Coin Collecting 101
Beginner Coin Collecting Tips For Newbies + Low-Budget Coin Collecting Ideas – Thinking of starting a coin collection? Or maybe you’ve inherited someone else’s collection and you’re not sure how to get it appraised so you know how much the coins are worth. Our coin experts respond quickly to your coin questions, while sharing helpful resources to point you in the right direction when you don’t know much about U.S. coins and their values. See what to watch out for when buying or selling coins, how to find valuable coins in circulation, what you need to know before cleaning coins, tips for storing and protecting your coins, how to get coins graded and appraised, the best coin collecting supplies to start with, low-budget coin collecting advice, and lots of unique resources & tips for collecting coins that you won’t find anywhere else.
Coin Scale Review: What’s The Best Scale For Weighing Coins? Why Do You Need To Weigh Coins Anyway?
A long-time collector's coin scale review to help you decide on the best coin scale for your needs. See how to weigh coins on a scale, how to calibrate a digital scale for weighing coins, the best coin scale that's super affordable, and why you need to weigh coins in the first place!
Zinc Lincoln Pennies: Hidden Treasures in Your Pocket Change!
The zinc Lincoln penny has been made since 1982. All about zinc pennies, how much they're worth, and how many exist today!
Copper vs. Zinc Pennies: How To Tell If You Have A Copper Penny Or A Zinc Penny
Do you know how to tell a copper penny from a zinc penny? Here are 4 ways to tell if you have a copper penny vs. a zinc penny. When you finish reading these 4 tips, you'll know how to quickly tell zinc pennies from copper pennies!
Unlock the Secrets of U.S. Coin Mintmarks!
What are mint marks? Mintmarks are small letters stamped on U.S. coins that designate where the coin was made. Where a coin was minted affects its value. See which coins each U.S Mint facility made. And what a U.S. coin without a mintmark means. (Some are rare error coins. Others are not supposed to have a mint mark.)
Large Date vs. Small Date Penny Facts: What Are The Differences? Why Does It Matter? How Does It Affect The Value?
Here's how to tell a large vs. small date penny (similarities and differences). Plus, see the value of a 1982 small date penny, 1970 small date penny, 1960 small date penny -- and large date pennies for those same years, too!
How To Start Coin Collecting: The Best Supplies For Kids
The young coin collector needs a way to store their coin collection. But sometimes young collectors need supplies that are particularly suitable for their little hands, desire for fun, and tendency for mishandling. What do you buy for the young person's coin collection? Here are some ideas.
Are Old Coin Supplies Damaging Your Collection?
Thinking of buying old coin collecting supplies such as books, folders, albums, or display cases? A coin expert's opinion before you buy used coin supplies.
First-Year Coins: Why The First Coin In A Coin Series Is Popular
The first coin of any coin series is always among the most collected, so it's no surprise that first-year coins are tops on many coin collectors' want lists!
Understanding Slabbed Coins: Value & Rarity
Slabbed coins are often expensive, high-grade, and rare coins. Slabbed coins often represent a 'safe buy'. Here's what you need to know about slabbed coins.
Stop! Before You Clean That Coin, Read This!
If a coin is bright and shiny because it was well preserved or just came from the Mint, that is a good thing. However, if a coin is bright and shiny because it was cleaned by an amateur, that is a whole different story. Cleaning a coin generally lessens its value.
Coin Damage vs. Mint Errors: PMD, PSD & Value
Post Mint Damage (or Post Strike Damage) refers to any damage a coin has suffered after leaving the U.S. Mint -- including scratches, dings, holes, bumps, nicks, and gouges. See how to tell damaged coins apart from error coins, plus the value of damaged coins.
Proof Coins & Proof Sets: How They’re Made, How Much They’re Worth & Where To Get Them
Proof coins represent the finest, the very best, that any U.S. Mint has to offer. You see, proof doesn't refer to a particular grade. Rather, proof refers to the result when a coin is manufactured in a special way. Proof coins vary greatly from their business strike -- regular, circulation-quality -- counterparts and they take a different path in the Mint.