Jonesh,
Sounds like you are thinking about keeping that beauty find. Do it!
If you want to get into collecting; pick up a
Red Book. you can also browse online:
https://whitman.com/redbook Also, there a re a bunch of other books specific to the types of coins you want to collect. The humans here can recommend them
At antique stores, you are going to see most stuff raw (not in a slab). If it is slabbed, check who graded the coin and buy from one of the big three (PGCS, ANACS, NGC). They have serial numbers and can be verified on their sites.
Bottom line, read lots, both here and in books. Find someone who will take you under their wing (coin club in your area? reputable dealer? a friend?). Keep a level headed approach (try and shy away from impulse buys, and research the poop out of stuff) and you will not be burned.
Good to see you have caught the bug!
-Jay