How to Start a Coin Collection

Coin collecting is an entertaining and educational hobby. It’s fun and easy to do. You can easily start a coin collection and begin to enjoy being a numismatist. Well, that’s not completely accurate because a numismatist is actually a scientist who studies coins, but you can impress your friends by telling them you’ve taken up numismatics.

Gather Information About Starting a Coin Collection

When you start anything new, the first step is to gather information. Learn about starting a coin collection. Since there are lots of resources, you can find information on starting a coin collection in books (go to the library and look through some before you buy your own), magazines, websites, and from other coin collectors. Go to a coin shop, and just talk to the people there. They love to share information, and they’ll tell you about coin shows and other events where you can learn more about starting a coin collection.

Decide What Kind of Coin Collection to Start

A word of caution here, you may start out collecting US State quarters, but before you know it, coin collecting can take over your life. Oh, it’s subtle at first, it will be US State quarters, and then you’ll start looking for silver quarters. Then you’ll get interested in silver dollars…and before you know it your coin collection will need its own room. So exercise some care when you start your coin collection. But you do have to begin somewhere, even if it’s just collecting your change in a jar for a while until you figure out which coins you want to collect.

Spend a Little Coin

Sorry about the pun, but this is the point at which you actually start your coin collection. You buy a book about Lincoln head pennies, or a folder to put buffalo head nickels in, and you’ve begun. You’ve invested actual money in your coin collection, and now it’s an official hobby.

Invest a Little Time

Another word of caution: invest a little time. Don’t let your coin collection consume all of your time. You need time for entertainment, time to spend with friends and family, time to eat and sleep… Spend a little time going through your coins and finding new ones for your collection. Spend a little time talking to other coin collectors (and make new friends so that you can spend time with friends while working on your coin collection). Spend a little time going to coin shows, or searching for that one specific coin you need, or trading with other coin collectors… Just don’t forget to go to work.