Showing posts with label coins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coins. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Common collection themes

A few themes are common and are often combined into a goal for a collection.

Country collections

Many collectors attempt to obtain a sample from every country which has issued a coin. In contrast to those who collect coins from all countries, many collect coins from only one country. The country selected is often their own.


Year collections

Rather than collecting one example of a type, some collectors prefer to collect by year. For example, they might collect one Lincoln cent for every year from 1909 to the present. This is probably one of the most practical ways to collect US currency. Most bookstores sell specially designed books, or coin albums, for the purpose of collecting coins by year.

Mintmark collections

Many collectors consider that different mint marks give sufficient differentiation to justify separate representation in their collection. This increases the number of examples needed to complete a collection from one per year to several per year. Some mintmarks are more rare than others. This is a great way to collect coins and to have a great time doing it.

Variety collections

As mints issues many thousands or millions of any given coin, there are generally multiple sets of dies used. Occasionally these dies will be slightly different. Generally this is in a very small detail, such as the number of leaves on the ear of corn on the recent US Wisconsin state quarter. Varieties are more common on older coins, when the coin dies were hand carved.

Type collections

Often a collection consists of an example of major design variants for a period of time in one country.


Subject collections

Collectors with an interest in a subject (e.g. ships or dogs) may collect only coins depicting that interest.

Composition collections

For some, the composition of the coin itself is interesting. For example there are several collectors of only bimetallic coins. Normally only precious metals like gold, silver, copper and platinum fit this category.

Period collections

Many collectors restrict themselves to coins issued after the 18th or 19th century, while others collect ancient and medieval coins. Coins of Roman, Byzantine, Greek, Indian, Celtic, Parthian, Merovingian, Ostrogothic, and ancient Israelite origin are amongst the more popular ancient coins collected. This theme also includes Mughal period, British Period, Republic Indian Peroid and coins issued during kingdom of various kings in India like Cholas, Maurayas, Guptas, Vijaynagars kingdoms. Specialties tend to vary greatly, but some approaches include the collection of coins minted during a particular emperor's reign or a representative coin from each emperor. Some collectors also like to collect all coins issued during the administration of a particular individual like RBI governor, finance secretory, prime minister, treasurer. For example, in India RBI governor issued new paper money with many added features while existing one also circulates. Coins are often a reflection of the events of the time in which they are produced, so coins issued during historically important periods are especially interesting to collectors and falls in this category.

Signature collections

Collectors with an interest in acquiring signatures of Finance Secretory (in India), RBI governor (in India), Chairman of Board of Commissioners of Currency (in Singapore), Gabenor (in Malaysia), treasurer (in United States and other countries) on the paper money (e.g. presently RBI governor Dr. D. Subbarao signs on all Indian Paper Money (except on Re.1), pastly Finance Secretory signs on Re. 1 Paper Money)

Series collections

Often a collection consists of an example of number series for a period of time in one country. This will be encouraged as the number would be lucky for collector or represents some mythological Symbols (e.g.786 for Muslim religion, they store that currency bearing 786 on them though they may not fall in any of the below mentioned category of "Types of Collector"). Some also interested in collecting paper money bearing a numerical series, an A.P., a G.P., an H.P., an number of identical numbers (90505050,99910299),others (1030507,987654,24680,1235813,1491625).

Printed Value collections

Often a collection consists of currency of a specific Printed Value. For example of 1 (includes 1 Indian Rupee, 1 American Dollor, 1 Singapore Dollor etc.)

Volume collections

Collectors with an interest in acquiring large volumes of a particular coins (e.g. as many pennies as they can store). These usually are not high-value coins, but the interest is in collecting a large volume of them either for the sake of the challenge, as a store of value, or in the hope that the intrinsic metal value will increase.


by : wikipedia.org

Get Started With Coin Collecting: A Fun & Educational Hobby

Coin collecting has grown to be a great hobby over the years for everyone regardless of their age. Many coin collectors started off their collection of coins when they were young and now have large numbers of them. In this article I will explain why coin collecting has become a good hobby and how you can get yourself started with it.

Why Is It So Popular
There are many reasons to collect coins. One of the reasons is because of the coins value; this could be the historical value, metal value or perceived value. Another reason people collect coins is because of the pleasure received from it. Collecting coins from any country and inspecting them can give people a sense of pleasure and some people pay thousands for a single coin that could complete their collection.


How To Get Started
Firstly you want to find someone who already has started their coin collection. If you can’t find anyone then join a group there are a lot out there (if this is still undoable then find a book or ebook). The reason for doing this is because you want to be able to learn some basics of coin collecting and with that basic knowledge you can learn how to find a good coin dealer to start of your coin collection.

Once you have some coins the next thing you want to do is investigate them. To do this you get a magnifying glass (a larger one) and look at your coin in a bright area. When examining the coin you are looking for things like errors, dates, markings and more. By examining the coin you will learn there value of it and you can consider selling it to a coin dealer or keeping it for your collection. Within time and training you will find it easier to investigate coins and sometimes without the magnifying glass.
Finally the last thing you need to do is get storage for your coins. This can come in the form of a folder where you can put a specific type of coins and if you have duplicates you can buy a tube to store them in or you can make a bit of money by selling them.

There you have it, three easy steps to start your own coin collection. Whether you are doing it for fun or profit coin collecting is a great thing to do and if you get into it you can buy magazines that will contain information and tips on coin collecting and you may find some useful.

By: James Pswarai

Monday, May 25, 2009

Coin Collecting: Attention Kids: Three Steps To Starting A Coin Collection…

(NC)-First of all, look around for coins - any coins - and put them in a safe place. A good spot to find the first coins for your collection is right in your pocket. You might find some of the 25-cent coins that the Royal Canadian Mint made for the Millennium. Or the special 50-cent coin commemorating the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Maybe your parents or grandparents have some loose change they could spare to help you start.

Here's another idea: Take your allowance to the bank and buy a roll of coins, then keep the ones you need for your collection. Or check out the newest and coolest coins at the Mint's website (www.mint.ca/en/RoyallyCool/FunFacts) and start your collection with some 'Royally Cool Money.'
Whatever you decide, make sure to keep your coins in a safe place - like in a small jar with a lid or ask your Mom or Dad to hold onto them for you. And always remember, some of the biggest and best coin collectors in Canada started with just a few pennies!

Next - find out what coins you have and make a list. The experts call this part "compilation." To make sense of your cents take out a sheet of paper - graph paper is best. On one side make a list of years. Start anywhere you want - 1900 or 1967 or maybe the year Grandpa or Grandma was born. It's up to you. Then check the dates on your coins and check off those years on the sheet of paper. This may not sound like heaps of fun, but you'd be surprised. You just might find a coin that's really old or has some special mark on it that makes it worth a lot more than you thought!
Once you've compiled, its time to classify and conserve your coins. This means putting the same kind of coins together - like, for example, coins from the same year. Conservation refers to taking care of your collection.
These three simple steps are your ticket to a wide new world of fascinating people and places. Think of it as your own personal Canadian treasure, rich with stories about the incredible history, spectacular geography and unique symbols that make Canada a special place in which to live.


- by : News Canada

Friday, May 22, 2009

Accessories for Coin Collection

When collecting coins, one thing to consider is how to arrange and take care of the coins. Coins that are collected may be antique, ancient, or limited editions coins. These coins come from many countries and are usually high in value. A collector must know how to keep and take care of them so that they will retain the same appearance and value.

One way to take care of coins is to purchase s selection of coin accessories. Not only are coin accessories used to make a coin collection presentable and organized; but the primary purpose of coin accessories is to take care and preserve the coins.

When buying coin accessories it is important to choose those accessories that will best satisfy the needs of the collector. Some factors that may be considered are durability, price and usefulness.

Many coin accessories can be found in collectible stores and even online. Here are some coin accessories that may be considered:

Coin Boxes

Coin boxes are the most common sought for coin accessories as they are very convenient to coin collectors and specialists. The compartments of the box provide for easy location of the coins. The compartments are also wide, which provides flexibility in placing the coins. The wide compartments also allow the collector to handle the coins the proper way.

Coin Albums

Coin albums are similar to any typical album with the difference being that the coin album is especially designed to hold coins. A coin album has a transparent layer that aids in the protection of the coins. The collector does not need to handle the coins one by one. All he has to do is turn the pages and the coins are all there protected from improper handling.

Coin Holders

Coin holders are best for those collectors who collect coins during their travels. They allow portability of the coin collection. In addition, the collector does not need to carry his entire collection. He can simply place a single coin in the coin holder. Coin holders provide safety for the coins and prevent a coin from the many elements that may depreciate its value.

Other coin accessories can be found in the market. Determine the primary purpose of the accessory and if it can satisfy your needs. Prices will differ depending on the durability of the accessory. Research the many coin accessories that are sold and compare prices before choosing one.

Starting a Coin Collection for Kids

The best time to mould a child (kid) is when he/she is still young. By getting the curious minds involved in something educational, there is a very good chance that they will become responsible adults.

Some parents can start by teaching how to cook or baking at a young age. If the child enjoys and does well with it, then perhaps in the future, this person could become a chef. Giving a child a hobby can also teach that child how to stay focused or to pay particular attention to a certain subject. A good example of this is starting a coin collection.

For most adults coins are just petty cash. They are used to buy a newspaper or used to pay for a ride on the subway etc. For children, coins are more than that. Some children save the coins placed in their piggy bank to make a special purchase or save them to use for their college tuition.

To start a coin collection the parent and child can start by opening the piggy bank and examining the coins together. Coins were manufactured during different years and each has its own history. By explaining the significance of each, the child’s interest will grow and this in turn will encourage growth of the coin collection.

Both the parent and child could get lucky if they should find that a coin has missing letters or numbers or a misprint is seen on the coin. Since such things don’t happen often, the value of the coin is much higher than the original face value.

Coins can that are to be part of a collection should be kept inside a small box separated from the coins used for savings. When this collection has grown larger, then it is time to buy a plastic folder in which to store the coins. There are two kinds or folders currently on the market: the first can hold the coins individually and the other is a sheet which can hold a number of coins per page.

By using folders the child and take the collection to school for “show and tell” and would improve the child’s self-confidence in achieving something on his own - without the help of the parents.

Coins can teach the child about saving for a special purchase or project and encourage the child to work hard to achieve that goal without always asking for money from mom or dad.

Coin collecting started in the early years will pay off later in life by teaching responsibility.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Coin Collecting as a Hobby

Most people engage in different activities that they consider hobbies. When people consider a particular activity as a hobby, it means that people find that activity pleasurable in that they enjoy collecting different kinds of coins.

In this context, it does not necessarily follow that the coin collector will focus more on the monetary value of the coins. When the focus of coin collecting delves more into the monetary value of the coins than the gratification the collector obtains, it is no longer deemed a hobby but an investment.

History tells us that the main reason other generations collected coins was the value that coins would someday attain. The ancient form of coin collecting was even labeled a hobby “fit for the kings” because ancient coins were so valuable that only the kings were capable of collecting them.

Today’s coin collection is no longer limited to the “kings” or the affluent. Anyone can now consider coin collecting as his or her hobby. The popularity of coin collecting continues to flourish as more and more people collect coins. That is why it is now known as the “King of Hobbies”.

Why Such Popularity

One of the many reasons coin collecting is considered by many as one of the most popular hobbies in the world is based on its ease of access.

When somebody wants to start coin collecting, he can start any time, anywhere. Some people start coin collecting with the coins that they have in their pockets. This phase of coin collecting is known as the “accumulator” stage, where collectors try to accumulate as many coins as they can often using their “pocket change”.

After the collector gets the “hang of” accumulating coins, the hobby becomes more expensive. This is because true hobbyists are willing to pay the price as long as a particular coin will enhance their collection and will beauty to their “masterpiece”. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Coin collecting as hobby is a pleasurable activity that any person can use to create a feeling of gratification..