Coin Collecting is the hobby pertaining to collecting or trading of coins. Coin Collecting goes back as far as coinage itself. It originally started as the hoarding of coins in order to increase their value. Collecting coins for their artistic value came later on and was originally considered a hobby fit only for the rich (for obvious reasons).
There are many themes associated with coin collecting. Some collectors like to base collections off certain categories. For example, some might collect coins from different countries, some might look for specific years or periods, and others might look for specific mintmarks. There are many different categorizations that you could collect coins by.
Coin Value: The value of a coin can depend on a number of different factors. Two very important factors include the age and rarity of the coin. Often times a coin’s age can determine how rare it may be, but there are also a few other things that come into play. Many popular coins for collecting are coins that have been minted with errors are happened to of circulated for only a brief period of time. These types of coins are often much rarer because there are so few available to obtain. The most important factor in a coin’s value however is often it’s condition…
Coin Condition: A coins condition is determined by a number of different factors. The most important factor is the overall general wear of the coin. A coin’s condition can often be determined by a grading scale. One of the universally accepted grading scales is that of the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC). The following scale goes from 1 to 70 and includes both the numeric and adjectival grades:
MS 60-70 Uncirculated
AU 50, 53, 55, 58 About Uncirculated
XF 40, 45 Extremely Fine
VF 20, 25, 30, 35 Very Fine
F 12, 15 Fine
VG 8, 10 Very Good
G 4, 6 Good
AG 3 About Good
FA 2 Fair
PR 1 Poor
A coin is not always graded so easily, sometimes supplemental information is added to the description of the coin in order to describe its condition more fully.
Where to Obtain Coins: In order to start collecting coins (or continue collecting), it is important to first know where you can obtain coins. There are small coin dealers throughout the country, and a brick and mortar store can usually be found with a little effort. The internet has caused most coin collectors to turn to the web however, as the inventory is often very large and it allows the collector to compare a number of different stores easily.
