| A Beginner's Guide to Collecting Inexpensive | | | | a lot of uncleaned coins. These are old coins |
| Old Coins | | | | that have been unearthed in archaeologically |
| | | | rich areas like Italy or Greece, but have not |
| Collecting old coins is like holding a piece | | | | had the dirt and buildup of the centuries |
| of history right in your hand. It is common | | | | cleaned from them. Uncleaned lots of elderly |
| to find affordable ancient Roman coins that | | | | coins are exciting because you never know if |
| are 1600 years old, and many are even 2000 | | | | the coins will be so worn that there is |
| years old or more. Imagine that the ancient | | | | nothing left but a smooth piece of metal, or |
| Roman denarius in your collection might once | | | | whether you will uncover a genuine rare coin. |
| have bought admission to the gladiator fights | | | | You should be aware, however, that the |
| in the Coliseum or chariot races at the | | | | likelihood of finding a high-value gold or |
| Circus Maximum. The best thing about | | | | silver coin among uncleaned lots is extremely |
| collecting old coins is that, unlike other | | | | slim. Furthermore, the reason why uncleaned |
| antiquities, ancient coins are remarkably | | | | lots are sold to begin with is that cleaning |
| affordable. Because so many ancient coins | | | | old coins is a difficult endeavor in the best |
| have been discovered, and more are being | | | | of circumstances. Removing large amounts of |
| unearthed every day, it is possible to buy | | | | dirt and debris from ancient coins carries |
| millennia-old coins for only a few dollars | | | | the risk of spoiling the coin. |
| apiece. For less than the cost of a movie | | | | |
| ticket, you could own a link to olden times. | | | | How to Store Old Coins |
| | | | |
| Things You Should Look For While Buying Old | | | | Elderly coins, like elderly people, require |
| Coins | | | | tender handling. It is important to remember |
| | | | that one of the vital factors regarding the |
| Unless you are looking to spend some serious | | | | value of an old-time coin is the patina, or |
| money on your collection, the old coins that | | | | the sheen that builds up on the surface of a |
| you buy will probably not be extremely | | | | coin over time. The last thing you want to do |
| valuable as an investment. However, that | | | | is to polish an ancient silver coin so that |
| should not undermine the thrill of being able | | | | it is bright and shining! When dealing with |
| to own a genuine aged coin on a shoestring | | | | old coins, you should only hold them by the |
| budget. There are numerous places, both | | | | edges, since the oil on your hands can ruin |
| online and off, that sell inexpensive old | | | | the patina. Do not attempt to clean old coins |
| coins. The important thing to look for when | | | | on your own without learning a lot about the |
| buying these ancient coins is that the coin | | | | proper techniques. Only a veteran should |
| is identifiable. It is disappointing to buy | | | | attempt to clean a potentially valuable aged |
| an aged coin, only to realize that there is | | | | coin. |
| no way of telling what it actually is. The | | | | |
| best way to ensure that an ancient coin is | | | | When storing old coins, always use acid-free |
| identifiable is to be certain that the | | | | materials; any other kind of storage could |
| writing and inscriptions on it are legible. | | | | damage the coin. You'll need a safe place to |
| | | | keep your ancient coins. Some options include |
| Buying Uncleaned Lots of Old Coins | | | | mylar flips, acid-free plastic sheets that go |
| | | | into three-ring binders, and even special |
| Of course, there is another bargain option | | | | collector's cases, if you want a particularly |
| when buying ancient coins, and that is to buy | | | | elegant look for your collection. |