Stanco coinclub

What is the gold and silver ratio? How can the silver to gold ratio help you invest in rare coins and bullion? It is the ratio of how many ounces of silver it takes to buy an ounce of gold. In the very early days, 3500 BC in Egypt the ratio was at, 2.5:1........This means it took 2.5 oz silver to buy 1 oz gold. In the 1980's the ratio was around 45 to 50:1. In the 1990's the ratio fluctuated between a high of 110:1 and a low of around 78:1. Many coin and bullion dealers use this ratio to decide when silver is cheap or overpriced. Today, 2008 January we can see the silver to gold ratio is around 55:1. How to use this ratio to purchase gold, silver and rare coins. By calculating the ratio, divide the...

Collecting rare gold and silver coins has been a hobby since ages. In fact, research suggests that even people in the era of the king used to collect ancient coins as they know that the value of these coins will increase manifold in the future. It is a dream to hold these beautiful coins on your hands but with your liking and your desire you can start collecting gold and silver coins one by one and fill your safe. Remember that this is one of those hobbies from which you will definitely gain in the future. Collecting silver and gold coins is very fascinating and enjoyable. Apart from exchanging coins with your friends you can also check out the reputed numismatic networks on the internet which you...

Stamp collecting started in 1840 with the issue of the first proper stamp, the Penny Black, followed closely by the Twopenny Blue. Previous to this you had to rely on Hand stamps from each local area. What happened after was the biggest hobby in the world up until the 1990's, for all age groups, only to be surpassed by the computer age. Most unfortunately these days, the backbone of the collectors - the Children of the world - have in general lost interest in this very time consuming hobby. The main stay of stamp collecting is now a much older generation and the numbers are getting less. There are of course advantages and disadvantages of this, to the good side, in general, the prices of stamps have...

Whether you are a beginner or an old hand at collecting postage stamps, China stamp collecting can be very enjoyable. China's exotic past and quixotic recent history will expose you to many different eras. It is a history that spans from stamps produced as the 2,000 year-old Imperial era drew to a close to the stamps rich in history and cultural content used by modern China today. Unless one lives in China, collecting Chinese stamps presents a challenge from the onset. Researching and learning about philatelic China can be enlightening in its own right, presenting an opportunity to learn more about one of the world's oldest and most intriguing cultures. Native Chinese have discovered the joys of...

One of the best things about beginning stamp collecting is that you can get started on the cheap. Sure there are incredibly valuable old and rare stamps out there, but common inexpensive stamps can be just as fascinating to keep and study. Every stamp has a story behind it and over time all stamps do become old and your kid and grandkids will be glad some day that you gathered together your collection when it is eventually passed on to them. Gather Together a Few Basic Items for Stamp Collecting Begin by gathering together a few items that you will need to keep, process handle and store your stamps. This list would include items such as a stamp album, a good book on the topic, a magnifying glass...

Philatelic equipment and tools can be expensive as in every other field of study and research, but as Kenneth Chapman once said: If you picture in your mind a stamp collector's den with reference books lined up on the library shelves, usage of electrically lit magnifying glasses and quartz lamp to detect errors, oddities and freaks on the stamps, indeed that collector is fortunate. But the stamp collector who works with an inexpensive storage album, a pair of tweezers, decent stamp hinges and transparent mounts, who writes up his own pages and works on a kitchen or living room table, like I did, is just as happy. The first source of supply for stamps is your daily incoming mail and the stamps that...

Apart from the stamp themselves, the essential tools you need as a stamp collector are very simple and geared to maintain order and good care of your collection. 1. Album You cannot always keep your stamps and envelopes with stamps on them in a shoe box! They deserve a better home and also, a better way of being displayed. The first album printed specifically for stamps was published by Lallier of Paris in 1862 and since that time, many types of album became available. Nowadays, you can even choose to collect by country or by subjects, and find corresponding albums on your main topical choices. Do keep in mind that you do not have to buy a "printed" album to store your collection, as you may...

Stamp research is called Philately. Many Americans become drawn to this large field of research. This attraction with stamps and all of the history concerning them has started a hobby connected to philately, which is stamp collecting. Normally, stamp collecting starts by acquiring a few stamps and choosing a certain type of stamp that the collector will pay attention to. Stamps can be acquired for the collection either through the postal office, private letters, dealers of stamps, making a trade with fellow collectors of high quality and rare stamps in whatever type that is chosen. Although, the philatelic hobby might appear to be hard or vague, it really is not. It is not an uncommon idea to study...

In the fascinating world of stamp collecting, the collectible status of a particular postage stamp is determined by its value, and value is determined by rarity. The rarer the postage stamp is, the higher the price it will command. Hence, stamp collectors from all over the world are on a constant crusade to find and acquire the rarest stamps of today. Not only will such postage stamps become the crowning glory of their collection, not only will the possession of the same provide a very rewarding experience, but the fact that such rare stamps will only fetch higher values as the years go by could only mean promising things for enterprising hobbyists. So, which of the hundreds of thousands of stamps...

Out of all the hobbies you may enter, stamp collecting not only allows you to have fun, but also provides you with a looking glass into the past, present, as well as future. It is a pastime that has been educating many for years and years. Stamp lovers can be found everywhere in the world, in various sizes, shapes and forms. They are the ones who save the stamps from the letters they receive, especially the ones that hail from different countries. They are the ones who are on the look out for stamps that represent a piece of the past. They are the ones, who keep volumes of notebooks filled with their colorful collections or have just a few tucked away in a special place. There is no limit to the...

When you have been collecting stamps for a while, you may begin getting more involved in identifying and evaluating your collection. You will likely have learned things that help you get a more detailed idea of what your collection holds. When you reach this point, there may be a stamp collecting supply that you need to purchase. You can find most of these supplies in a product book from a supply company. You can sometimes find them in hobby shops, although smaller hobby shops are not likely to carry them. Take a look at these interesting stamp collecting supply items for intermediate collectors. Perforation Gauge When you are trying to correctly identify your stamps, there may come a time when...

Stamp collecting is a hobby enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. However, what you may not know is that it is not just collecting of stamps, it's more than that It's seems to be a fact that stamp collecting is a very fulfilling experience for all people around the world. The excitement of acquiring a valuable postage stamp, coupled with the thrill of witnessing its rarity soar throughout the years, is truly an exhilarating feeling. Even with the advancement of emails and digital age, it's should not be a surprise that the hobby of stamp collecting still lives on among the people. But stamp collecting can be more than just a hobby. Stamp collecting can actually be a profitable venture, a hobby...

Love it or loathe it, stamp collecting has been around for a long time, and is here to stay. Nevertheless, it captivates people in all walks of life, and from all age groups. Even with fax machines and e-mails, many items are still being sent by conventional post. It would seem that the earliest reference to collecting stamps was in England in 1841, the year after they were first issued. People have different reasons for collecting stamps. Some find it relieves stress. Others like the educational side of it. Prospects of financial gain motivate still others. Prior to postal service, people forwarded messages and letters via trusted travelers. By the sixteenth century an international postal service...

With the birth of stamps came the birth of stamp collectors, which occurred shortly after the first adhesive postage stamp was introduced by Great Britain during the year of 1840. The study of postage stamps, which is also known as philately was derived from the Greek word phileo that means I love and the word ateleia meaning free of charges. As individuals first began collecting these interesting little pieces of paper they did not actually realize just how valuable they would become. The first advertisement for collectors began in 1841 in the London Times when women began placing ads requesting help collecting their stamp so they could paper a bedroom wall. With the variety of postage stamps...

You may be wondering, "Why do people collect stamps?" Initially, British children saw collecting as a fun game, since stamps were inexpensive to buy and had vivid pictures. These days many people are prompted to collect because a relative passed down the tradition or bought them a souvenir sheet of stamps. Today over 20 million Americans engage in postage stamp collecting, making it one of the most popular type of compilations. In 1840, Britain introduced the "Penny Black" as the first adhesive postage stamp. Little did they realize that this would set off a postage stamp collecting craze among the youth, otherwise known as "Timbromania" (meaning "stamp madness".) As these little hobbyists aged...

When it comes to finding out the cost of your stamps it can be a pretty hard thing to do. If you are not lucky enough to have a company near you that you know you can trust with stamp collecting appraisals for you then you may be able to find some type company on line to do your appraising for you. You will want to make sure that the company is very reputable one. When it actually comes to finding out how much your stamp is worth you must first know that there is no hard fast way to determine exactly how much the stamp is worth. It is really hard to say that having a stamp from a long time ago and it never being used is worth more than the actual used ones. When it comes to finding out how much a...

Most collectors start by trying to collect everything on very little money. It is not possible, even if you have much money! First of all, you would have to acquire the unique 1856 British Guiana (now Guyana) 1c magenta stamp for which the estimated value is $935,000. You might have heard about the actual owner of this rare and unique postage stamp for which only one specimen is known to exist. His name is John E. du Pont and he is serving a 30-year sentence for murder. Consequently, the only way to obtain completeness is to collect stamps by subjects and that is why topical stamp collecting is the most growing area of stamp collecting. Let us go back in time and take a quick look at the foundation...

Some just like to get stamps together and arrange them in an album. Others are interested in the history, geography, and culture of the countries whose stamps they collect. Still others are attracted to stamps because of the many interesting subjects pictured on them. Almost every collector dreams of one day finding "sleeper." This is a rare or valuable stamp that is not been noticed among stamps worth little or nothing. In 1837 Sir Rowland Hill (1795-1879), an Englishman, devised a new system for paying postal fees. In those days most countries required the person who received the letter to pay the postage. It was Sir Rowland Hill's idea that the sender of a letter should attach a stamp to show...

Through the Coinage Act of 1792, the US Mint was created by Congress. Its first building was located in Philadelphia, within the US Department of State, with the scientist David Rittenhouse as its first director. When the demand for coins increased, the facilities for US Mint also expanded. Now, there is several US Mint facilities located in different states in the US. Even though each has different activities, the main goal of the agency is to produce and distribute US Mint coins. US Mint coins are produced for daily circulation, so they can be used for trade and commerce. These coins include the Lincoln penny, Jefferson nickel, Roosevelt dime, 50 State quarters, Kennedy half-dollar, and the Golden...

Collecting gold coins is a popular hobby, and can be a valuable investment as well. In the past five years the value of gold has nearly doubled in value and more investors are realizing that investing in gold coins is both fun and a sound financial decision. Tips for investing in gold coins could be, older gold coins tend to retain their value better than newer gold coins. This is because hobby collectors like old coins, which tend to drive up their value, so think like a long-term investor. When you buy gold coins as an investment plan on holding them at least a year to maximize your potential profit. Think of gold coins as a part of your investment portfolio, they are a good investment to have...

Silver proof coins were special samples of a coin in early times. They were the issues of the coin which were produced to check the dies and were also used for archival purposes. A special polish and tie are used to make a these types of coins. Here is some information about the making of silver proof coins. For giving a fine detail of the image on the coin the die is struck more than once and thus the metal gets forced into the shape of the die. Not only proof coins but all the coins made are struck more than two times by the dies used for making a silver coins. Silver coins are graded also. Nowadays, grades used for coins are similar to the ones used for uncirculated coins. To specify a proof coin...

If some one research out the culture of any country of the world, the result is that every country has its own financial system and they each have their own inherit dateless 20p coins. Accumulation of the coins from all over the world, your dateless 20p coins collection will add variety and interest to the anthology. Imagine the coins from North America, Africa, Japan, New Zealand and Russia, the possibilities are almost interminable. While you take a look at the continent of Africa, each country has its own culture and the dateless 20p coins. Those countries offer a small part of those cultures just like many other countries. Coins that are from earlier times are no longer used are more valuable...

ome choose to collect gold coins simply for the pure passion of the hunt or because they really love the items, others do it because many gold coins are valuable. Much like baseball cards and comic books, you can find limited edition gold coins worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many special issue gold coins are extremely rare and much desired, making them a huge asset to a collection. The best way to profit is to look for a good deal; there are always occasions when someone won't know what it is they have and will sell it to you for a low price or even give it to you outright. Getting several gold coins in this manner can almost guarantee a strong profit margin. You may also simply happen upon...

Collecting coins is a very exciting thing for many people. The one thing that they do wrong though is to overly handle them. They are always taking them out of their storage and doing one thing or another with them. However clean you think your hands or fingers are, when you touch a coin, you always leave a fingerprint or mark. The naturally occurring oil in our skin will also be left on the coin, and this is also a contributor to further degradation of the coin. For those of you, who can't stay away from your coins, if you must handle them; hold them by the outer edges so you don't touch any part of the body. You should try as much as possible to avoid any contact between skin and coin. Wearing...

At times of economic turmoil or political uncertainty, numerous people convert a portion of their wealth into gold. Coin collecting has become one of the most well-liked hobbies in the US. Precious metals like silver not simply allow for elegant jewelry, they can also make for a great investment.Coin collecting has been dated back to ancient Egypt, proof that people have hoarded the currency pieces because they have been minted. Naval Challenge Coins are non-monetary commemorative tokens, representing group spirit and camaraderie. Case study and selection of coins is called numismatics. Coin collectors are amateur numismatists. It is often a popular hobby for centuries. Coins have constantly...

Nowadays there are virtually thousands of websites dedicated to coin collecting. Nevertheless, there are numerous coin collecting books and magazines that are available which a fledgling coin collector will find particularly helpful. Whether you decide to purchase these publications or subscribe to the online versions, you will find them essential while you are establishing your coin collection. Here are a few of the most popular reads: The Red Book This book, now in it's 62nd edition, is officially referred to as 'A Guide Book of United States Coins 2009' by R.S. Yeoman, but is usually referred to as 'The Red Book' due to the red cover of the book. The price of this book ranges from a few dollars...

Recently, there have been several hologram coins released by some major mints. Other coins have had holograms added after their release. And they can add a beauty that changes as you hold the coin in your hand, giving a multitude of exciting, changing colors. Holograms, as they apply to coins, are having the coins appear to be three dimensional by coating a portion of the coins. It appears a clear coating produces the desired result. A clear coating over a selective portion of the reverse makes that portion of the obverse to appear to have depth. The easiest way to describe what is happening is to understand why gasoline can appear to make a rainbow of colors when it is spilled, especially if it is...

Coin guides give tips on how to start, as well as special instructions on how to proceed with the hobby of coin collecting. These books not only give start-up tips but also provide information regarding the procedure to walk the road of this hobby of coin-collection. As coins differ in respect of their price, grade etc., these books also come handy by giving necessary information related to the same. Reading these guide-books is strongly suggested before starting the hobby of coin-collection as it would be a safeguard against taking wrong decisions due to non-availability of proper information. 2. Record of the stock of coins Proper stock-records for all the items that you have collected must be...

Ancient Greek coins have a variety of attributes that enable differentiation between the currencies of individual poleis. Each polis independently designed and created its own coins, with symbols that were representative of the deities and heroes important to that particular government. This theme supersedes all of the other trends in Greek coin making throughout the centuries. Archaic period coins are simple and crude. Rather than being symmetrically round, they approximate lumps of metal that have been pressed into irregular disks. Usually made from gold, silver, or electrum, they have a basic impression of the patron deity of the originating polis. During the Classical period, coin-making...

At all stages, be aware of the budget for your exhibit. Building your competitive exhibit is great, but it must be kept in perspective. My personal preference is to distinguish the exhibit through the level of research and knowledge involved, rather than how expensive the material is. When planning your exhibit, keep the following factors in mind. They are general by design; being too specific may force you away from that aspect of uniqueness that you need before you begin to form the exhibit within the accepted judging guidelines. Spending additional time with these items will pay off for you later when you are able to move through the "building" stage much more smoothly. 1. Know what you...

For obvious reasons, the Kennedy Half Dollar is held by many investors and collectors in very high esteem despite the fact that the typical preference extended to coins of an older date. The reason for this lies in the high popularity of John F. Kennedy and his tragic death. This coin provides another example of how history and investment often come together in the world of silver investments. There are two types of Kennedy fifty cent pieces. The 1964 Kennedy half dollars have been held in esteem since they were minted and contain 90% silver. As the name implies, the coins bear the image of a the president. The minting of these coins proved quite popular and many Americans began hoarding them almost...

If you're a fine jewelry fanatic like I am, has a pretty cool program you're going to love. Not only do they offer cash for your unwanted jewelry, old gold, broken jewelry, coins, even dental gold and sterling silver, but they offer 150% store credit. Which means that old, outdated bracelet sitting in your jewelry box can become a stylish new piece of estate designer jewelry all in your local Carlsbad Jewelry Store. This local Carlsbad Jeweler can even design something for you! If you need some cash during this tough economy (and who doesn't!) you'll definitely want to check out this local Carlsbad jewelry exchange and cash for gold program. It's not just local. This store will accept any jewelry...

When it comes to jewelry, there are some trends that are gaining ground with a lot of people, and one of those trends is making necklaces and other jewelry items out of old coins. The widows mite is one of the coins that they often choose because of the beauty and also because of the historical significance. In Biblical lore the widows mite referred to the two small coins that a widow put into the offering plate even though she had very little and they were the last of her money. Jesus praised what she had done because there were many people who had a lot of money and they gave very little of it, but she gave all that she had. Now there are many people who are interested in the widows mite coins and...

Interested in coins and collectibles? Then coins of Kutch are sure to catch your fancy. Kutch region which is now a part of Gujarat was a separate princely state before India got independence in 1947. These princely states were pretty independent as far as their internal administration went though the British had overall power on them. Kutch had its own currency like some other big states of the British India. While India had a rupee as its main unit of currency, Kutch had a kori. This was further divided into smaller units. Kutch had got the permission to mint its own coins from the Mughal rulers and used to put the names of the Mughal emperors on the coins along with the Kutch rulers. So when...

This is a question I have been asking myself for a long time. I mean no disrespect to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, but her link to Canada has become so minimal of the the last 25 years that its rather funny that her picture remains on all of our coins. Would there not be anyone else worthy of putting on Canadian pieces? The United States for example have so many varieties, right from the original Lincoln Wheat Penny of 1909 which changed in 1958 to the varieties of Gold Quarter Eagles, Half Eagles, Eagles and Double Eagles. Figures on U.S. coins are allowed to be changed every 25 years. Sure, U.S pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, 50 cent pieces and dollars have pictures of president's on them...

The US economy is undergoing a financial meltdown. Likewise, the American currency is declining. Smart citizens are looking up better options to defend their money that came by hard work and patience. Throughout the world, purchasing gold is one of the best ways to protect your assets. Actually gold purchasing is one of the most favorable and proven ways of protecting your assets. To experienced investors of gold ingots, Mexican coins are among the top favorites. As so are the gold Krugerrands from South Africa. The main reason for many people buying Mexican gold coins is to battle inflation and make up for risks. Mexico's Gold 50 Pesos had been minted in 1920s for the first time. These are one of...

So you want to start collecting coins or perhaps you’re an experienced numismatist and you want to get good deals on gold, silver, or rare coins. Where do you look? Yogi Berra once said, “Hit em’ where they aint.” This is what this article is about. Sure you can find coins on ebay, from a reputable dealer, craigslist, or surfing the net. But more often than not you will never find real value. Over the years as an expert marketer and coin collector I have always had the knack for finding leads and even coins where nobody else is looking. Why compete with the big boys? These 7 tips for finding coins at face value or, if your lucky, below face value, can surely vault your success in...