| Author |
 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,484 |
|
|
New Member
Canada
2 Posts |
Hello, I was wondering how you would start collecting coins. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
|
|
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Can't believe I'm first on this one .  Well putting it nicely for a newbie , go to your bank and purchase a roll of each denomination . Then just look through them for old dates ,mints, or errors . Buy coin collecting books if you have to .Pick a coin that you really like and read up on it . Before you know it you'll be a dedicated coin collector .  Really had to hold the reins tight on my comments for this question .  |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
 A great way to start is ask friends, neighbors, relatives if they have any old coins laying around. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2233 Posts |
If you're interested in U.S. coins, the single most important purchase you will ever make is the Guide Book of United States coins, known as the Red Book. DO NOT buy any U.S. coins without consulting the RB first. A relatively recent edition book can be purchased for around $5-$10 and contains virtually everything you will ever need to know about U.S. coins. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2233 Posts |
Fun fact: The U.S. coin market actually dates back to the Civil War period, shortly after the abolition of the large cents. The 1799 large cent holds the contender of being the first coin recognized by U.S. coin collectors as a "key date".
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Canada
24885 Posts |
Discover the different sections of the Forum, take your time and then decide. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
987 Posts |
All of this is great advice. CCF has a wealth of info. Read through old threads and topics.
Edited by thisistheshow
10/03/2018 11:52 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
There are as many ways to collect as there are collectors, literally everyone's is different somehow. US, another country, all countries... modern, circulating, classic, medieval, ancient, silver, combination that reflect your personal interests... So dabble and research and just follow whatever tickles your fancy. Do more research than buying early on. When you feel ready to buy, start with lower value stuff so your rookie mistakes don't cause other pains. We've all made rookie mistakes. Most important, have fun!
Edited by Collects82
10/04/2018 12:24 am
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Collects82's: Now that is an unusual sort of a collection.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
999 Posts |
I would definitely recommend picking up a coin guide book - either Canadian, U.S., or world, depending on your interest. An easy way to start is by getting a few inexpensive coin albums and going to the bank to get rolls or looking through your change and putting in one of each year. As you start getting more serious, you can attend coin shows, local coin dealers or online to get older dates that no longer circulate.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
For a complete novice, I would echo that bank rolls are the way to go. The chances of making financial gain are minimal, but there is zero risk because you can just re-deposit or spend what you don't want. In the US, many of our denominations regularly include old (1950s or earlier) coins. I suspect that older nickels may periodically crop up in Canada, provided the government isn't too active in removing coins that aren't plated steel. I would pick one denomination, and see if you can build a date set, maybe back to 1952 when QEII took office. When you are comfortable with that, try branching out, either buying medium or low grade silvers from dealer's junk drawers as close to melt as you can. My biggest piece of advice is to dabble until you find what captivates you, but don't spread yourself or your budget too thin over projects you don't intent to finish! Nothing satisfies quite like a "complete" set!
I would avoid buying anything over $25 until you have built a level of confidence, but feel free to dabble in world coins or even ancient coins - US, UK, Canadian, and German coins are popular and suffer from price inflation as a result. Trust your gut and don't hesitate to ask for advice!
|
| |
Replies: 10 / Views: 1,484 |
|
Posted 10/03/2018 9:53 pm
