Buy a book on what you will be looking for. (i.e. Lincolns, Jeffersons, Roosevelts, etc.) Buy a book on the coin making process. Understand that just because something is missing on the coin, such as a letter or number, this doesn't meabn you have an error. Understand that coins, when left in a fountain, underwater whith a good healthy dose of sunshine, are going to look "different" that what you get a the super market. Understand that "people" sometimes mutilate coins.
Time and patience! Here is an error reference website just click through it and enjoy I want to share this website with you - http://www.error-ref.com/
First, welcome to CT. Second, decide what you want to collect, research always helps and go from there. Have fun.
It's what @paddyman98 said. Implied along with that is that you will most likely need to search a LOT of coins; volume is key. Depending on how thorough you are and how many varieties/errors you know about, you may search through hundreds if not thousands of coins to find something cool. If you like Lincoln cents, start there looking for Wheat cents. Low-hanging fruit.
If you're searching pocket change buy folders to house a whole collection. Save the nicest coins you find to fill it and it will provide countless hours of fun and a ready research collection so you can spot varieties.
Oh yeah, I should clarify: Are you looking for errors? Varieties? It's always fun (IMHO) to get a Whitman album (e.g., for Lincoln Cents) and see if you can fill it up by searching pocket change, boxes from the bank, etc.
Hi Zurble, welcome to coin collecting. I was 13 when I started coin collecting (and I am now 71! - sounds old right?) - what several people above have said, decide what you might like to 'collect', many start with Lincoln cents or "pennies" and they get a folder to put them in. (assuming you are in the USA) Whitman Company used to sell them (maybe still do) and they have a nice little round hole punched in the book for each date and mintmark. Begin to look through change, find a coin, put it in the right hole and do it again with a different date/mint mark. for many of us, that is/was fun. good place to start. follow this Coin Talk thingee you've posted to. you will begin to learn so much. from time to time there is something on some topic you totally don't care about, so just go to the next thing. OH! have fun!
Welcome to our new friend! I can't add much to what's already been said, so go have fun! It is indeed a hobby for a lifetime.
Tell us what you're looking for. In general, volume is the key! If important coins were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth looking for.
Wow! i wasn't expecting so many replies. What i had been looking for was mainly the 1958 and under wheat pennies but ill keep my eye out for errors now as well, and ill try to get some folders to hold onto any special pennies i come across now too thanks!
Welcome to the world of coin collecting. The first thing you need to learn is how to say "numismatist." I still mispronounce it on occasion. But seriously, if you have a local coin shop that is trustworthy, visit the coin shop. You will learn a lot. Also, you can see different coins, books and holders that may spark an interest in a particular area. My favorite early sets were wheat pennies and silver war nickels. War nickels were fun because you could build a complete set fairly cheaply and quickly. Anyway, as others have said above, just have fun. Ana
Always an enigma............ Welcome Zurble. Do you collect hamsters too? I don't know......something about the 'handle' makes me think you might.
As mentioned get some books first. Maybe even some albums where you can collect from spare change - even those sets are fun to put together. Learn to grade and have fun! At 13 I was basically putting coins in old Whitman albums - mainly Lincoln cents and Jefferson nickels. And did I mention have fun doing it!!!
When I was your age, I was mostly collecting from circulation and starting a low-grade Buffalo collection. I had albums for everything that I could easily collect from circulation, plus the albums that I was shooting for in low grades that I could afford. I know that circulation and roll hunting has gotten a bit more difficult for some, and what I collect now (19th century) is not likely to be found in rolls. Highly recommend looking into some of the ANA programs aimed toward Young Numismatists. Wish that I had even known that the ANA existed when I was starting out. First, and foremost, they have a "Coins for A's" program. If you earn three or more A's on a report card, they will send you a coin, as well as give you a one-year membership. Not sure if they stack, or not, but the offer sounds like it is good once per report card. Being a new member here, I do not know if I can post links, but I can try: https://www.money.org/young-numismatists/coin-education/coins-for-as Additionally, they have both an Early American Copper and Ancient Coins program for youths, where you complete some tasks in exchange for rewards. You would do things like write a report, give a presentation, etc. Each reward tier gets you additional coins or collecting supplies. Those programs are at: https://www.money.org/young-numismatists/coin-education/early-american-copper-coin-project https://www.money.org/young-numismatists/coin-education/ancient-coin-project For the latter two, you need a membership, I believe - but that is taken care of by the "Coins for A's" program. Best of luck!
This is exactly how I started as well. In those days (1957) every denomination was heavily picked over by collectors. This isn't true for any denomination any longer and the coins in circulation now are much older than they were in those days. There may have never been a better time to collect from pocket change. The rare circulates right along with the mundane.