Buyers of Foreign & Domestic Coins, Coin Collections, Paper currency, placer gold and others

Coin Collecting is basically obtaining or buying, collecting, trading, or selling forms of coins which are struck or minted.

Coins

VALUES | RARE | STORAGE | CLEANING | GRADING | INVESTING

There are many things to consider when investing in coins. There are volumes written on the subject but this will touch on a few items. One thing to remember is if you are interested in collecting and investing: Buy the book before you buy the coin.

Values: Coin values vary from day to day similar to buillon. Their values are determined by various attributes such as market values from dealers, collectors, auctions, coin societies, and sellers. These values will vary by type of coin, grade, availability, and rarity.

Rare: Rarity of a coin is determined mostly by how many there are out there. The older a coin is usually will show rarity if that coin is in good condition. There are those coins that have sold for millions of dollars because of said rarity.

Storage: Safety is paramount for storage. A good safe is required for the collector. Also, the individual storage of a coin is important. DO NOT SKIMP when it comes to storage. For instance: PVC or polyvinylchloride is in various holders available for coins. PVC will damage your coins. The coins stored in PVC will incur a greenish hue that actually adheres to the coin and will decrease its value. Always use archive quality holders, flips, tubes, albums, and boxes for the safe storage of your coins.

Cleaning: NEVER EVER clean your coins. Every time, amateured cleaned coins will drop the coin's value dramatically. In the event that a coin has become damage environmentally as in a fire or flood, these coins can usually be repaired and preserved by a professional cleaning service usually for a fee.

Grading: Another subject that books have been written about is grading. The current grading scale is the Sheldon Scale devised by William H. Sheldon. This scale has a numerical value of coins ranging from 1-70 with 1 being the lowest and 70 being perfect.

Below is an example of the Sheldon Scale
P1	Poor barely discernable features
F2	Type and Date barely readable
AG3	Type and Date readable but worn
G4	Features evident but worn
G6	Full rim features clearly outlines
VG8	Most legends readable, clearly discernable devices and features
F12	Distinct rim, all legends readable, clear devices, some detail, evenly worn
VF20	Clearly readable, lightly worn, rims clean, devices show good detail.
VF30	Legends clear, devices show all details with little wear, high points lightly worn
EF40	Legends sharp, devices clear with slight wear on high points
AU50	Sharp legends and devices wih slight trace of wear on high points
AU55	Only a hint of wear on high points. Must have half of luster/great eye appeal
AU58	Virtually uncirculated/minor wear marks on high points/must have all mint luster and outstanding eye appeal
MS60	Mint State, may have bag marks, toning, and free of wear
MS60-70/Proof	Based primarily on eye appeal, quality of luster and/or toning and possible contact marks or hairlines. the less marks and greater luster gives a higher MS rating. Proofs (PF) is a type of coin which has grades as well but are a type of coin
	Check out the Sheldon Scale on Coin Grading

Investing: Investing in coins is similar to investing in the stock market. Numismatic values of coins can change everyday depending on the availability and quantity of any given coin. This type of investing is a 'long haul' type where one buys the coin and expects it to rise in price in time. Coins that are invested in are Silver Gold, Platinum, Bronze, Copper, and various other metals. Remember, a coin with a small population will not always be worth more than a coin that is plentiful. Do your homework and educate yourself on which coins are profitable and those that are not.

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