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 Replies: 13 / Views: 1,720 |
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Valued Member
Pakistan
207 Posts |
I'm sorry for such a vague subject line, and if this is in the wrong subform, hopefully, it can be moved...I'm still learning my way around here.
Some background: I collect coins from different countries. Most of my coins (except the ones that I collected before that country switched to the euro) are ones that are currently in circulation, so would probably not be worth more than face value. The oldest I have is probably from the 40s.
I am currently residing in a country (guess which :P) that doesn't really have any notable interest in my hobby (at least none that I am finding accessible anywhere), so there are no dedicated products available for purchase here for coin collecting, and I don't trust the postal service here enough to order anything major online.
Q1) The most convenient way I've found to get images of the coins in my collection is to place them in my flatbed scanner and scan them. I can't put all of them at once, obviously, but I do them in groups. Whenever I get a new coin, I rescan the whole group. Constant exposure to scanning light (maybe once every couple of weeks) won't damage my coins or something, will it?
Q2) Currently I store my coins in an old metallic (After-Eights) box. Inside that, the ones I especially like I store in a cloth pouch. I realise that this is probably not the best method of storage. As I said, I don't think I would be able to buy dedicated coin collecting equipment here, so I was wondering what I could use as a replacement.
Q3) There aren't really any places here to scout around and purchase coins, but there are a couple of small gift shops and such which sell little packets with some of the local coins. The shopkeeper SAYS they are original coins, but how would I know? Is it different for each country's coins? Is there a way to find out about authenticity of coins in general?
Q4) This website is great, and has some awesome resources and stuff, but it is all spread all over the place, in different sub-forums and different threads. There some place where this stuff is collected and organised? Or some link with this information? Stuff like what software is available for cataloguing my collection, or which coins from which country are significant (currently I am just using wikipedia articles like "Coins of the Pound Sterling" or "Coins of the United States Dollar", and reading that, and going through the reference links) and so on.
Thanks in advance, and apologies if I made any mistake in my post!
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
 to CCF Babar. Quote:
Q4) This website is great, and has some awesome resources and stuff, but it is all spread all over the place, in different sub-forums and different threads. Well just like each of your questions are separate each of the sub-forums are separate. I recommend you use the search box upper left of page and type in key words and you will find useful information. There are many helpful members here and they will be along soon to give their input. John1  |
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Valued Member
 Pakistan
207 Posts |
Thanks for the welcome, John!
I have used the search feature before, but the results are very mixed up. For example, when I was looking for some good cataloguing software through using Search on the "Supplies, Books, Reference, Software, etc", I got loads of topics with the link removed in the first page, or linking to other pages with links removed, or answering one sort of question but not another (I finally found that there is no good free software, although Exact Change is available for World Coins, but doesn't work on Linux).
It would be useful to have this information collected together, I guess! Some help on the other questions, though?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Answering in reverse since Q4. to me is sort of an irritation too. It is sort of helpful if you just want to see questions about one topic though. However, many times you see a Lincoln Cent question in the Main Forum. I too have posted in the wrong places in the past. And many Canadians post Canadian topics in the Modern coin Forums too. Yet there are Canadian only Forums. I think we have way to many forums here. Q1. I highly doubt a scanning light could effect your coins. However the constant moving them could do more damage than whatever your trying to accomplish. Q2. Storing any metalic coins in a matalic box could well do a lot of damage for long periods of time. The dissimilar metal toughing each other is something you should try to avoid. IF you could find someone here in the USA or know anyone that travels, you could have them get you a box of 2x2's. And coins in a cloth pouch also may not be good unless you know what that cloth is made of. Not sure but from our newspapers there is a lot of US people over there. Not sure if you want to try finding someone from the USA there and ask if they could get you some 2x2's. Q3. Not an easy question since many experts have been fooled by counterfeits. Not sure but over there might be ever worse for fakes to be passed around. And naturually the shop keeper would say they are all real. Would you expect him to say they are all fakes and I'm trying to rob you? Not likely. Q4. As I started with, just to many different forums. Some are seldom ever used too. And yet with more and more individuals from all over the World, we may end up with separate forums for each country. Edited by just carl
04/24/2012 09:30 am
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Valued Member
Pakistan
207 Posts |
Thanks for the welcome too, Carl! People here really seem very friendly- I think I've been welcomed three times now :D
Thanks for the extra info as well! I know enough people who are come from the UK and US regularly enough, and I have my own trips as well, so I might look for something.
I read up on 2x2s, it seems they are made specifically sized for different coins? Wouldn't they be impractical for a world collection with hugely varying sizes? Or there are sets for different country coins? It would be difficult to communicate what and how much of each exactly I'd want to someone coming over from abroad.
I'll visit a stationery shop tomorrow, maybe a slightly modified photo album would work, or something similar to that.
Thanks again!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
to CCF! I agree with John1 use the search box. Quote:
which coins from which country are significant I dont think you have any idea how BIG a question that is!! Hang out here and ask questions you will catch on.... Cheers! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1195 Posts |
Just get yourself an assortment of each size available and they each ought to be close enough to the ones you have.
I dont think having a 2x2 too big for the coin will cause very many problems.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
They do come in a large variety of sizes. AND not all are 2x2 either. There are the 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" size used by many dealers since they take up less room. And then for really large coins, there are also the 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" ones. The best thing since your so far away would be to find someone to get you a large assortment of all sizes. Remember you can always put a small coin in a large flip, but can't put a large coin in a small flip.  I wonder just how many different countries we have right here on this forum.  Edited by just carl
04/24/2012 10:57 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
731 Posts |
There is a coin & stamp dealer from Multan, Pakistan on ebay, Userid: akhtarkk. you may be able to contact him for assistance in obtaining supplies. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
, Babar! Quote:
Q1) The most convenient way I've found to get images of the coins in my collection is to place them in my flatbed scanner and scan them. I can't put all of them at once, obviously, but I do them in groups. Whenever I get a new coin, I rescan the whole group. Constant exposure to scanning light (maybe once every couple of weeks) won't damage my coins or something, will it? It might, but it's unnecessary. Instead of rescanning, take your current multi-coin scans and http://www.irfanview.com and crop out individual coins, then make a numbering system. As you scan new coins, add them where they belong. Quote:
Q2) Currently I store my coins in an old metallic (After-Eights) box. Inside that, the ones I especially like I store in a cloth pouch. I realise that this is probably not the best method of storage. As I said, I don't think I would be able to buy dedicated coin collecting equipment here, so I was wondering what I could use as a replacement. Is after 8 cigars? I'd worry about residue/odors of prior contents. Get your counts up, I'm sure there are folks here that will sell cheap/give used supplies designed for coins. 2x2 and 20-pocket sheets or 9" boxes are easiest. Quote:
Q3) There aren't really any places here to scout around and purchase coins, but there are a couple of small gift shops and such which sell little packets with some of the local coins. The shopkeeper SAYS they are original coins, but how would I know? Is it different for each country's coins? Is there a way to find out about authenticity of coins in general? You just have to learn. Remember, no one is going to sell ridiculous bargains--they can access the Interwebs, too. Quote:
Q4) This website is great, and has some awesome resources and stuff, but it is all spread all over the place, in different sub-forums and different threads. There some place where this stuff is collected and organised? Or some link with this information? Stuff like what software is available for cataloguing my collection, or which coins from which country are significant (currently I am just using wikipedia articles like "Coins of the Pound Sterling" or "Coins of the United States Dollar", and reading that, and going through the reference links) and so on. There are specialized collection areas with more precise organization. Tell us what you're working on, and I'm sure you'll get pointers. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
Quote:
I read up on 2x2s, it seems they are made specifically sized for different coins? Wouldn't they be impractical for a world collection with hugely varying sizes? On the contrary, they're the most practical. You don't have to have an exact size holder for every coin, you'd drive yourself crazy, even without square, scalloped and other shapes. When we did shows, anything quarter size or smaller went in the quarter size (even pinhead sized pieces of gold), the rest in half, dollar, and rarely, crown 2.5x2.5" size. Try to get a flat-clinch stapler (Max is great) or flatten the points with pliers. By folding at noon and stapling at 3-6-9 (and 12 on halves and up), there's enuf tension on the Mylar to hold the coin dead center in the window. Slide it into a page for display or a box for storage, and you're set. Edited by biggfredd
04/25/2012 02:12 am
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
Quote:
maybe a slightly modified photo album would work Watch "magnetic" photo albums, which use wax to hold photos in place (and shouldn't be used for photos, either). 2x2 = 35mm, just like slides. Foto stores may have storage for slides cheap, now that there's digital pix. |
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Valued Member
Pakistan
207 Posts |
Thanks for all the info, everyone. This has been really helpful! As biggfred suggested, next chance I get, I'll order or ask someone to bring over some of those 2x2s in a quarter and half-dollar (or possibly larger size, I've got a couple of coins bigger than that). I checked up the akhtarkk guy, and a few other Pakistan-based sellers (they all seem to combine stamp and coin collecting), but they only have coins, not coin collecting supplies :(. In other news, I visited a branch of the State Bank of Pakistan today (I figured they'd be the least likely to cheat me  ), and for the equivalent of about 30p, I got these two commemorative coins:  Unfortunately, even though they were one of the major offices, they didn't seem to be well stocked, as they only had these two coins available (even though Pakistan has issued several commemorative coins in the last few years), and in fact, this was the last China coin they had! |
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Pillar of the Community
Thailand
1509 Posts |
Hi Babar and welcome.
I too live in a country (Thailand)that is not as big on 'collecting' as some other countries and I sympathise with your situation.
Supplies (unless you live in Bangkok here) are difficult to come by. I only visit the city once or twice a year and I'm usually too busy with other things to track down any good 'coin' shops. I've even been to the Ministry of Finance offices there to go to their shop but they are always closed(one time for renovations a couple of other times for public holidays - and they do have a lot of holidays here!).
At least we have this wonderful community here for sharing information and the chance to keep in touch with other collectors.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 1,720 |
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Posted 04/24/2012 07:41 am
