How Impt Is It To Be Member Of Ana?

Welcome to the forum...

Those are some giant questions. I think everyone that posts will have a different answer. This hobby is immense and has many different directions that while under the umbrella of "numismatics", they couldn't be further from one another.

So many different styles of collecting and enjoying the hobby that it is almost impossible to answer with any statement that could even begin to blanket the hobby as a whole.

Interests among enthusiasts include; circulation, errors, bullion, historic, by series, by Country, by date, by denomination, souvenirs of travels, business strikes, proof only....you get the point.

The nitty gritty of your question about grading however falls into fundamentally overlapping concerns among hobbyists. Such aspects as educating ourselves to not be taken advantage of in the market place, or for preservation and investment evaluations can quickly become large concerns. Value is relative to the market. A Coin, a vintage car, or a potato are all worth exactly what someone will pay for them. It is the perception of value and interest that drives the market. This unfortunately also drives the darker avenues of fraud and misrepresentation so self education and preparation is never to be overlooked. Taking the time to learn proper grading can never be underestimated in this hobby. Many collectors spend years developing the experience needed to successfully grade with firm accuracy and confidence. Grading can look daunting in the beginning but it comes with time and exposure to the material.

As for the ANA, I personally joined because I like the academics. Pleasure reading and just basically personal interest in coins drives a person to seek out as many avenues as possible to help further enjoy the hobby. No you do not have to be a dealer to enjoy the ANA. Some like it, some get nothing from it. All depends on your interests.

Sorry if I rambled on so deep, but good to have you here on the forum and you already have the right approach. Lots and lots of questions. Tons of great reading here. Welcome aboard.

-RFB

I agree with the other posts here. I suggest you try all you can to learn more about coins then slowly start buying what you like. Many new collectors make big mistakes by buying coins without knowing how to grade them or how to spot a counterfeit. If you're scared of getting ripped off or scammed, keep researching and read all you can on this forum and other websites in order for you to be comfortable when buying. Buy what you like and remember to always study before buying.

In order to learn about grading, I would suggesst looking at different coins in hand that are different grades; this is the best way to learn. Focus on one series at a time!

The ANA is the only national organization that represents hobbyist collectors and dealers(dealers also have PNG and ICTA). Their mission is education and promoting awareness of numismatics. The ANA sponsors several major coin shows during the year in conjunction with educational exhibits at those shows, assists Boy Scout/Girl Scout troops earning merit badges, offers classroom and correspondence education, the establishment of a consumer awareness program, an online database of ANA affiliated clubs and member dealers in addition to many direct member benefits.

Some of the member benefits are access to The Numismatist(monthly publication that includes great articles and research), submission privileges to the NGC corporate family, numismatic library lending program, group rate collection insurance, Krause Publications discounts, and a free digital subscription to Coin World.

and always glad to see new members.
I don''t belong to ANA or any coin clubs. As with most of the population on Earth, I'm just a collector. Joining clubs, organizations, etc may or may not be what you want or need but are usually informative and educational. Being new to this or any hobby could actually make this hobby appear to be to complicated if you try to learn to much to soon, join to many clubs or organizations and eventually make you loose interest. Also, pending on your monitary situation, to much to soon could become more expensive than the actual product and again make you loose interest.
As to your questions you should probably look into purchasing some books on coins such as the Red Book by Whitman Publishing for general infomation. With such a book you could see the variable types of coins, their estimated values, the amoung produced and possibly available, how to grade them, etc. One such book, as a starter, could make your education on what to and what not to collect one stage better.
If you find there are any coin shows in your area, go to them and just look around. Same with any coin or hobby stores that carry coins. For the first times attempt to not buy but just look and ask questions.
If you find a coin your interested in just ask here too for information.