Coin Collecting - Which Tribe Do You Belong To?

Casualand ancient Israelite origin are among the most
The type of collector one will usually come acrosspopular ancient pieces collected. Specialties tend to
is the casual collector. Both children and adults canvary quite a bit, but the usual approach is
be found in this group. They collect coins becausecollecting items minted during a specific emperor's
they love the fun of it. Casual collectors do nottime in power. For example, a completist would
spend as much money on buying and preservingfocus on acquiring a representative coin from
coins as more advanced collectors. Collectors ineach emperor.
this category usually have interest in coins thatNational
have a unique meaning to themselves. ForNormally, collectors of national coins specialize in
example, a coin minted in their birth year. Casualthose of their own country. A common way to
collectors often acquire more remarkable piecescollect national coins includes collecting one of
as presents from acquaintances or relatives. Manyevery date and mint mark for a particular series.
casual collectors have been transformed intoThis is termed collecting by type. For example, a
curious collectors after receiving such a gift.date set in Britain may include one Queen Victoria
Curiouslarge penny for each year, 1837-1901. In another
Once a collector goes beyond circulation finds andexample, a U.S. type set might include an example
receiving gifts, his interest in coins increases andof each variety of each denomination produced.
he becomes more of a curious collector. TheMost collectors of national coins create unique
curious collector will buy a few inexpensive coins,combinations of date, mint mark and type sets.
browse shops or search for items on eBay orError Coin Collecting
other auction sites. As the curious collectorCollecting error coins is a modern development
networks with more skilled collectors, he increaseswhich was made possible through the automation
his knowledge of buying or selling coins. Someof the manufacturing processes. Collectors of
collectors hone their skills by studying relatedancient and medieval coins accept those with
literature before making serious decisions abouterrors because manual manufacturing processes
buying expensive coins. It is usually at this pointresult in unique features to each coin struck.
that most curious collectors are knowledgeableSome examples of errors include repunched mint
enough to become advanced collectors.marks, double dies, double strikes, overdates,
Advancedoff-metal, clipped, displaced or off-center coins
Every advanced collector is a unique collector.and different denominations on each side of one
Some are dedicated generalists who search for allcoin.
kinds of coins. If they have enough resources, thisWorld Coin Collecting
can result in an amazing collection. Many collectorsWorld coins are collections of relatively recent
are completists who want an example ofmodern pieces from nations around the world. A
everything within a certain set. Some focus oncollector can travel around the world through his
coins of a specific nation or historic period. Otherscollection. Many collect by subject. For example,
collect error coins or exonumia such as tokenscollecting items from around the world which
and medals. Coin collecting can be a highlyfeature animals.
competitive sport. It can lead to exorbitant pricesThis category of collecting is an inexpensive and
as serious collectors strive for the very besteasy way for children to develop an interest in
samples of each date and mint mark combination.coin collecting. Most children discover foreign coins
Historicalby looking under cash machines where customers
Collectors of ancient and medieval coins are morediscard various coins found in their change jars. It
concerned with historical significance than otheris possible to find pieces from all over the world,
collectors. The coins of Byzantine, Roman, Indian,ranging from Canada, to South Africa, to Korea.
Greek, Celtic, Merovingian, Parthian, Ostrogothic