Welcome to the Coin Collector Guide!
Collecting coins is so much more than just a hobby. Collecting coins is an investment. Learn how to get the best out of collecting coins here.
Here you will find detailed information about some of the most popularly collected coins as well as articles about coin care, coin history, error and die variety coins and more.
Coin collecting can be both enjoyable and profitable. If you would like to build a valuable coin collection read and learn as much as you can about the hobby.
On these pages you can learn about the history and design of coins, how to make the best decisions on which coins to buy, how to store and protect your coins and other information about the hobby.
To see more, or to find what you are looking for, use the search box, browse through the categories, or see the full index of articles. The newest articles are listed below.
Lincoln Wheat Cent
1909 – 1958
The Lincoln Wheat Cent was designed by Victor David Brenner, and is well known by several different names, but is probably most often referred to as the Wheat Penny.
In average circulated grades most Wheat Cents are valued at around $0.10 or less, but some high grade specimens can fetch in tens of thousands of dollars. For example, in 1914 less than 1.2 million cents were struck at the Denver Mint. As a result a 1914-D Lincoln Wheat Cent can sale for more than $25,000.00.
Another “key” wheat penny to look for is the 1909-S which even in poor grades is worth hundreds of dollars. This is the one which has the initials of the designer, “V.D.B.”, on the lower right side of the reverse. Less than half a million of these were struck before the initials...
US Large Cents
1793 – 1857
From 1793 through 1857 the US cent was much larger than what we are accustomed to today. These cents ranged from 27 mm to 29 mm in diameter, quite large when compared to the modern Lincoln Cent which is only 19 mm in diameter.
Different designs were used for US Large Cents:
1793 Flowing Hair Large Cent ~ (chain reverse)
This was actually the first time that the Federal Government minted a coin using its own equipment and facilities. Only 36,103 Flowing Hair Large Cents were struck with the chain reverse. The fact that these coins were minted in such low numbers along with it being struck for only 1 year make this one of the rarest US coins for collectors. Depending upon the condition an example of this large cent can be worth anywhere from several thousand dollars to half...
Kennedy Half Dollar
1964 – Current
Three months after the assasination of President Kennedy the US Mint changed the design of the silver half dollar to honor JFK. In 1964, when the Kennedy Half Dollar was first minted, it contained the usual 90% silver content (11.25 g) that Americans were familiar with.
A year later the silver content was reduced and the coin was lightened. From 1965 up through 1970 Kennedy Half Dollars contain only 40% silver, which comes out to 4.60 g per coin. When 1971 rolled around Americans were presented with half dollars which contained nothing more than copper and nickel.
Kennedy Half Dollar
In 1965 the composition of US dimes and quarters were also changed to remove the silver. And finally in 1970, with the removal of silver from the half dollar, the days of silver coinage being...
Collecting U.S. State Quarters
Since the release of the individual state quarters, coin collecting has become a more popular hobby.
The U.S. State Quarter program began in 1999 and each state was released in the order in which it joined the union. The U.S. Mint estimates that around 147 million people have been collecting the state quarters since their release.
The program is also credited for drawing in new collectors and increasing the general public’s interest in coin collecting overall. Due to its popularity, more coin programs are currently in the works for the next several years.
The process in which each design was selected took cooperation from congress, the U.S. Mint, and each individual state. Once the governor is contacted, the state provided three to five narrative descriptions of possible design ideas. This...
Collecting British Coins
Collecting British Coins can be quite a fun hobby, but it can also be a pretty expensive Hobby. Although you can pick up some bronze roman coins for about $2 a piece. But at the other end of the scale you have something like the 1933 penny which is worth about $50,000.
Firstly you need to decide where to start your collection. You can choose to collect a particular denomination from a particular date, or you could choose to collect a type set from a particular sovereign. There are quite a number of avid British coin collectors in Britain and United States. A good way to get information and learn more about collecting British coins is to join forums where you can talk to like-minded people who share your interest. There are also many weblogs on coin collecting full of useful and interesting...
US Commemorative Coins 2007 – 2008
2007
The Virginia Company of London, England landed on the shores of what would be the United States of America in 1607. These would be the first English settlers in the New World. The 400th anniversary of their settlement, Jamestown (named for King James of England) was honored with two commemorative coins.
The silver dollar coin has on its obverse an engraving of three faces representing diversity of the different cultures brought together in the New World. On its reverse there is the image of the three ships that brought the English Virginia Company to North America; The Susan Constant, Godspeed, and the Discovery. (500,000 minted) It is 90% silver and 10% copper.
Jamestown Commemorative Silver Dollar
The five dollar gold coin has on its obverse the legendary Captain John Smith meeting...
Early Commemorative Coins of The United States
During the past 120 years, the United States has released hundreds of commemorative coins. Commemorative coins are always minted for a specific reason such as to honor a person, institution, place or some historic event that has shaped America.
The U.S. first began to mint commemorative coins in the late 1800′s and stopped producing them for awhile back in 1954. It wasn’t until 1982 that the United States began minting commemorative coins again and any coins minted after this date are referred to as Modern Commemorative Coins.
Legislation instated in 1996 limited the number of commemorative coins that Congress could require the mint to produce to only two different coins annually. It also put a limit on the number of commemorative coins that could be minted during a year.
1848 Gold...
Early U.S. Gold Coins Are The Most Prized Rare Coins
Gold coins have been one of the most popular forms of legal tender since ancient times. The Egyptians first introduced gold coins around 2,700 BC, although these coins were primarily used as gifts.
While the first United States gold coins aren’t quite that old, they’ve became one of the most sought after, highly treasured coins for rare coin collectors.
In fact, gold coins make up the largest percentage of the rare coin market. And, for good reason, gold coins offer everything that a serious coin collector looks for! Gold coins offer eye appeal, historical significance, rarity and are great investments!
United States gold coins were minted for commerce in the U.S. and overseas up until 1933. Minting numbers varied from just a few hundred of one coin to millions of other coins being...
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