Starting Your Coin Collection

 Coin collecting is an engaging hobby for young and old alike, and a perfect activity for any member of the family. Here is some basic information to get you started on this fun, educational and rewarding pastime.

When starting a coin collection, your budget will largely determine how and where you begin. Few people start out by buying huge coin collections from someone else. Most collectors start collecting coins from every day life and then build up their collections through purchases and trades. For example...        ...You can ask friends and relatives to set aside any unwanted or interesting coins.
       ...You can search through the coins you already have. Everyday pocket change can contain treasures - special or rare coins or jusgt the next coin a a series. This is an excellent way to start a collection of specifically dated coins.

Storing Your Coins - A simple way to store your collection, as a beginner, is to get a few coin albums to keep them organized and safe. Your collection will probably include a wide range of coins at first, so look for albums that hold many denominations.

You don't need to spend a lot of money on fancy albums or elaborate cases at this point in the game. But be sure that your budding collector has some small coin envelopes or cardboard coin holders to protect those special coins from scratches and damage. Such supplies can be found at local coin and hobby shops, or online. Expect to pay between $2-5 for 100 cardboard holders or envelopes. One oither important item here... get a sturdy box to store your growing collection. An old shoe box will do just fine! And when you are not looking at yuor collection, store it in a safe, dry place.

Reference Books - Invest in a good reference book, you will use it. Such books as the US Coins RedBook, a guide to coin prices, can be found online, at reasonable prices. Guides for the coins of other countries are also available.

Many people who are new to collecting start by searching for the latest released coins, like the state quarters or the presedential dollars. These are popular and they sell albums specifically for them that can be found at many discount stores. They are easy and fun to collect. Another starting place is to collect coins from the year you were born and the years other members of your family were born. There is a wide range of albums, maps and other accessories that makes this coin collections fun for kids and grownups alike.

Another option is to choose a theme for your collection, such as the Civil War, pirates, flowers, animals, etc. Your collection can be as unique as you are. You can also work on several collections at a time. Aside from coin shows and putting your display together, coin collecting does not take up very much time. More than anything you will be sifting through any coins that come through your hands, but that is only a few minutes here and there.

AS you collection builds, you will need to figure out a budget that will help you dicide how much to set aside for your new found hobby. Include such costs as the coins, display cases, cleaning supplies, magnifying glass and mini lights, as well as fees to attend local coin shows.

Once you've got the hang of it and are ready to move onto bigger and better collections, think about joining a coin collector's club to find like-minded people who can inform you about coins and share their stories.

There are many facets to coin collecting, but getting started is just as easy as reaching into your pocket...

About the Author:  Scott Harker is the publisher of several websites including: Sherlock Holmes Pastiches, Harvest The Sun | Renewable Energy, To The Stars - Astronomy, E-book-catalog.com - Knowledge at Your Fingertips, and Pin-up Artists.

Publisher's Note:  Of course, you can always use Coin Collector's Dream as a starting place for coin collecting. Check out the menu on the left for your coin collecting needs - coins, tokens, supplies, paper money and more.

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