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How to Tell if a Coin is Rare

Being able to tell if a coin is rare is one of the first things a coin collector must learn to do. It is not enough simply to have a coin that is unlike other coins that you see on a regular basis. While that is a good way to begin identifying rare coins, there is much more to the process than that. The best way to learn about the rarity of coins is to buy a price guide containing mintage records. Coin dealers are also an excellent resource when it comes to learning about rare coins.

Things You'll Need

Coin price guide

Instructions

- 1
  Identify the coin. Look at the coin for any identifiable marks such as the name of the country the coin was minted in, the year the country was minted or the denomination of the coin.
- 2
  Purchase a coin price guide pertaining to the type of coin that you have. Make sure you buy the correct type of guide. The type of coin that the guide specializes in is always listed on the front cover. A good guide will have a lot of information about all aspects of collecting and identifying rare coins.
- 3
  Look up the coin in the price guide. If the price guide has mintage statistics, you should consult them to determine the rarity of the coin. Even if there are no mintage statistics, the more the coin is worth, the rarer it tends to be.

Coin Collecting