A Few Noob Questions please!

to the Community!

Since you have asked a handful of questions, I have moved you welcome post to the main forum to attract a larger audience.

I think it is just wonderful that you are helping your nephew with coin collecting!

I think the books you got him are a great start. I think I would add the Cherrypickers Guides and/or Strike it Rich with Pocket Change. I got them from my husband for Christmas and it is great fun to look through the change to find error and variety coins. Aside from the cost of the books and a 10X loupe, it's pretty much free and you can find a lot of neat (although not always valuable) stuff.

I don't know about the Mint being overpriced, but it is nice to go to a dealer or a show and look over the proof sets-- they are not all created equal.

As far as essential coins...well I don't think there are any, but I'm still crazy about my first Morgan and my Buffalo nickels that I got over forty years ago.

Yes. There are certain types of coins that are more frequently forged than others. China is the primary source for modern mass-produced counterfeits these days. Pictures of the Chinese counterfeiting ring can be easily found on the web, they've been reposted multiple times; you can see them in this old thread from 2009.

For really, really old coins (i.e. ancient Greek, Roman, etc) Eastern Europe is the primary source of counterfeits.



Let me ask a similar question: What eye colour would you consider "essential" for every human? The answer is the same: in this case, there isn't really such a thing as "essential" which everyone has to have; everyone is different. For coins, it all depends on what coins you want to collect.

For example, I collect world coins; I would consider a coin from Mauritania to be "essential" to a collection of "one coin from every country". However, the majority of coin collectors in any given country aren't interested in foreign coins, so would consider coins from Mauritania to be an irrelevant nuisance.



I've never bought anything direct from the US Mint. But since I'm not in America and American coins are only slightly interesting to me, that shouldn't surprise you.

I'm in Australia, but I've rarely bought coins directly from the Australian mints, either. Australian coins (and modern, freshly-minted, made-for-collector coins generally) simply don't interest me too much.

I never, ever buy anything from ebay or any other similar auction type place. I suggest you find out if there are any coin shows or coin clubs in your area. Buying almost anything from someone you can't see, don't know, not sure of, is like playing the lottery.
As to what coin(s) are essential to start someone with is probably something that is easy to find, buy, collect. For example Jefferson nickels and/or Lincoln Cents. Always a bit of fun attempting to fill an Album with those. Albums, not Folders.
As to buying from the Mint. I purchase many Proof and Uncirculated sets from them every year for Christmas Presents. I've found over the years that regardless of age, boy or girl, likes and/or dislikes, never heard a complaint about getting those. Each person om my list gets one of each and a new Red Book. Saves me a lot of trying to figure out what anyone wants.

1.Yes I worry, have only had to return a couple of items over the years, due to condition not as stated or pictured rather than fake.
2. Whatever hits your fancy, it is YOUR collection after all, I collect 2¢ pieces and Morgan dollars as well as Type coins all US myself.
3. Rarely if ever, I can usually find anything I need after the mint releases it a bit cheaper. I did try to get the last 5 coin American Silver Eagle set as I knew I could make money just by getting and selling it right away, of course I couldn't get through, but both friends I told about it, got 5 sets (grrr).