World Coins For the Collector

 

 

 

One of the first decisions to make when finally getting ready to build a nice collection is just what to collect. Many start out by acquiring a hodge-podge of this and that, whatever they see that they like, they pick it up and add it to the collection. This is actually a very worthwhile exercise in the early stages of world coin collecting. It allows the collector to experience a wide variety of coins and types and before you know it, there will be certain themes that tend to grab the collector's fancy much more than anything others. After awhile, often one of those themes of interest will evolve into an area of specialization for the collector. Most serious collectors will eventually find their beloved niche; the area in which they will focus their research, study and collecting efforts. The collector will then pursue the goal of completing a collection in their area of specialization. For some areas, this might be attained in a relatively short period of time. For others, it may be so challenging as to turn out to be a life-time journey in the pursuit of completing the finest collection possible.

 

Listed below are some collecting themes and ideas for the World Coin Collector. This list is by no means all inclusive as there are endless themes and niches that may attract one's collecting interest.

 

 

Large Copper Coins

 

Gold Coins

 

Nickel Coins

 

Silver Coins

 

Crowns (large Silver Dollar sized coins)

 

Aluminum Coins

 

 

Flower Coins (can even narrow to a specific type of flower)

 

Animal Coins (can pursue all the coins that may have a fish on them)

 

Landscape Coins (coins where scenery is the focal point)

 

Building Coins (coins with famous and not so famous buildings)

 

Aviation and Space related coins

 

Nautical themed coins (ships, boats, sea life etc.)

 

Olympic or Sports related Coins

 

Biblical Coins

 

Religious themed coins

 

 

Collecting by Date and Mint

 

Collecting by Type

 

Colonial coins issued by the mother country

 

 

Ancient Coins

 

Medieval Coins

 

Dark Ages

 

Renaisance Coins

 

War Related Coins

 

Modern Coins

 

Revolutionary Coins

 

Shipwreck Coins

 

 

As you can see, there are so many possibilities for a specialization. When considering the subsets and off-shoots of these areas, the choices are just about endless. So, get out there and collect and find your niche; find your specialization and you will be rewarded with a lifetime of collecting enjoyment and an incredible sense of accomplishment as you build your world-class collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many storage systems available for housing your collection while both preserving and protecting it. A true collector will feel a responsibility to take proper care of his or her coins so that they will maintain their value and ultimately be passed down for future generations of collectors to enjoy. In storing your collection, the most important factor that you need to keep under control is the humidity. This is especially true with respect to copper coinage and those other coins that are alloyed with a considerable copper content. So, no matter how nice the holder, album, or case the coins are in, unless you keep them in as dry a climate as possible, you will eventually be greeted by some corrosion, PVC damage, or fading if you keep your collection in a too humid environment. Even the modern slabs that are used by the third party coin grading and certification companies are not air-tight. Though these holders are very good, over time the coins inside can "turn in the holder" if they are subjected to improper storage conditions. To control humidity, you must invest in dessicant canisters that can pull the moisture from the air in which your collection is stored. These canisters can be recharged and used over and over again but you must routinely check to make sure that they are not full. If you store your collection in a relatively small inert area, these dessicant canisters will do the trick for safeguarding your collection from the damage that humidity can bring.

 

Another cardinal rule is to never breathe or sneeze on your coins.  The micro-droplets expelled from your mouth can cause serious long-term damage to the surface of a coin.  Over time, the coin can become speckled with discoloration from a careless exhale or sneeze.  This unattractive speckling will usually diminish the coins eye appeal and therefor, its value.  It is also very important to keep your coins in a smoke and chemical free environment.  Tobacco smoke, household chemicals, and even the stains and paints in your furniture can harm the surface of coins or cause undesirable toning. Some wood cabinets that you may place your collection in may be like placing your coins in a chemical gas chamber.  Let's face it, we are surrounded by a chemical world, so be careful to use the most inert storage system you can find to minimize the risk to your coins.  Untreated low-sap woods and very hard plastic storage bins are two systems that should substantially minimize, but not totally eliminate your risks.  

 

For circulated coins, the most simple and economical system is to place the coins in the standard 2X2 cardboard coin holder. The glassine allows good visibility and when stapled shut, these holders will allow a good deal of protection for the coin. Be sure to flatten the staples after securing the coin in the holder. Many nice coins have been ruined from a staple scratch received either when being removed from their holder or from an unflattened staple on another coin holder coming through the glassine window when the 2X2's are stacked or slid past each other.

These holders are actually quite good and can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of other coin storage systems.

 

For uncirculated coins of lower value, the 2X2's are also a great choice. Preferably, you will acquire some non-stapling self-adhesive 2X2's for your uncirculated coins. These can be sealed to be virtually air-tight and as long as the air that is sealed in with the coin is dry, this type of holder should provide excellent economical protection for the long term. If you don't have any of the self-adhesive 2X2's, then the stapling type will work fine but you will need to staple all around the coin to make sure there are no openings for the outside air to make it inside the holder. Again, it's mainly the copper and copper alloyed coins that are problematic.  Your 2X2'd coins can be placed in hard plastic coin boxes that can stack and allow you to keep a very large quantity of coins in a relatively small area.  Or, you can use felt lined coin trays if you would like to have your coins displayed for easy viewing.

 

For higher value coins, the best course is having the coin certified as genuine and encapsulated and graded by a reputable grading service such as PCGS, NGC, ANACS, or ICG. The slab provides excellent long-term storage as long as it is kept in a proper environment.

 

For all your coins supply need, including those humidity fighting dessicant canisters and 2x2's that I personally use, please click below and visit my friends at Jake's:

 

 

I wanted to say just a few words about using cotton gloves. Many ads for coins will use as a selling point that the coins have not been touched by human hands but instead have only been handled by cotton gloves. Often, in the ad there will be a picture of a new coin pulled from a bank roll and the coin is being held by the surfaces between the thumb and forefinger or lying flat in the palm of the gloved hand. This makes me chuckle. In my opinion, using cotton gloves is quite risky. First, when you put a glove on your hand, you lose the "feel" and dexterity that naturally exists when you use your fingers. Because of this, even if you handle the coin properly by holding it by the edge between the gloved thumb and forefinger, this leads to markedly increased odds that you will drop the coin. Secondly, the cotton fibers themselves are quite abrasive and can leave hairlines on the surfaces of coins, especially brilliant uncirculated and proof coins. If you handle these coins much at all with the gloves, you will get hairlines. This will lead to a lower grade for these coins. Speaking from over 40 years of experience, the safest and best method of handling your coins is with your own fingers as long as you steadfastly follow these rules. One, before handling, you must clean your hands and fingers completely. I've found that the best way to do this is to use warm water and baby shampoo and scrub with a soft brush, rinsing thoroughly when done (preferably with distilled water). This will remove all oils and dirt from your fingers and leave no residues behind. The second rule is to only handle the coin by the edge and never let your fingers touch the obverse or reverse surfaces. If the coin should fall into your palm, cupping your palm will allow the coin to be "palmed by the edge" and will not harm it. Even if it accidentally hits flat on your palm for a few seconds, because you have thoroughly cleaned your palm, it will not affect the coin as long as you don't let it slide around to experience any friction against your skin. I have used both cotton gloves and soft plastic tongs to handle coins and have dropped or damaged many times more with these than with just using my fingers. Let me tell you, it's a horrible feeling when one of your prized proof coins jumps out of the tongs or slips from a proper hold between two gloved fingers and careens off the table and rolls across the dirty floor and comes to rest laying face down in the grit, grime and dirt. Because of this, I haven't used cotton gloves in many years and I cannot recommend them. However, I still must use plastic tongs on occasion. This is necessary when I must dip a coin in acetone to remove oils, tar, tape residue, or PVC film. And, though I'm pretty good at it and am exremely careful, I still have one slip from the grips of the tongs every now and then. So, use tongs occasionally if you must, but when it comes to handling most coins in your collection, your fingers are your friends!