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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,130 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
717 Posts |
About 6 months ago, I took on the job to evaluate my father-in-laws coin collection/hoard. It was mainly just him throwing collectible coins found in change into a jar over the course of decades, it became quite a lot.
So, I sorted, looked up values, guessed at grades, and turned those jars of coins into a coin collection, and a more organized hoard.
That led to me starting my own coin collection, and to my current question. When sorting through coins, as a beginner, is there a good method to organize searching for errors? I feel like I have learned so much over the last months, that I probably would have picked the coins differently if I had to do it again. (ie not understanding an AU with a big gouge isn't better than a problem free EF) Sorry for the long explanation, here is the question.
I am currently sorting through a batch of memorial and shield cents to start a circulated set. How should I organize the search so that I can also look for errors at the same time? Make a list of errors, sort all the coins by date and MM, then search for errors in that year?
How do you guys do it? I don't have all the errors in my head, so seeing the date won't trigger me to look for x error.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
Okay... Heres what I used to do before I memorized the "big" errors. I brought my Red Book out and set it down. I flipped to the LMC section, wich lists the major errors. I sorted them by variety to look for, such as 2000 P LMC's ( Wide AM) with other coins that could be Wide AM, like the 1996. Then, after sorthing them I looked at the area in question and dissmised the coins as I went along. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
717 Posts |
Your Red Book isn't always out? JUst kidding, thanks for the tip, I actually have it on the table I use for searching, but always looked on the internet for info. DUH! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4809 Posts |
It's a good question. In my case, I went through a small hoard of LMCs that I had stuffed into an old Dinkel Acker mini keg. I did sort by date for a few dates (e.g. 1998, 1999, 2000 when looking for WAMs) but for the most part, I just created a list from Coppercoins on a few varieties I was interested in. In the end, I probably ran through those coins 3 times (thousands of coins) finding new things each time. In many ways, I wish I still had that hoard; my list has grown in large part to finds from other CCF enthusiasts posted for comment). At this point, I CRH straight; no sorting. I know that for some dates (1981, 1977 for instance) that all I'll look at them for are gross errors (no varieties). For other dates, error and/or varieties. After thousands of coins, dates/mm become second nature; you just know what to look for. However, if you're looking to make a discovery, then you need to look at every cent the same way.
So...learn the error types and varieties. Apply them to the date/mm as indicated by various sites (coppercoins, doubleddies, etc.) or search by key indicators. You need to study up on types of doubling (Class I, II,....)and what to look for (doubling toward the rim, rotational, etc.). This will help you to identify and tag a find.
Good luck on the project!!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3463 Posts |
There is more to find than just errors. You should familiarize yourself with the key dates to looks for & learn about why errors occur, that way you can identify new errors and it even makes it easier to spot the ones that are already listed.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5964 Posts |
There are key dates, varieties, and errors. Make a list by date. Check each coin and cross-reference with your list.
Update your list as you learn of more. You can buy rolls at one bank and after searching them, turn them in for cash at another bank. Until you are fairly proficient, I would not recommend going to the second bank. I think you enjoy it already, I know I do.
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Valued Member
United States
193 Posts |
Don, as a relatively new collector myself, I've spent a few hours every day examining several coins with a loupe and strong light. I don't have that many - well, I have hundreds, but, from different countries, so, I've done a lot of Googling and researching in coin books and on this site!
With Lincolns, in particular, the more I learn, when I go back and look at coins, I see things I would have never noticed before. I'll be like "Wait, is that a lamination?"
I, personally, have a blast examining the coins and learning more every day!
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
gymcoachdon, You said your looking for errors but it sounds like you are keeping varieties. Step one:Research what an error is vs a variety. John1  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
717 Posts |
Touche. The title should read searching for varieties
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,130 |
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Posted 07/12/2015 9:28 pm
