If you are new to the practice of American coin collecting, then there are a number of terms and types of coins that you are going to want to understand, otherwise they will seem confusing to you and may give you some trouble. The purpose of this post is to discuss a few common terms in the art of American coin collecting that you can apply to United States Mint coins such as the Silver Eagle coin, the Platinum Eagle coin, the Gold Eagle coin and the Gold Buffalo coin for example.
Mint – When a coin is described as being mint in American coin collecting, what that means is that the coin has been made to be a regular circulated coin, and yet it has just come from the mint and is not yet damaged or circulated. The Mint for the United States can sell these coins from their normal production batches.
Proof – If the coin is labeled as being proofed or if proof is mentioned in the description, then what that means is that the coin has been crafted using high pressure, giving it a shiny and mirrored finish. The images on coins like this in American coin collecting also tend to have more detail to them. These are not coins that are intended to be spent or circulated, but rather they are specifically intended for collecting.
W – If the coin is being described by its year but with a W at the end, this means that the coin has a mint mark on it that was used by the mint at the West Point branch in New York.
Uncirculated – What this term means, in American coin collecting, is that the coin has not been used or spent in any way. In other words, this term is used in order to describe a coin that is in the most perfect conditions, as if it were coming fresh from a Mint.
PCGS – This is a term that stands for Professional Coin Grading Service. When a coin is described as being PCGS, then that means that the service has graded the coin for American coin collecting purposes.
NGC – When a coin is described as being NGC, then what this means is that it has been graded by a service that is known as the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.
Keep in mind that the above grading services do cost money in order for a coin to be graded. Should a coin be labeled as having been graded, what this means is that one of these services has guaranteed the quality and the authenticity of the coin, and this means that the coin is naturally going to be higher in value.
There are all kinds of American coin collecting for you to know and utilize. The above should be a good foundation for you to get started with. When you understand the basics in American coin collecting, you will be better able to find the coins that best suit you, ensuring that you get the best value for what you pay as well.
Photo Credits: herzogbr
Originally posted 2009-12-02 03:56:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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