| First of all it's very import to distinguish "collecting | | | | Advanced collectors usually focus on some |
| coins" from "numismatics", which is the scientific | | | | specific interest, and they spend a lot of money in |
| study of money and its history. The act of | | | | order to make their collection bigger and bigger. |
| collecting coins is something more complex | | | | They can collect only coins that were in circulation |
| because it can have many different conceptions | | | | in a certain determined period of history for |
| and meanings. | | | | example, or they can get specialized in a single |
| It started, as an art, in the fourteenth century | | | | country, or maybe focus on a specific coin |
| with Petrarch, while collecting them because of | | | | theme, such as presidents or nature elements. |
| their value, as a way of saving up, goes back to | | | | Apart from what kind of collector you are, or |
| the beginning of capitalism. Everything started | | | | even if you haven't even thought about collecting |
| when Petrarch realized that the coins were much | | | | coins, the art of hoarding coins just for pleasure |
| more than simple little golden medals, he saw | | | | and fun is itself a quite interesting hobby activity. |
| more than material value in them and decided to | | | | The hobby can become a business. When that |
| start a personal collection. As everything Petrarch | | | | happens, the collector goes into a completely |
| invented has become popular, the art of collecting | | | | different world where people are capable to do |
| coins started to be known as "the hobby of | | | | such crazy things to reach their objectives. |
| kings". | | | | Professional collectors can spend real fortunes in |
| There are basically three levels that coin collectors | | | | order to achieve important, sophisticated and rare |
| can go through: casual collector, curious collector, | | | | pieces to their collection. When a personal |
| and advanced collector. The casual collector | | | | collection turns out to be an historically and |
| collects coins just because it's fun and because he | | | | politically valued one, it usually becomes part of a |
| likes it. Even a kid could be a casual collector. | | | | museum or an art gallery collection after the |
| They usually don't spend a lot of money looking | | | | owner passes away. To reach this level of |
| for rare coins or preserving them, therefore their | | | | specification is quite difficult, because it demands |
| collection is made of random coins they collect by | | | | time, patience, money and the most important |
| chance. When the casual collector starts to get | | | | thing: the collector must love what he does; |
| more involved with his collection and start to want | | | | otherwise the collection will always be an amateur |
| to go further, he becomes a curious collector. | | | | one. That doesn't mean you have to become a |
| Curious collectors usually go look for | | | | professional collector to make it worth it. Doing |
| non-circulations coins and they can spend a little | | | | that just for fun is already a great way of |
| money on them, buying them on Ebay or other | | | | spending quality time. |
| collection sources. They also start to study more | | | | So don't think twice if you want to start to hoard |
| about the art of coin collecting, buying books and | | | | coins, it can start as a small thing, but who knows |
| frequently visiting coin themed web pages. If the | | | | you don't become a professional and famous |
| curious collector starts to take his hobby as a | | | | collector? |
| way of life, he becomes an advanced collector. | | | | |