Description
Book SynopsisDiscover a new hobbyor refine your existing techniqueswith this practical coin collecting handbook In Coin Collecting For Dummies, professional rare coin dealer Neil Berman delivers a hands-on and fun guide to the intriguing hobby of numismaticsalso known as coin collection! You'll learn how to buy, sell, grade, value, handle, and store your coins, as well as how to decide what kind of coins you should collect and how to assemble or diversify your collection. In this book, you'll also find out how to: Evaluate coins based on their age, condition, rarity, and moreNavigate and make use of auction houses that deal in the buying and selling of rare coinsMake the most of your new hobby by learning where to find rare coins and how to complete your collections There's no one right way to collect coins. But Coin Collecting For Dummies will show you how to avoid the most common pitfalls and take advantage of some handy tips, tricks, and best practices that make collecting coins even more fun and exciting. Perfect for the novice collector, or seasoned veterans looking for the latest news in coin grading and history, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the fascinating world of coin collection.
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1
Part 1: Making Heads and Tails out of Coin Collecting 5
Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of Coin Collecting 7
Chapter 2: Understanding Numismatics 15
Chapter 3: Arming Yourself with Knowledge 27
Chapter 4: Storing Your Collection Correctly 41
Part 2: Ancient to Present Day: Choosing Coins for Your Collection 59
Chapter 5: Showing Their True Age: Ancient Coins 61
Chapter 6: Making a Safe Bet with U.S. Coins 67
Chapter 7: Globetrotting with World Coins 71
Chapter 8: Exploring the Wild Side with Rare, Expensive, and Esoteric Coins 77
Part 3: Focusing on U.S. Coins 87
Chapter 9: Colonial Coins: America’s Ancients 89
Chapter 10: Copper and Nickel Coins: Made for the Masses 105
Chapter 11: Silver Coins: Keeping Commerce Alive 127
Chapter 12: Gold Coins: Concentrated Wealth 159
Chapter 13: Commemoratives: Raising Money with Money 179
Chapter 14: Advancing to Oddball Coins 191
Part 4: Buying and Selling Coins the Safe Way 201
Chapter 15: Wheeling and Dealers 203
Chapter 16: Grading and Authenticity, Rarity, and the Establishment of Value 213
Chapter 17: Foiling the Fakes 229
Chapter 18: Grading with the Pros 247
Chapter 19: Selling Your Coins Yourself 257
Chapter 20: Going Once, Going Twice: Buying at Auction 271
Chapter 21: The Coin Auction Arena 283
Chapter 22: Coin Investments, Taxes, and the Law 293
Part 5: The Part of Tens 299
Chapter 23: The Ten Most Valuable U.S. Coins 301
Chapter 24: Ten Favorite U.S. Coin Designs 311
Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Get Your Kids Involved in Coin Collecting 317
Glossary 323
Index 331
