How to Begin a Coin Collection

There are a lot of coin how-to's on the internet, in publications that you can purchase and even advice from seasoned collectors but there is very little in the way of how to start a collection for beginners. The information can be overwhelming and confusing. From which coins are out there that beginners have never even heard of to techincal jargon such as MS, PR and VAM for example. Where should you start? Here are my top five tips for breaking into the facinating world of coin collecting without breaking the bank.

1. Before spending any money, begin with your pocket change. There are a couple of reasons I am an advocate of pocket change collecting. The first is that there is no financial risk...it's pocket change. What this does is gives you experience is examining and handling coins. There are some really interesting coins in circulation right now from the State Quarters to the various Jefferson Nickels. Both of these coins have a lot of variety. If you have never noticed them, now is the time to take a few moments to examine the different designs. The other reason I advocate starting with pocket change is so that you can appreciate design. Many people don't give a second thought to their pocket change. There really are some great designs out there with the quarter and nickel varieties. With just your pocket change, you can search for information on the designer, the history and mintage information. This sets you on a path of education on coins. With education comes more interest. Just searching for information on the Lincoln Cent will give you information you probably never knew. Once you start appreciateing what's in your pocket, you'll get an idea of what kinds of coins you'd like to collect.