Sheldon kalnitsky - Basics of collecting coinsIf you are thinking about starting the fun hobby of coin collecting there are a few basics you should learn that will help you get started on the right foot and might even save you some money. One issue is with coin collecting is that there are so may different types of coins to collect that a novice might but be overwhelmed and get frustrated. Relax, this has happened to many others before you and the fact is most coin collectors concentrate in certain types of coins as there is no way unless you are extremely wealthy that you could collect every coin ever made from around the world.

Even though the U.S. State Quarter Program has been extremely popular Sheldon think that there are so many people collecting them that it will be a long time before they become very valuable. Still, they are a really good way to begin coin collecting particularly if you are on a tight budget.

Buy a good quality magnifying glass and spend the time to study how to grade and value coins and you will be much better off in the long run than just blindly taking someone’s word for the grade of a coin unless it has been certified and is in a sealed holder.

There is coin collecting software available for organizing collections but if you are just starting out save your money for building your collection with value coins and as your collection grows look at getting a software package to help manage your collection.

Try and buy the best quality coins you can afford as higher grade coins are worth more and appreciate in value quicker but don’t feel like you need to have the highest grade coins immediately. Part of the fun of coin collecting is always trying to get better your collection with a better grade of coin whether you found it in change, bought it or traded for it.

Start slowly and learn as much as you can about coin collecting before spending any major amount of money and you will be happier in the long run. Coin collecting can be a lifelong pursuit that is particularly rewarding so don’t rush and enjoy the journey.