How to Start Collecting Coins

If you are interested in starting to get into the wonderful world of coin collecting then you should know that you are about to enter into what is lovingly referred to as the hobby of kings. The title dates back to an age around the Renaissance when no one but royalty could afford to delve into such a pastime. Fortunately that is no longer the case and virtually anyone can enjoy the hobby of collecting coins no matter what their starting budget is.

As a beginner, you are likely far from knowing too much about what you're getting into and that's okay. You are likely starting out of sheer curiosity or because you've come across a coin or two in recent times that have made you grow an appreciation for them as an art form. It could also be that you were studying up on a certain nation or period of history and realized that coins make wonderful artefacts to represent those things.

Whatever your reason for getting into the hobby is, take comfort in knowing that it can be an easy hobby to start up. Some of the advice that follows will assume that you don't know yet exactly what types of coins you are going to be collecting. That's okay. That's the whole reason you're a beginner!

Start small

Start with something small and even common. One of the easiest things to collect is pennies because they turn up just about everywhere and manage to stay in circulation for a very long time. An easy way to collect them is by year. Lincoln pennies are a common type to collect, and many beginners aim to gather on of every year. Another place to start off is with foreign coins, or any coin that you come across that strikes you as aesthetically pleasing.

Get an album

Get a coin album or scrapbook. Many of these are geared towards beginners and have inserts pre-assigned for certain types of coins. In a way, this will give you a bit of a mission for once you get going. What the album really accomplishes though is that it gives you a place to keep and show off your start up collection. It's more attractive than a jar and more cost efficient than a glass display case.

Start branching off

Those beginner collections like pennies are great because they are something that you can complete after a minimal amount of time, and that can give you a nice sense of pride to boost you along the way. In the process though, try gathering some coins that you are less familiar with.

Start researching

Research everything from those new coins you've discovered to the Lincoln pennies. Find out what their history is and what they can be potentially worth. This will give you a bit more of an appreciation for what you've got, but also help open your eyes to what interests you about coins the most.

Find a concentration

By this point you should hopefully have a better idea about what kind of coins you want to collect. Now is the time to be a bit more choosey and do research even before the acquisitions. Buy carefully and have fun.