| Coins hold a wealth of information on their small | | | | for rare gold coins, and have coins appraised by a |
| faces, from the year of their birth to the | | | | gold coin expert to avoid large differences in price. |
| language spoken at the time, from the metals a | | | | Coins, which were printed on standardized weights |
| country holds valuable to the cultural influences | | | | of precious metals and stamped with a |
| and historical figures that its people hold valuable. | | | | government guarantee of value, was the answer |
| The history of gold coins dates as far back as | | | | to this unwieldy, easily sabotaged trading process. |
| 2,700 years ago. The first gold coins in the world | | | | Minting problems don't only involve the writing on |
| were issued in Lydia around 640 B.C. certain | | | | the coin. Sometimes a problem with the die |
| internet websites will provide you with a lot of | | | | causes a coin to be double stamped accidentally, |
| information about the history of gold coins. | | | | resulting in a very unusual form of rare coins. |
| Australia reveres its national animal with the Gold | | | | The mintmark of the coin can usually be found |
| Kangaroo, for example, while China has a Gold | | | | near the date and on newer coins the mintmarks |
| Panda with a lovely design that changes every | | | | are as follows: "P" Philadelphia, "D" Denver, "S" San |
| year. | | | | Francisco,"W" West Point New York. Older coins |
| Because not many people know what | | | | may show the following mintmarks: "C" Charlotte |
| distinguishes precious rare coins from | | | | North Carolina, "CC" Carson City Nevada, "D" |
| run-of-the-mill legal tender, these coins can remain | | | | Dahlonega Georgia, "O" New Orleans. |
| in circulation for decades, until a lucky coin | | | | The first vital piece of information that you'll need |
| collector recognizes them. | | | | when considering coin dealers is his or her |
| Coins can lose their brightness over time, and | | | | professional qualifications. Some important |
| you'll be tempted to polish them. The best advice | | | | questions to ask include, does the coin dealer |
| is ... DON'T. Many collect coins to commemorate | | | | belong to any professional groups? How long has |
| great events in their lives, a child's graduation, a | | | | he or she been in business? |
| new baby...or to mark historical events such as | | | | Coins that were only issued or circulated for short |
| the Queen's Golden Jubilee. | | | | period of time also make good collectibles. A coin |
| Some people happily collect more common | | | | collection is at its best if it is focused on a certain |
| everyday coins, going through their pockets at | | | | coin. A collector can choose from pennies, nickels, |
| the end of the day for them is fun, checking | | | | dimes, quarters and dollars. |
| dates and mintmarks on their change. Some | | | | Another way of collecting is disregarding the |
| collectors can spend thousands of dollars on rare | | | | types of coins but concentrating on a certain time |
| silver and gold coins from the 1800's and early | | | | period. Coins have different mint marks and |
| 1900's. Some collect coins from different | | | | collecting those that were struck in the same |
| countries. | | | | location can also be interesting. The important |
| Commemorative coins are a popular form of | | | | thing for hobbyists is to stick to the collection until |
| collection, as are rare minted coins like those | | | | it has been completed. |
| which had an error in their stamping. If a certain | | | | For a good start subscribe to a coin publication |
| set of coins doesn't interest you, it won't be any | | | | such as Coin World or Coinage Magazine for |
| fun at all to become a collector. | | | | information on the types of coins that you might |
| Most coin dealers will charge a lower premium on | | | | want to collect. The internet or a local coin shop |
| the sale of coins to their best customers. After | | | | can also help expand the search for those coins |
| all, it makes good business sense to get the most | | | | that can't be found in your locale or out of state. |
| profit possible from a person who will do business | | | | Building a coin collection will take a long time - |
| with you only once. | | | | months or even years. The United States has |
| Design Types of US Coins and Coin Collecting Coin | | | | produced so many coins that it is hard to keep |
| collecting is a fun hobby that anyone who has the | | | | track of them. By deciding on the coin(s) you |
| time can do. A coin's history and its development | | | | want to collect, the challenge to complete that |
| can be learned by collecting them. At one point in | | | | collection begins. |
| time, between 1838 and1933, the United States | | | | Today, building a fascinating collection of coins |
| issued gold coins for circulation. The Liberty Head | | | | does not have to be expensive, and everyone |
| bust was used as the design until 1907. The | | | | can participate in this exciting pastime. An avid |
| design was then changed to the Indian Head and | | | | coin collector will be able to tell you virtually every |
| Saint Gaudens motifs until 1933 when the "Great | | | | piece of history that surrounds any coin in their |
| Depression" started. This prompted the recall of | | | | collection both because they tend to specialize and |
| the coins which makes it very rare to find any of | | | | because knowledge is one of the most important |
| them today. The most valuable coin in the world | | | | factors when it comes to starting and maintaining |
| is the 1933 Double Eagle. This was a $20 gold coin | | | | a collection of any value or worth. |
| that was made in the 1800's after the California | | | | Possibly. In 1991, only 459,000 25-cent coins were |
| gold rush. This coin was not allowed to be used in | | | | struck (the annual number is usually closer to 100 |
| the 1930's and when this coin was auctioned in | | | | million). 'Mint State' versions of these coins are |
| 2002, it sold for nearly eight million dollars. | | | | worth about $8. |
| Since gold coins are hard to find, most collectors | | | | A good number of coin collectors collect coins |
| select other coins. | | | | according to themes. The coins they collect all |
| One type of collection you might consider is the | | | | have a common topic. Generally speaking, putting |
| one made up of coins that are flawed when the | | | | demand aside, the more scare/rare a coin, the |
| coin was minted. If you can find a coin with a | | | | higher its value. This is usually very true, especially |
| misspelled word, a wrong date, off-center | | | | when comparing dates within the same series. |
| characteristics, or double-punched marks, these | | | | Some precious coins with double stamping include |
| coins are valuable. Such mistakes can increase a | | | | doubled-die Lincoln cents from 1972, 1983, and |
| coin's value from $50 to a $1000. | | | | 1984, and a doubled quarter minted in New York |
| Coin collecting for investment purposes can be a | | | | in 2001. |
| tricky endeavor. But as time goes by, the number | | | | While there are some real gold coin enthusiasts in |
| of these coins go down. Some get lost and some | | | | the internet, there are also those people who are |
| are damaged beyond recognition. | | | | posing as gold coin collectors and are just looking |
| Buy quality! Buy quality! Buy quality! That's all you | | | | to rip you off. You can get a silver locating device |
| hears these days when you are considering rare | | | | or a magnetic pole for finding loose coins in |
| coins as an investment. | | | | ditches, under cars, or in other hard-to-reach |
| The Augustus Saint-Gauden Double Eagle is widely | | | | places. Or simply rely on your eyes to identify |
| considered to be one of the most beautiful coins | | | | those gleaming metal circlets of potential wealth. |
| America has ever produced. | | | | The development of two large coin organizations |
| For most gold coin collectors, there are the highly | | | | in the mid-to-late 1800s, the American Numismatic |
| coveted rare gold coins and a lot of gold coin | | | | Society (ANS) and the American Numismatic |
| collectors are interested in these rare gold coins | | | | Association (ANA), helped spark American interest |
| that they will offer high bids just to be able to get | | | | in building and maintaining a coin collection. |
| their hands on these. Always be on the lookout | | | | |