The Basics of Coin Collecting

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.

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

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.



Coin Collecting News

  • Coin collecting, then and now
    Since the beginning of time, there needed to be a form of exchange. In early history, before the advent of coinage, other commodities were used. When the first coins were struck, collecting began. I can't imagine having only a few types of coins to collect.

  • Coin show continues to draw wide variety of collectors
    PERRY -- To those who think that coin collecting is a quaint hobby of yesteryear, this weekend’s Middle Georgia Coin and Currency Show at the Georgia National Fairgrounds told a different story. Between 5,000 and 7,000 attended the 50th edition of the show, some to see what was available for purchase and some to see what the value was for the coins they brought in to be evaluated.

  • What Is Legal Tender?
    The topic of legal tender is one of the most misunderstood parts of coin collecting. By definition, legal tenser is money that can be used to: “Pay debts, both private and public.” Please note “can” rather than “must.”

  • Go gold, collector says
    Local Keith Knight believes the day could come when our paper money is worthless. For that reason and more, Knight is a huge proponent of buying gold. Knight has collected gold coins for 40 years and now owns hundreds, which he keeps in a bank vault....

  • Addicted to Collecting: From Malcolm Forbes to Me
    This article appeared in Forbes on January 30, 2012. Last week Sotheby's auctioned off 13 French military paintings from the once legendary Forbes collection. It represents the end of an era.

  • My silver coins mint me money
    AS a teacher, my students often ask me questions when outside the classroom.

  • Rare penny sells for $1 million in Orlando
    ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A rare U.S. penny from 1793 was sold for $1 million at an auction during the Florida United Numismatists convention in Orlando, officials said.

  • In the alleys, a bottle-fed economy blooms
    It's a familiar sound: the jangle of a shopping cart filled with empties being pushed down a bumpy back alley. In many parts of the city, bottle pickers are so commonplace that people aren’t surprised if what they leave outside their blue bins is gone within minutes.

  • Rare penny sells for $1 million at Orlando coin show
    Talk about a lucky penny. It was actually worth $1 million. That was the final bid by an unknown buyer for the one-cent copper coin minted in 1793, the first year the United States produced its own coins. Its sale was one of the biggest deals at the coin show and annual convention of the Florida United Numismatics at the Orange County Convention Center. With nearly 600 dealers of coins and ...

  • $14.3 million Hot Lotto prize claim withdrawn
    Maybe it was someone who had a scheme for winning Hot Lotto who would rather walk away this time and try again later rather than expose themselves, their scheme and risk not getting the jackpot too.