
As money, gold coins have been a convenient way for people to do their transactions.
February 19th, 2007
Anyone can start collection coins and it will probably turn into a great hobby for you. Some coin collectors focus on all different types of coin collections while some collect coins from all over the world. Collecting old coins or ones from a particular country is also popular. There are some collectors out there who focus on coins that are not being circulated anymore. These coins are have no wear and are in mint condition. You will start collecting particular types of coins when you figure out what your specific interest is.
You should check out some reference books from your local library on collecting coins if you are wanting start this hobby. Find out if there are any clubs near where you live that you can join to help you start learning about coin collecting.
You’ll be amazed at the different places you might find coins for your collection. You are able to buy coins from coin dealers through your local coin shops and coin shows. This also gives you a chance to see a huge amount of different coins at one time.
Online websites are a great place for you to buy coins for your collection. Mail order is also an option to adding new coins to your collection. When buying coins online you should be very careful. Check out the dealers return policy and look over the coins carefully when you receive them to make sure it is what you ordered and in good condition. Check out the seller’s feedback rating if you buy coins through an online auction site. This will give you a good indication if other buyers have been happy with their items. It is very unusual for coins to be bid above their actual value so be careful when buying coins through an online auction.
There are other resources out there that are great for find coins at wonderful prices. Check out flea markets, craft fairs and antique shows because you never know what treasures you might find.
To prevent causing wear on the coins be very careful when handling them. Hold uncirculated or proof coins by the edges only. A coins value can be lessened if fingerprints are present. Start a good habit now of picking up your coins by the edges only. Make sure you always do this when handling someone else’s collectable coins.
A grade is given to collectable coins depending on their condition. The value will be affected by the grading of a coin. Objective criteria for grading can be found in different publishing but you can also pick up this skill yourself. You will need time, exposure to experienced collectors and deals and lots of practice.
Many great books have been published on coin collecting. Check out these resources at your bookstore to help you with grading, pricing guidelines and an introduction to collecting coins.
About the Author
Robert Michael is a writer for Wec Coins which is an excellent place to find coins links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://www.weccoins.com
February 6th, 2007
