Coin Collecting 101

coinsCoin collecting is an industry that has grown to encompass billions of dollars in sales. The earliest hobby of coin collecting is capable of being traced as far back as 1300 AD, which is when an Italian scholar known by the name of Fracesco Petrarca began to save coins and realized that his hobby collecting coins was growing in value. Collecting coins differs from the concept of numismatics in that numismatics specifically focuses on the study of currency like coins, monetary objects and notes, while coin collecting focuses on collecting those types of money for fun as well as profit.

People who make hobbies out of collecting coins tend to specialize in different specific types of collections. This is often determined by their financial resources and whatever they can invest, as well as the ease of availability for the type of coins. Collections can vary significantly including coin collections that focus on specific countries, coin collections that focus on certain eras and so on.

  • Coin collections focusing on a certain country are the most common type of coin collection because accumulating coins from a single country is generally a lot easier and more straight forward.
  • Coin collections that focus on a certain era in history may include Russian Revolutionary coins, United States Colonial coins and so on.
  • There are other obscure types of coin collections including collecting exonumia or error coins that are created improperly as a result die errors, designs that are uneven and double strikes, as these coins are generally in a high amount of demand. Another specialized form of coin collection is to focus on coins that come from one specialized civilization such as Roman coins, Aryan coins, Celtic coins or coins from the Goth era.

People who are interested in collecting coins can find hundreds of different coin collecting groups and clubs around the United States and around the world. Here, people who are serious about coin collecting gather so that they can discuss trends in coin collecting as well as numismatics. In the United States, a good option worth checking out is the American Numismatic Association which has a constantly growing roster of collectors that are all over the country. This organization was founded in 1891 and highly encourages the research and the collection of a myriad of different types of coins and currencies.

The American Numismatic association brings out a magazine every month that is known as the Numismatist. This is a virtual treasure trove of information for any collector, regardless of whether they are new to the art of have been collecting for years. If you are interested in collecting coins, it would be wise to check out the publication offered by this group of coin collectors, as it is a great place to jump start your understanding of the subject.

Photo Credits: Roger Smith

Originally posted 2009-08-04 05:08:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  • maximinusJudging Your Collection Based on Coin Collecting Values If you are serious about collecting coins, then one of the things that you should be putting consideration into when collecting is coin collecting values. The thing about coin collecting values is that they let you know what price a particular coin is going for. In other words, if you......
  • proofcoinsCollecting Uncirculated Coins and Proof Coins The unique thing about coin collections is that there is a myriad of different ways to start a coin collection, and you can collect a wide variety of different coins or a small variety of very special coins depending on your interest. One of the options for coin collecting that......
  • coincollectingThe Cost of Coin Collecting Coin collecting is an interesting and unique form of collection in the sense that people spend money to acquire pieces of money that are rare and no longer created. The cost of coin collecting is obvious in the sense of actually having to take the time to purchase different coins.......
  • worldCollecting Coins of the World Start with your pocket change Start out by studying coins you pull from your pockets, or failing that, some old coins from your attic, on your floor, or out in public. As a novice coin collector, it makes no sense to spend a lot of your money on coins if......
  • mapleleafCollecting Maple Leaf Canadian Coins If you are looking for an intriguing coin collection, consider adding Maple Leaf Canadian coins to your collection. These Maple Leaf coins are the official Canadian bullion coins and they are created and distributed by the Royal Canadian Mint. They come in a number of different metal types including gold,......
Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites
  • papermoney2The Pros and Cons of Collecting US Currency There are multiple types of currency for individuals to choose from when thinking about their coin collection, including US currency. US currency provides a strong background for many who are looking to get into the world of collecting and are looking for a specific theme for their collection. There are......
  • moneycollectionThe World of Coin Collecting Values While there are some people who collect coins for fun, there are others who collect coins because of coin collecting values. While coin value is something that is important to understand for both serious collectors, casual collectors should take note. The information found about coins with value will help anyone......
  • francoamericanWhat you Need to Know about Coin Prices When people first enter into the world of coin collecting, they have many questions which need to be answered regarding coin prices. This is understandable since coin pricing is one of the main issues which coin collecting itself is centered around. Whether one is buying, selling, or just sitting on......
  • lfGet to Know the American Collectible Gold Coins Gold has always been a highly valuable commodity. It caused a rush in the west when it was discovered and has been valuable throughout time. This is why so many civilizations used it to create their currency. The gold coins which were created have been used throughout time either because......
  • oldcoins5 Tips for Collecting Old Coins Old coins are the hallmark of any serious coin collection, providing history, rarity, and intrigue to the collection. Every coin collector should be on the hunt for old coins, even if they are still new to the hobby. There are some tips that can help you to find old coins......
Online Stores

Email Updates

budget circulation coin auctions Coin Collecting coin collecting software coin collection coin collections coin collector coin collectors coin dealers coins coin shop coin shops coin value collecting coins collections commemorative coins counterfeits currencies currency currency collection double eagle face value Foreign Currency Gold Coins hobbies mint mint condition money numismatics obverse old money paper currency paper money paper money collection rare coin Rare Coins rarity saint gaudens selling coins silver coins silver dollar united states mint US Coins us mint