Hobbies And Interests
Decide What Type of Coins to Collect
First, decide on a particular type of coin to collect. This is usually done by picking one country and collecting its coins, although you can get more specific, such as a particular timeframe, if you would like. Pick the coins that interest you the most to begin collecting. As you become a more experienced coin collector, you can branch out and start collecting other types.
Buy a Price Guide
Coin price guides not only tell you what your coins are worth, but they often have extremely valuable coin collecting tips as well. Make sure that the coin guide you buy specializes in the types of coins you want to collect. You can usually buy guides at bookstores and coin shops.
Coin Stores
Visit your local coin store. You can learn a lot about coins by simply looking over the store&'s stock. You can also garner a great deal of information from the owner and staff. Coin stores offer a variety of products for coin collectors, from the coins themselves, to price guides and coin protectors and various other coin-related goods.
Buying Coins
The best places for a beginner to start buying coins are coin stores and government mints. Coin stores usually have professionally graded coins for sale, and often even have a return policy. Buying from a government mint ensures that you are getting a quality coin straight from the source. Auctions are a great way to buy coins, but you should be careful buying coins at auctions until you are comfortable collecting coins. You are just as likely to overpay as you are to underpay. Be wary of flea market coin dealers; they may not be legitimate. Again, once you feel comfortable pricing and grading coins (this information will be in any good-quality price or collectors guide) you may want to check out flea markets.
Storage
When you get a coin in some type of storage container, do not remove the coin from the container. The oils on your fingers can damage specially made collector&'s coins such as proof coins. Proof coins are coins that are specially minted in order to have a perfect image and a reflective surface. These coins tend to be especially valuable, so be extra careful to make sure that they are stored safely. Common circulated coins can also be stored in jars and boxes, but for especially valuable coins, it is suggested that you purchase a container in which to store them. When storing your entire collection, make sure you keep your coins in a safe, dry and cool area. A prepared basement can be a good place to store a coin collection.