Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Selling Your Coins To Coin Dealers
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Fantastic Hobby of Coin Collecting
Coin collecting is a wonderful hobby. Now imagine if you could make money with this wonderful hobby of yours. Coin collecting is one of the oldest of all hobbies. Hoards of ancient coins found in excavations indicate that coins were one of the first collectibles. Coin collecting is one of those hobbies that for most collectors, started by accident. Usually the coin that sparked the interest was a coin found in circulation.
Coin collecting is probably one to the easiest hobbies to get started in. All you really need to get started is to use the change in your own pocket. Coin collecting is not really about investment, it should be a fun and thrilling hobby. Coin collecting is a fun hobby to start and the thrill of hunting for old coins is enough for many people to continue doing it. Coin collecting is the most popular expression of numismatics. Coins-To-Sell.com is a source for graded and ungraded coins to add to your collection.
Coin collecting is known as the hobby of the kings. Coin collecting is a hobby that many collectors got into by chance or inherited a coin collection from their parents and ancestors. The most common thing that sparked an interest in coin collecting amongst collectors is the attention that the coin draws.
Grades from MS-61 to MS-64 cover intermediate parts of this range. Truly exceptional coins may be graded MS-66, MS-67 or, if absolutely flawless, as high as the theoretical maximum of MS-70. Grades from MS-61 to MS-64 cover intermediate parts of this range. Truly exceptional coins may be graded MS-66, MS-67 or, if absolutely flawless, as high as the theoretical maximum of MS-70.
Cleaned coins are always valued lower than ones that have not been ‘enhanced’ or ‘doctored’, which usually means cleaned! Some cleaning is done so well that it is nearly undetectable by all but experienced collectors or dealers. Cleaning coins is a risky and skilled operation and normally should never be considered.
Collectors of world coins are often interested in geography. They can "travel the world" vicariously through their collecting. Collectors have created systems to describe the overall condition of coins. One older system describes a coin as falling within a range from "poor" to "uncirculated". How many excavation reports come out each year, and of these how many mention coins?
Dealers acknowledge that state quarters coins for Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are now in short supply - thus in high value - however the higher value is simply due to the fact that so many incidental collectors are hoarding. Dealers publish prices regarding various coins in these periodicals, which are used as a guide to prices but are not the actual price. The literature collected will depend on the investor's special interest.
Ancient coins were also struck in silver and "base" metals like bronze and copper. Because of its intrinsic value, however, gold coins have historically been the most popular medium for exchange. Ancient coin collecting is an unbelievable hobby. These ancient handmade coins are masterpieces from antiquity.
Gold coins were one of the oldest forms of money. This was later followed by silver coins. Gold coin collecting actually is a legal way to defer taxation on your investment. What this means is that as your return on this investment increases, your investment is not subject to taxes until those coins are liquidated or sold. Gold coin collecting is one such activity, which would not only provide good investment value, but would also look great on the resume of the individual. Gold coin collecting is not an easy hobby to take up.
Mintmarks have been unprecedented in their success and popularity. Another strong and up-and-coming segment of coin collecting is the very popular collection of mint error coins. Mint has changed over the years. Most recently, the look and feel of paper currency has been changed to discourage counterfeiting. Mint didn't make the 1877 Indian Cent 127 times scarcer than the 1907 issue to create a "chase coin".
Mintmark rarity will always be helpful but condition and type rarity should really excel as the new generation comes on line. Stay clear of paying high premiums for VAMs and other trivial distinctions among coins.
Generally, older coins are better than new. Generally made of sturdy cardboard or pressboard, some of these are generic and designed to hold certain sizes of coins that you identify yourself. Others, including the Whitman series of coin folders, will help you focus on collecting a certain type of coin. Generally, their collection contains coins minted in years that are meaningful to them. These minted coins could reflect a special year such as an anniversary, graduation, or other significant event.
Anyone can start a coin collection - it's easy and fun to start collecting on your own. You can begin simply, with just the coins in your pocket. Anyone here will tell you that the values in the PCGS guide are on the high side. Without knowing what every coin in your collection is and their grades it'll be hard for anyone to tell you if you've gotten a good deal or not but at the same time if your coins have appreciated as much as you say they have by PCGS standards then I'd say you're pretty safe with any of the current price guides, just not to that extent.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Collecting State Quarters
The U.S. Mint is always issuing new commemorative coins and sets. There are a remarkable variety of U.S. coin types in everyday pocket change, with more than 38 different State Quarter types in circulation. Learn all about collecting U.S. coins.
Actually, the Treasury Department's estimate of 140 million State Quarter collectors seems suspect. This figure probably includes everybody who ever put away 1 coin from his or her own state or something, but the point is that State Quarter collecting is very popular. Like any popular series of coins, the supply often fails to meet demand, causing a price increase.
The 50 State Quarters Program, authorized by Congress in 1997, has been very successful. More than 140 million Americans are collecting the 50 state quarters. The state quarters program isn't just for coin collectors, however. Many citizens have had the opportunity to participate in the quarter design process. Thousands of Americans have suggested designs that represent their state's unique, positive features. The final designs are selected from these submissions. In 2005, the Idaho Commission on the Arts solicited concepts from the public and received over 1,200 submissions. Each state's quarter is minted for only ten weeks, and then will never be minted again.
A great way to organize and maintain a collection of state quarters is with a state quarter albums. Because state quarters contain state-specific information on the coins, albums are an easy way to keep the coins organized and easily viewable.
For those just starting a coin-collecting hobby, coins they collect are usually placed inside a large glass jar or bowl. Serious collectors prefer to store their collection in a special state quarter album. State quarters map folders are a very popular way to store and display a collection and are available in coin shops and from coin dealers.
Mint officials estimate that about 114 million Americans are collecting state quarters. In fact, about two of every three quarters minted in the last two years have been taken out of circulation by collectors amassing stockpiles that average 25 quarters each. Many of these new collectors are kids.
"It was inconceivable to people to think a few years ago that coins could become a collectible in the realm of Beanie Babies or Pokemon cards," says U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White. "But this state quarters program sort of transformed coin collecting from a smaller hobby to something very mainstream."
The 2008 state quarters are the last of the 50 State Quarters Program. Coin collecting State Quarters has brought many new people to the hobby.
While most of the collectors of state quarters are youngsters with minimal income, these kids are probably building their set with the assistance of an adult who will hopefully also have some interest in building the full set. What is the problem that will unfold if this happens? The problem is that the 1932-D quarter only had a mintage of 436,800 pieces while the 1932-S had only 408,000 pieces produced. With mintages like that, it is unlikely that any more than 350,000 of each are still in existence now that over 80 years have passed since they were struck. So you see, the dilemma arises that there are not nearly enough 1932-D's and -S's to go around if lots of people suddenly decide to start forming complete Washington quarter collections.
Today, the partnership among the Citizen's Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee, Congress and the sponsoring organizations that back new coins has stabilized the market for commemorative coins. The 50 State Quarters Program - the longest running and most successful program of its kind - has re-ignited interest in coin collecting. One hundred and fourteen million Americans are now collecting state quarters, and most are new to the hobby.
But anyone who collects state quarters in hopes of reaping big gains will probably be disappointed. Although some collectors maintain that a few of the quarters disappeared from circulation so quickly that they might bring $1 (if they're in extremely good condition), common coins rarely appreciate that much.
Thanks to the success of the state quarter program, the U.S Mint began this year honoring U.S presidents on dollar coins. Each year four presidents will be featured annually. Washington, Adams and Jefferson are now in circulation.
The United State Mint only produced 520,400,000 California state quarters. That might seem like a lot, but this article explained that since there were over 36,000,000 California residents, this quarter was the "most rare" on a per-capita basis.
South Carolina and Georgia stuck to traditional concepts an outline of the state surrounded by regional flora and fauna. As the "Magnolia State," Mississippi opted simply for flower blossoms. The New York quarter features a majestic Statue of Liberty.
The Professional Numismatists Guild, for example, publishes free booklets for beginning collectors (available by writing to: Robert Brueggeman, PNG Executive Director, 3950 Concordia Lane, Fallbrook, CA 92028). The PNG also offers free "quarter boards" for displaying state quarter collections.
The Mint has announced mintage totals for the Washington State Quarter. A total of 545.2 million were released into circulation. Take the leap into the wonderful world of coin collecting with a 1999 Philadelphia Mint State Quarter Set. It comes with all the 1999 state quarters in Brilliant Uncirculated condition and includes custom packaging.
Clearly, the Commemorative Coin Program works best when it benefits collectors and sponsoring organizations alike. Congress has authorized more reasonable mintages, sales have recovered, and the market is significantly more stable.
Perhaps the most notable debate arose in Missouri, where an artist disagreed with the Mint's interpretation of his design. The artist protested in Washington, D.C. outside the Mint and at the Illinois quarter release by pasting his own design onto thousands of quarters and handing them out to bystanders, coin watchers said.
