hey guys, so im not a coin collector but due to a couple recent events my views on coin collecting have changed. i always thought it was a geeky hobby, but my mind has changed completely. anyways i was putting my change in my piggy bank a few weeks back and i noticed i had a quarter dated in 1943. it kind of just threw me back a bit and i started to think about this old quarter. its kind of humbling noticing the wear on the coin and it has a sense of power considering its been holding strong for over half a century. the next day i was jingling my coins in my pocket and it didn't make the normal coin jingle im accustomed too. i inspect all the coins and find out im holding a quarter from 1964 that seems to be made of a different metal possibly. it also felt much lighter. anyways, i still have these quarters (theres no value in them im assuming) not because i think their worth anything, but they are giving me the drive to peruse this as a hobby. im just wondering if you guys can help a new guy out. how do i get started? how do i hunt for coins? what drives you guys to be numismatics (thats the correct term right?)? what do i do next? i appreciate you all for taking your time to read this, and hopefully taking so time to help a new guy out Ryan
Ryan: First, do you realize that both of your quarters are silver? All quarters, dimes and half dollars from 1964 and before are made of 90% silver. As for knowledge, stop at a book store and pick up a copy of "A Guide Book of United States Coins" by R.S. Yeoman, edited by Ken Bressett. It will give you an excellent start on your search for knowledge. Although the pricing information is out of date, since the coin hobby's pricing changes constantly, you will learn about the different types of coins that were made by the US. Take some time to read and learn and you will find that the hobby can be a fascinating study. What drives me? The desire to learn, acquire, complete a collection, find new varieties, and just an enjoyment of the hobby. In addition, there are some really great folks out there that you will meet and learn from. Good Luck.
Hi Ryan and welcome to the forum :thumb: Me I am a coin collecter (cant even say that other big word LOL) Why do I collect coins, well I am a history buff, so love to be able to hold a & own a artifact from 100's of years ago To add to this I love the art work of some of them , they can be so detailed I also collect stamps for much the same reason LOL De Orc
to CoinTalk daysaway. To answer your question "numimatics" is the subject matter studied by "numismatists". Follow Treashunt's advice and buy a Red Book, but also visit your local public library and take a look at the Standard Catalog of World Coins from Krause Publications, to get some grounding in the fascinating topic of worldwide coinage. I don't recommend a newcomer buying the multi-volume set which takes up nearly 10" on my bookshelf at the beginning of their journey into the wonderful world of coin collecting.
Welcome aboard, Ryan. First off, congratulations on the finds. It is not unheard of, but pretty rare to find 2 silver quarters in a few weeks time.... I have yet to find one in my pocket change or even in looking through rolls of quarters from the bank. If you are curious, your two quarters contain around $2.40 worth of silver each (this is refered to as their intrinsic value or melt value). So even if they are beaten up a bit and carry no real premium as collector pieces, they still have a value well above their $.25 face value. Plus they come from a time when money meant something. There is great history in those coins... one of them even has been making its way around since WWII. Who knows who could have held and spent that coin before it found its way to you. These are some of the ideas that spur some of us as collectors. Coin collecting, stamp collecting, model railroads, planes... just about any hobby CAN be geeky. They can also be fun and enjoyable ways to spend time. I'm going to make some suggestions seemingly against the sentiments of the others here, but I realize that not everyone wants to put money into books and spend hours, days or more researching to see if they want to pursue a hobby. So, go to the bank ask for some rolls of coins. Get some pennies (the purists only refer to them as cents) look for old wheat backs, look for older ones, 60's and 70's, that still have bright color to them (refered to as Red). Get some nickels. Search for 50's and older... you may find one that has a large letter (mint mark) over the dome of Monticello on the back. These are made of 35% silver and were produced for a few years during WWII because nickel was needed for the war effort. Half dollars can frequent yield older silver coins since they don't see as broad of a circulation, they haven't been picked through quite so much... anything 1964 and earlier is made of 90% silver. The rest of the 60's were 40% silver. This only goes for half dollars. They continued to put silver in them after 1964 to tribute JFK. By 1971 the half dollar was changed to the same composition as the quarter and dime. Also, if you find anything that just doesn't look right, something that looks like an error was made when the coins were produced, there could be something worthwhile there. This is the simplest and most cost effective way to see if you have a desire for collecting. You can also find a dealer and purchase common low-value coins. For under $20 you can get a nice selection of old silver coins that you're not likely to see in circulation... Mercury dimes can be had for about $1 a piece, silver quarters for about $2.50, Franklin and Walking Liberty half dollars for about $5.00. The Walking Liberty half dollar is a beautiful coin, and gives a sense of art and history that you just don't see anymore. Dealers often have bargain bins that you can look through and get different coins for cheap. It's not going to hurt you to pick up a few different coins that don't have presidents on them for a few bucks, and it may give you a direction in what interests you most. You may find that Indian Head Cents or Buffalo Nickels are your thing. Then you have an idea of what you most want to spend your time researching. This is how I started. Having a small collection of unusual coins that I found in bank rolls or purchased from a dealer at melt value gave me an interest to learn more. Read through some of the threads on the forum here. You can learn almost as much here as you can in some of the books that I have read. However, before you ever consider buying gold or high dollar rare coins, do exactly what was mentioned above, get the books. Study, study, study. There are plenty of people out there who will happily take your money and give you fake or overvalued coins in return. Everyone will make some mistakes along the way. Even seasoned collectors sometimes get scammed, but knowledge is the key to minimizing the risk. Again, welcome to the "Hobby of Kings" I hope you find it interesting and enjoyable.
Great post Check_M. Ryan, the only thing I can add is that you should go to a local coin show. Browse the tables and see all of that HISTORY right in front of you. This simple visit got me started many years ago. Pick a coin type/series that really intrigues you and start collecting. Set a budget and in no time your collection will grow right before your eyes. This is a great hobby.
