Everything you have as probably some sort of value attached to it. Sometimes this value is founded on how you feel about a certain item, while other items are given values assigned by others. The same applies to old coins and other coins in you collection. While professional coin dealers or expert coin collectors will know the old coin value for various coins, we may have no idea about this.
This is the main reason why you should acquire as much knowledge as you can about evaluating old coin value and what their price is. The knowledge you will gain is priceless. You will be able to get a ruff idea about what you can expect to get from the old coins in your collection. The best way to go is by reading books and articles even searching on the internet. You will find a great sum of information about old coin value and their price rates. Another good way would be to go to coin exhibitions or fairs. This way you will be able to see how experts evaluate coins before they make any judgments about the state of the coin.
Here are a few pointers that contribute towards the old coin value:
- The old coin must be in a fairly mint condition (which means).
- The coins must have the country of origin fairly legible.
- The mint date can still be seen.
- The wear and tear should be barely visible
These marks or should I say (identifying marks) are some of the items that expert coin collector and coin dealers look for. These marks are essentials when it comes to assigning a value to an old coin. You should learn from reading various books and articles how to identify those marks. Practicing your coin grading abilities on your own collection should help you to identify what an old coin value will be.
Once you are confident with the coin grading process, the next step should be to see what an actual expert has to say about the old coin value. You can usually get a good opinion by visiting your local coin shop. The value of the coin should help you decide what to do with your old coin depending on what type of collector you are.
In other words now that you know the old coin value, depending if you are a coin collector or an investor, you can decide whether you want to sell it or keep it for your collection. Keep in mind that if you hang on to your old coins for a long period of time there is a good chance that the value will climb. I hope that the information above was useful to you. Cheers and thank you for reading.
Here at “coin-collecting-tips.com”, we offer various information about coin collecting to help you become an expert coin collector. If you liked our article about Old Coin Value, browse through our website for more quality articles. http://www.coin-collecting-tips.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frederic_Madore
Monday
A Quick Look at Some Coin Collecting Software
Coin collecting software can be a good addition to the supplies you have on hand for your hobby. There are different types of coin collecting software that can help you with many tasks involved in coin collecting, such as identification and cataloguing. It almost seems natural these days that anyone with a penchant for something turns to the technological world!
Coin collecting software can certainly make the hobby easier for those who like to have easy access to information, who wants to learn more about coins, or who are interested in having a database of their coins to buy, sell and trade. For those who love computers and coins, here is a look at some computer software on the market today.
CoinManage 2007 is a coin collecting software that has a comprehensive database of coins and that removes the task of data entry. It includes reporting possibilities and helps you find coins on EBay.
The database includes full mintage information for US coin collecting, as well as links to coin collecting websites. Not only that, the software can provide an idea of what your coin collection is worth by calculating its value.
Coin Organizer Deluxe 2007 is a coin collecting software that helps you sort and manage your collection. It has options to sort based on type of coin, such as old rare coins, medieval coins, modern coins, and has a nice feature of letting the user create coin contacts of buyers and sellers or web resources. The user can also create reports and a glossary of coin collecting terms.
PC Magazine has claimed the Coin Collectors' Assistant Plus an Editor's Choice coin collecting software. This software has an easy-to-use interface and has a complete listing for US coin collecting in its database, including bullion coins and sets.
Colonial and Hawaiian coins are included in the database. It provides tracking options for buying and selling, and helps provide values for coins and collections. Also integrated is a user loadable database of coin dealers.
A great coin collecting software available is the Coin Collectors' Survival Manual that comes in an interactive CD format. This CD provides landmark information on coin collecting, increasing the user's knowledge while providing plenty of tools for the hobby.
There are plenty of topics and coin collecting tips, such as how to avoid pitfalls and how to make money with coin collecting. The CCSM is also available in book format, and this choice makes an excellent gift for either novice or amateur coin collectors, considered an important tool of the trade.
Before deciding on an expensive piece of coin collecting software, figure out your needs. Try to find a basic program so you can become familiar with spreadsheets and databases to organize your coins.
If you can find free trials of coin collecting software programs on the internet, try a few different ones to find the best for your needs. There are also websites where you can find reviews of programs that will give you a better idea of what each one offers.
Mike Selvon has a passion for coin collecting, and his portal has the best information on coin collecting software. Visit his portal for your free gift and leave a comment at his coin collecting blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon
Does Coin Collecting Mean One is a Numismatist?
Your average numismatist may or may not indulge in coin collecting.
One could also say on the other side of the coin a person who spends their time collecting coins could or could not be a numismatist. The hobby of coin collecting can be traced back to the fourteenth century and some have even said the Roman emperors were known to have coin collections but it really is not known if it was a genuine hobby or if they may just have been hoarding the coins!
The hoarding of coins goes back to the very beginning of coinage where people kept them for the coin’s value and coin collecting later developed and is known as the “Hobby of Kings” as well.
Because of the number of coins that have been minted throughout history are so vast no coin collector could ever hope to collect a sample of every coin produced. Probably King Farouk of Egypt, with the vast resources he had access to may have had the largest and most spectacular general collection in the world during the mid twentieth century.
Also because of the vast range of coins on this planet two types of coin collecting have emerged – the generalist who collects a bit of everything in the way of coins and the completists, who wants to have an example of everything within a certain range of coins. The only collector known thus far to have assembled the complete set of known US coins is Louis Eliasberg.
Coin collecting could be divided into the following specialty areas or collections:
Country Collections are where coin collectors obtain examples from every country that issues coins but these could also be collectors who try collecting every coin from a certain country – normally their own
Year Collections is coin collecting of certain type of coin from a certain year or trying to collect a certain type of coin from all the years that coin was minted.
Mintmark Collections apply to coin collecting of coins produced by different mints that carry their distinct mark on their coins. Some mintmarks are rarer than others and this is what makes collecting different mintmarks exciting for collectors.
Variety Collections are coin collecting of the same coin produced from different dies and these collections are commoner among old coins that could come from hand carved dies.
Error Collections are collecting of coins with errors in them but since the 19th century when production methods were refined, this has become rarer today. Even in this day and age errors such as over-dates, re-punched mint marks, double strikes and off center coins do happen. Coins that carry different denominations on their two sides are known as mules.
Coin collecting under certain Subjects and only of a certain Period in history are also very popular themes as well as coins making up Composition Collections. These are collections of coins made from certain materials like gold, silver and platinum but not only limited the precious metals.
Coin collecting may be taken up for investment purposes too but again be warned in that certain coins could lose their value over time. As already stated you don’t have to be a numismatist to undertake coin collecting but it wouldn’t hurt and you defiantly must be passionate about this form of collecting.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coin Collecting
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
One could also say on the other side of the coin a person who spends their time collecting coins could or could not be a numismatist. The hobby of coin collecting can be traced back to the fourteenth century and some have even said the Roman emperors were known to have coin collections but it really is not known if it was a genuine hobby or if they may just have been hoarding the coins!
The hoarding of coins goes back to the very beginning of coinage where people kept them for the coin’s value and coin collecting later developed and is known as the “Hobby of Kings” as well.
Because of the number of coins that have been minted throughout history are so vast no coin collector could ever hope to collect a sample of every coin produced. Probably King Farouk of Egypt, with the vast resources he had access to may have had the largest and most spectacular general collection in the world during the mid twentieth century.
Also because of the vast range of coins on this planet two types of coin collecting have emerged – the generalist who collects a bit of everything in the way of coins and the completists, who wants to have an example of everything within a certain range of coins. The only collector known thus far to have assembled the complete set of known US coins is Louis Eliasberg.
Coin collecting could be divided into the following specialty areas or collections:
Country Collections are where coin collectors obtain examples from every country that issues coins but these could also be collectors who try collecting every coin from a certain country – normally their own
Year Collections is coin collecting of certain type of coin from a certain year or trying to collect a certain type of coin from all the years that coin was minted.
Mintmark Collections apply to coin collecting of coins produced by different mints that carry their distinct mark on their coins. Some mintmarks are rarer than others and this is what makes collecting different mintmarks exciting for collectors.
Variety Collections are coin collecting of the same coin produced from different dies and these collections are commoner among old coins that could come from hand carved dies.
Error Collections are collecting of coins with errors in them but since the 19th century when production methods were refined, this has become rarer today. Even in this day and age errors such as over-dates, re-punched mint marks, double strikes and off center coins do happen. Coins that carry different denominations on their two sides are known as mules.
Coin collecting under certain Subjects and only of a certain Period in history are also very popular themes as well as coins making up Composition Collections. These are collections of coins made from certain materials like gold, silver and platinum but not only limited the precious metals.
Coin collecting may be taken up for investment purposes too but again be warned in that certain coins could lose their value over time. As already stated you don’t have to be a numismatist to undertake coin collecting but it wouldn’t hurt and you defiantly must be passionate about this form of collecting.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coin Collecting
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
Wednesday
Your Coin Collecting Care
Coin collecting may not be a passive hobby as some might think. The hobby requires delicate attention to detail and proper handling of valuable coins. So how does one handle and maintain a coin collection properly?
Touching Coins
Handing coins can have an effect on the coin’s condition. It’s important to consider carefully how you touch your coins. The fingers contain bodily oils and grit that might affect the coin’s color or cause scratches on the coin’s face. In fact, excessive touching may cause it to discolor. To be sure that you handle coins properly, wear latex gloves. Another safe practice would be to handle the coin on the edges since you won’t affect the front and back parts of the coin.
Breaking the holder or container would not be a good practice for coin collecting. By doing so, you’ll decrease the value of the coin from a mint-issue package. If a minted coin has a holder, then the container is part of the set - meaning it’s intended to be intact. Breaking it would make it less valuable.
Constant coin handling will ultimately diminish the value as well. If you have to touch the coin, it’s best to wash your hand thoroughly. In addition, make sure that you don’t put the coin on a hard surface. Placing the coin on such a surface could cause scratches on the item’s surface.
Temperature and Humidity
Coins for collecting should be placed in an area that is as close to room temperature. Coins in a damp or cold basement or in a hot attic will cause coins to oxidize and ultimately age. Rooms that are dry should be what you should seek to store coins. Moreover, storing the coins in the basement or attic will expose the collectibles to an environment that will break down the storage containers.
Coin storage
Storage is also a very important part of coin collecting maintenance. Find containers or plastic pockets that protect the coin from the elements. Some you can find available in sheets at a hobby or coin collector shop.
Cleaning Coins
You should seriously weigh the benefits and disadvantages of cleaning coins. Sometimes cleaning or polishing a coin is not the right thing to do, especially if the coin is in a packaged container. If the coin becomes exposed to air, the metal may oxidize or lose it’s toning.
Do not use metal cleaners to clean the collectibles. Doing so will also have damaging consequences such as discoloring.
However, if washing is a must, make sure you wash your hands with soap to remove oil or grit. You can then apply a soapy bath for the coins in a small container. Look for a plastic container since hard surface containers like glass might affect the coin properties. Gently rub the sides of the coins once it’s in the bath. When you complete cleaning, dry the coin with a soft towel.
Coin collecting is a hobby that one should be careful in maintaining the assets. Not applying careful coin handling techniques could seriously affect the value of the coins. There are plenty of resources to help you get started with coin handling and care.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coin Collecting Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell |  |
Coin Collecting Fascination and Wonder
Since coins are so prevalent in our culture, it is easy to get young children interested in coin collecting. Children will enjoy coin collecting because they can find coins everywhere, whether it is in their parents' pockets, or discovering a lost penny on the ground.
Kids get excited to add a new coin to their collection. They enjoy the interesting appearances of the varied coins and love organizing them. Getting kids interested in coin collecting might be easier than you think, so the following are some tips to help you get a child started.
Give the hobby of coin collecting as a birthday or holiday gift. A coin collecting startup set can make a wonderful gift in general, and the cost of gathering together a few of the common coin collecting supplies is relatively inexpensive. Plus, your kit can look rather impressive and important to a young child. It's money, after all!
Start with a fancy album to hold the common coins. There are some very nice binders for protecting and sorting coins available on the market. Make sure that the album you choose is either one for displaying modern coins easily found by a child or one where the child can indicate the types of coins on his or her own.
Include a package of plastic coin holders in your gift set, as individual coin holders are cool things for kids to play with. There are plain types and more fancy ones, so if the price difference is negligible, go for that little extra.
Provide the basic tools as well. Coin collecting is a serious business, and you should add a pair of latex gloves for handling, a soft cloth to place coins on, a good magnifying glass, and a plastic ruler to your startup kit.
From the start, relay the importance of not washing coins to prevent damage. Kids are usually thrilled by dirt and knowing exactly why dirty coins are a good thing will have them puffing up with pride and telling everyone their new knowledge.
Another way to add interest to the hobby is to add a coin collecting book. With a coin collecting book, children will get extra information about the hobby that they can read and understand.
Find a book that has a variety of hints and tips to keep kids interested in new ways to collect coins. Look for books on the market that are written in easy-to-understand terms for kids who want to begin a coin collecting hobby.
Do toss in a coin collecting price guide in your gift, though. We're talking money, after all, and even money has a value and price. Kids will rave about that special coin worth a lot and a coin collecting price guide can be an extra motivator to encourage the hobby.
Last, but not least, start the collection for your child. A child will have round eyes to see that in the album you present are a few old rare coins or a couple of old Roman coins. You can find one of these on eBay or at an antique dealer.
Some world coins are a good alternative, though, and having a handful of low-value coins from other countries (again, check out eBay or have friends worldwide mail you some) can be a fun way to encourage coin collecting.
What if the child doesn't like the gift? Don't be disappointed. Kids are like that, with fussy tastes, and they run from one interest to another quickly in their youth.
The coin collection set you've carefully put together may not thrill, but eventually, the child will pull out that gift and the interest will spark at that point.
Mike Selvon has a passion for coin collecting, and his portal has the best information on coin collecting. Visit his portal for your free gift and leave a comment at his coin collecting blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon
What Is An Un-circulated Coin?
You may have heard the terms proof coin and un-circulated coin, but what's the difference between these two? To understand the difference between a proof and un-circulated coin, let's first answer the question, "What is an un-circulated coin?"
Un-circulated means a coin has not had any wear, such as the wear a coin might experience when it is used in commerce. Handling a coin, as well as improperly storing a coin, can result in wear on the surface of the coin. This wear, even if very minor, will cause a coin to no longer grade un-circulated.
When coins are minted they often bump into each other and receive small nicks and abrasion marks during the production process. These marks also occur as coins are transported in large canvas bags. These marks, sometimes called "bag marks", are more noticeable on larger coins, such as half dollars and dollars. Typical "bag marks" do not keep a coin from grading un-circulated. However, they can be an indicator of how high of a grade the un-circulated coin might receive.
Current accepted grading standards provide for a range of un-circulated grades, from the grade of MS-60 to MS-70. MS60 would be a lower grade (yet still) un-circulated coin with normal bag marks for that type of coin. Anything below MS-60 would not be considered un-circulated. MS70 would be the perfect "ideal" coin. Some coins are rare in grades MS65 to MS70, and even unheard of in MS70 grade. (The attribute "MS" stands for "mint state".)
A newly minted proof coin is also un-circulated, however it is the way it is made that causes a difference in appearance and qualifies it as a "proof". To understand this, let's look at how coins are made. Coins are produced when two dies strike a blank piece of metal with tremendous force. One die is engraved with the front (obverse) design for the coin. The other die has the back (reverse) coin design on it.
A proof coin is made with a specially polished and treated die! By treating the die in a special way, the coins it produces have a different appearance. Modern technology allows the high points on the coin design to be acid treated (on the die). The background (field) design of the coin die is polished, resulting in a mirror-like look on the coin it strikes. This gives the finished coin a frosted look (frosting) on the raise parts of the design, with a mirror like finish on the background. This contrasting finish is often called "cameo". On some older coins a cameo appearance is quite rare. The attribute "CAM", when added to a coin's description, means cameo appearance. "DCAM" means deep cameo, and indicates the cameo appearance is strong and easy to observe.
About The Author
Lana Hampton makes it easy to find the coin collecting information you want. Visit http://www.yowscoins.com today for the latest coin collecting information.
How To Create Your Own Coin Collecting Kit
You can't say that collecting coins is only about coin-keeping. Numismatists or people enthusiastic about coins will tell you that it is much more -- a rather methodical and to some extent a complex hobby. You should follow some specific guidelines to make sure that you carry on this hobby with a disciplined approach while having fun and making money at the same time.
Below is the list of some necessary things that should be a part and parcel of your coin collecting activity.
1. Using guide books on coins
Both beginners and professional collectors of coins should use guide-books on coins.
Coin guides give tips on how to start, as well as special instructions on how to proceed with the hobby of coin collecting.
These books not only give start-up tips but also provide information regarding the procedure to walk the road of this hobby of coin-collection.
As coins differ in respect of their price, grade etc., these books also come handy by giving necessary information related to the same.
Reading these guide-books is strongly suggested before starting the hobby of coin-collection as it would be a safeguard against taking wrong decisions due to non-availability of proper information.
2. Record of the stock of coins
Proper stock-records for all the items that you have collected must be kept. Facts such as grade, year, cost, face value, remarks and trend should always be obtainable in case they are needed.
Stock records aid a lot in proper organization of the collection of coins. If any collector gives a brief look to these records, it can help by showing which coins have become useless or are required no more.
For keeping a record of information related to coins, numismatists have some alternatives as regards the method to be followed. They may utilize either the long established procedure of using paper and pen or use the software specifically prepared for coin-collection.
3. Coin Box
Coins should be kept in properly protected holders and boxes so that they don't get damaged.
Some chemical reactions often occur between the metals of which the coins are made and sulphur or PVC. So paper (in which sulphur is present) or plastic (consisting of PVC) shouldn't be used for coin-storage on a long-term basis.
4. Gel of Silica
For preserving the coins properly, packets of silica gel should be used as it helps to maintain correct temperature and low level of humidity in the atmosphere.
5. Glasses that magnify
To rank the coins, magnifying glasses offer a big helping hand. Though 7x magnification is the most recommended one by numismatists, but even magnification in the range of 4x to 10x will complete the job pretty well.
For examining the degree of excellence and the genuineness of coins, a magnifying glass is of great help. Defects which can't be seen by the naked eye like scratches or even hairlines can be brought to notice by magnifying glass. This is a good thing as such defects affect the coin-value in a negative way.
6. Light Source
A source of light should be kept at a distance of half a meter from the workstation. A 75-watt lamp that's incandescent or a halogen lamp is suggested for this purpose.
7. Tools for handling
The quality of the coins gets diminished by the marks of finger. So, coin-collectors who are serious about their hobby use gloves meant for surgical purposes and pads made of velvet for coin-handling.
Finally, the preliminary kit of coin-handling is ready. So, have a great time following your hobby!
Below is the list of some necessary things that should be a part and parcel of your coin collecting activity.
1. Using guide books on coins
Both beginners and professional collectors of coins should use guide-books on coins.
Coin guides give tips on how to start, as well as special instructions on how to proceed with the hobby of coin collecting.
These books not only give start-up tips but also provide information regarding the procedure to walk the road of this hobby of coin-collection.
As coins differ in respect of their price, grade etc., these books also come handy by giving necessary information related to the same.
Reading these guide-books is strongly suggested before starting the hobby of coin-collection as it would be a safeguard against taking wrong decisions due to non-availability of proper information.
2. Record of the stock of coins
Proper stock-records for all the items that you have collected must be kept. Facts such as grade, year, cost, face value, remarks and trend should always be obtainable in case they are needed.
Stock records aid a lot in proper organization of the collection of coins. If any collector gives a brief look to these records, it can help by showing which coins have become useless or are required no more.
For keeping a record of information related to coins, numismatists have some alternatives as regards the method to be followed. They may utilize either the long established procedure of using paper and pen or use the software specifically prepared for coin-collection.
3. Coin Box
Coins should be kept in properly protected holders and boxes so that they don't get damaged.
Some chemical reactions often occur between the metals of which the coins are made and sulphur or PVC. So paper (in which sulphur is present) or plastic (consisting of PVC) shouldn't be used for coin-storage on a long-term basis.
4. Gel of Silica
For preserving the coins properly, packets of silica gel should be used as it helps to maintain correct temperature and low level of humidity in the atmosphere.
5. Glasses that magnify
To rank the coins, magnifying glasses offer a big helping hand. Though 7x magnification is the most recommended one by numismatists, but even magnification in the range of 4x to 10x will complete the job pretty well.
For examining the degree of excellence and the genuineness of coins, a magnifying glass is of great help. Defects which can't be seen by the naked eye like scratches or even hairlines can be brought to notice by magnifying glass. This is a good thing as such defects affect the coin-value in a negative way.
6. Light Source
A source of light should be kept at a distance of half a meter from the workstation. A 75-watt lamp that's incandescent or a halogen lamp is suggested for this purpose.
7. Tools for handling
The quality of the coins gets diminished by the marks of finger. So, coin-collectors who are serious about their hobby use gloves meant for surgical purposes and pads made of velvet for coin-handling.
Finally, the preliminary kit of coin-handling is ready. So, have a great time following your hobby!
About The Author
Mohammed Shomam is involved with an online coin collecting project that informs and educates the coin collecting enthusiast through well-written articles. Discover how to make the most out of your valuable coin collecting hobby! http://www.coincollectingtips.com.
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