Hey, I am new to the hobby and have wanted to dive straight in by buying some interesting coins. I've had my eye on a few coins lately. For the most part I like them wiith some historical significance. Anyways I have yet to buy a book but will make my way to barnes and nobles on my next day off. Meanwhile I am using the internet to get by. I mostly go off what other dealers are offering as mcsearch.info does not have data on every coin. So hopefully you all could help me by giving me an idea of what these coins should go for. All of the ones below are around the 100-300 dollar range online. But I do see them going for a lot more. Thanks Larry
I apologize I posted In a rush. Here's some background info. 1766 ms63 (advertised as silver) penny George II 1811 w vf30 5 francs 1718 Philip v 2 reales
don't fall for the old trick of buying the best available example from the off, better to start small and work upwards, i started as kid by scanning my change and my brother brought me coins from wherever he served when he was in the army. my collection started to expand at a rate of knots when i joined the royal navy and i collected coins from the countries i visited, but the real boom was when i left the navy and worked in the civil service i soon developed a love of english civil war coinage and i also started a coin business as a sideline. i soon was able to afford coins from the top end of the market but i still collected general issues from around the world.
Great advice. If you are just getting into the hobby, you don't want to buy damaged junk, but you also don't need to wade in full bore with your wallet. Start off small, collect some cheaper coins until you get the hang of it. Knowledge is power, and you might as well make your mistakes on cheap coins than expensive ones.
That is great advice. I have been collecting the more common American coins since I was a child but am now wanting to invest more time and money into my collection. But as you mentioned I don't want to empty out my wallet or get taken for a ride. Maybe my best bet would be to invest in some books first. Any suggestions on world coin books from 12th century to modern? Ive been looking at the FAQ section and its been very helpful. Still I would like to know what average cost of these coins are until I purchase my own resources. Btw please excuse my ignorance. I've been posting a lot in the forum because I am trying to learn how to buy rare coins. I don't want to anger the more experienced members with ignorant questions especially with the amount of resources available. I just need to be pointed in the right direction until I can obtain some books.
Maybe I misunderstood the first gentleman, but if someone is set on buying, be it a newbie or lifelong collector, acquiring the best example possible is much wiser (within reason) than buying low end dreck. That said, I absolutely agree with everything else both of you said. He would do well to start small and learn as much as possible before placing real money (per his situation) on the table. Mistakes really are best made when they hurt the least. I do not see this happening, but anyone who would or could become angry over honest and sincere questions is not worth your time. Ask away..... You will need to narrow this down a bit (actually, a lot) if you wish to hear anything more than the most general recommendations. Which areas are of the most interest to you? For US coins, Breen's encyclopedia is an excellent starting point as long as you understand that it was printed over 20 years ago and that a portion of the information is no longer accurate. There are also other issues well worth discussing if this was a book you wished to buy. If you want to invest time and money into your collection, I highly suggest you first invest your time into learning as much as possible, and your money into as many quality reference materials as possible. The longer you read here, the more you will see a certain faction who do not want to spend on books (or spend as little as possible), and in time their collection will usually suffer for this mistake. The best books (usually) cost good money, but can also pay for themselves many times over if used wisely, so if serious, do not be afraid to spend. Many of the better books also hold their value, so the investment can be that much more solid. As I mentioned earlier, it is almost always best to buy the highest quality example of a coin you can afford, but until/unless you can identify such coins, this can be easier said than done. While there is nothing wrong with starting with low-end and/or average coins to learn with, I believe caution must be used here too as there is no reason to waste money on a bunch of widgets or dreck you will be buried in, unless you are the type who wants a large and varied collection. Once you have taken time to learn the basics and discover where your interests are, it may be worth searching out a good and honest dealer who is willing to work with you. Even though you might pay more than if going after the same types of coins yourself, the right dealer can offer other benefits that can far outweigh a minimal price difference. No matter what you decide, take it slow and enjoy the ride.
As for books sir, generically for "world" coins I would suggest KM catalogs. They are more for knowledge than pricing information. If you really are getting into a certain country, its always best to buy specialty books on that country. These specialty books is where you will REALLY learn about the coinage. Its a wise move to have all pertinent information before spending serious money. I always have said numismatic books more than pay for themselves both in money and increased enjoyment of your hobby. If you have any questions about what books are good for certain countries, please just ask. Btw, never worry about "insulting" us with beginner questions. That is why many of us are here, to help those just starting. Chris
I appreciate the help. I actually have a few different areas of interest so I may just post another thread. But generally I am very interested in counter stamped coins, 12th - 18th century European coins, ancient roman and Greek coins, and american/colonial - 18th - 19th century coins. Id love to know what book recommendations you have for these. A good book on mint marks would be helpful also. French empire coins, the British penny(medieval), and colonial Spanish coins are very interesting in particular. But, I probably need a general value guide for these European coins and something to help me learn how to spot a counterfeit. Also, how do you compare prices of coins? Do you just see what else is available?
Wow, wide range. For US coins, I echo the recommendation of Breen, but you could just start with a Redbook. Buy a cheap copy a couple of years old, (like the KM catalogs). For 15th-20th century, KM should cover it. For earlier European coins, you have to get specific as to country. For countermarked coins, I believe the author if Bruck. Quarterman reprinted it, but unfortunately you just missed the clearance sale his son had. Greek and Roman? Those are whole other animals. For Roman imperial, I suggest the 88 edition of Sear "roman coins and their values". Best single volume on the subject. After that, there is a whole world of books. Greeks are particularly hard. Put it this way, I have about 650 books in my library on coins, about 600 on ancient coins, and I am no where near complete in my eyes. For Greek and Roman we really need to know what you wish to collect. For Roman, is it Republican, Imperial, provincial, from a certain area? All of those areas have completely different literature needs. Sear will be a start. He also did a two volume Greek coins and their values. While outdated, and a very tiny part of greek coinage, its a start.
Thanks for the reply. I already had my eye on the red book. Too bad I missed the sale but I could still get it for 250 :/. I guess I could narrow my European interest to English, Spanish, and French. Italian and German coins are nice too.
***FOR BOOKSB4COINS** when one is new to the hobby one can easily fall prey to the more unscrupulous dealers just by their sheer naivety, better to gain a good amount of knowledge about the hobby before spending big on coins which may be inflated in price. personally i have owned 3 newark halfcrowns from the english civil war at one time or another, each a better grade than the last. when i bought my first halfcrown i didn't know a massive amount about the siege coinage but as my knowledge expanded i went for the better end of the market, because i was confident of not being ripped off!
uk coins are an excellent subject with over 2,000 years of issues. but don't buy the special collector coins, as they are just not worth the trouble. i would recommend a uk farthing collection by and large they are relatively inexpensive to buy with only a few costing large amounts of money, but they are a superb series
World Countermarks on Medieval and Modern coins by Brunk is $250? That is highway robbery. I think I paid $35? That was cheap, but $250 is out of line. If you wish to get access to out of print books cheaper than internet sellers, PM me and I will give you a list of numismatic book auctions where things go more reasonable. With patience I am sure you can get it for around $50-75.
I appreciate the clarification and do agree with your very valid point. How one wishes to move forward with their hobby really depends on what they want to get out of it. For most, it is best to start with lesser and/or inexpensive coins while building knowledge/experience, while for others I firmly believe that finding a good dealer who is willing to work with them an acceptable route, but as you mentioned, there are less than fair dealers hoping to take advantage, so caution must be used. Again, all depends on the individual. Thanks again for the clarification, sir.
The brunk book I am looking at is merchant and privately counter marked coins: advertising on the smallest billboards. Is 250 a fair price for this one?
I am all for the UK coins! Best book, which will cover pretty much all you need unless you go off into tokens, is the Spinks "Coins of England & The United Kingdom" which is issued each year. It covers coins minted or generally used in England from about 150BC to date. As a new one is issued each year (to take account of modern issues, as well as updates on prices and information on older ones) it should be possible to pick up an older copy very cheaply. Copper/Bronze farthings are a good low cost starting point, with the milled series running from 1672 to 1956. Prior to that there are a few hammered coppers, and then back into the very small Silver farthings of the medieval period. I am always happy to discuss British coins so PM me if you have queries or you want help locating specifics. Paddy
Indeed that is a great start for the beginner, I literally read my first example so much at the dinner table etc when I was a kid that I had no choice but to be more knowledgeable on them. It sure helps whence you occasion the unique opportunity to sift through hoards of coins like I have and be able to play picky choosy with the occasional goodies. Heck I have even found very rare Norse coins that were in mixes of dug up stuff that were otherwise thought to be from the British Isles whence in fact they were likely booty or a trade coin acquired from over the water. JJ North wrote about the coinage from that era and his books are another step up the ladder from the Spink coverage. They are a bit cheesy for the adverts and self promo but the Coincraft catalogues do have lots of helpful hints on collecting.
