Hello! I'm a newbie to cointalk I started collecting back in 2004 during the keelboat nickel period. (august 2004) I got into it pretty decently and have hoarded my fair share of nickel rolls. I have opened up "some" but each time I open a roll I just slap them in 2x2 flips and try to figure out what's an error and what's not. I did get a ocean in view coin that in the wording on the reverse "Ocean in view oh the joy" had a extra piece of metal that made it look like this "Ocean i\n view oh the joy". I'm just wondering what such a coin would be worth or if others have obtained a like coin too. This is my 1st time posting and I saw this website about an hour ago and would like to learn more about coins. As well as how to find rares or special coins. I received a couple 40% silver half dollars at least I think they are being 1967 - and 1969 D when I cashed my check last friday and asked for any half dollars. please give me as much advice as anyone can or wants to give I wanna learn as much about coins as possible. Thanks for your time. Alex
Welcome to cointalk Alex. 40% silver halves are from 65-70, so you have some silver. Please post a pic of the nickel if you can so we can better evaluate it. Third link from the right at top to search for specific things until your questions are answered or just to learn more.
the nickel sounds like a die chip or retained strike through error the latter of the two being more valuable. Welcome!
Well welcome to cointalk.... Any questions that you have, can be asked, and most likely answered here
Well I collect gold coins, mainly US. But from anywhere really. Welcome! I guess you could say I accumulate them. The best thing, and I wish I did this more, was learn how to grade coins. Because a grade of a coin is a matter of opinion, generally the grades from one person to another can vary. It is not a quantitive thing like weather the coin is real or not. Go to coin shows, look at as many slabbed coins as possible. Get a friend, who is willing to teach you how to grade and spend the time to do so. There are some good books by the ANA on how to grade . Photograde and the ANA standards book is good, also PCGS guide to grading and counterfeit detection. Grades vary because there are many different variables in grading such as eye appeal, strike, luster and wear. A great way to learn about coins is to go to Heritage auction archives and look at coins. Take some classes at the ANA summer seminia. I took a Grading, Conservation and counterfeit detection class when they were in phoenix here. I mainly took it just for the counterfeit detection, which is what I study. Here are some great books to get you started. You may also want to get some error books on coins, the cherrypickers guide is great for finding die varieties (which means back in the old days when dies were engraved by hand each one was slightly different, because they were engraved by hand, thus creating a slightly different variety in each series of coin) Ken potter is great as well (research it on the net), and CONCEA (sp?) Here are some good books to get you started: Here's some extra books you can read: http://www.amazon.com/Cherrypickers-.../dp/0794820530 http://www.amazon.com/Numismatic-For.../dp/0974237124 http://www.amazon.com/United-States-.../dp/0914490214 http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide.../dp/0375720502 And finally here's a great article on counterfeit detection: http://www.pcgs.com/articles/article1796.chtml http://hermes.csd.net/~coneca/ (Error variety wealth of information) http://koinpro.tripod.com/ Ken Potter's site, a goldmine for error collectors. It may also help to understand intimately how coins are struck at the different mints, throughout history. This may help understanding the process of errors easier. For example, understanding how striking coins helps with learning counterfeit detection. A good example of this is a depression, which are filled in luster crators on a coin, because they were struck, unlike a contact mark on a coin which is shiny and does not blend in with the fields. The metal flow from the counterfeit transfier die with the planchet caused the metal to flow over the coin, creating luster in the depression.
Welcome to the forum Alex! The first and most important thing that anyone can learn in this hobby is PATIENCE! Take your time and learn about the coin that interest you. The saying "buy the book before the coin" is good advice to follow, read everything that you can find about coins you are wanting to collect. And as GoldCoinLover has said "learn how to grade", this will allow you to know which coin to buy and which ones to pass on. Again Welcome and I hope we see you around here a lot.
........welcome to the forums. here is a site that you may find interesting. especially if you like to roll search, like many of us. http://www.collectorscorner.org/pocket.html#Proof
