Best collectible coins & medals books according to redditors
We found 242 Reddit comments discussing the best collectible coins & medals books. We ranked the 106 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 242 Reddit comments discussing the best collectible coins & medals books. We ranked the 106 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
That is an awesomely insane amount of dimes. Can you post a picture, for science?
Now, some tips from someone who has mass-sorted 10s of thousands of dimes, nickels and pennies:
...up to 1945
Once done:
Good luck !!!
Years of roll searching, and the Whitman's Red Book
Grab a bunch of Saflips. They're archival quality and contain no chemicals that will harm your coins, like PVC. I store mine in slab boxes.
For your banknotes, I'd highly recommend one of these binders. It'll hold about 45 notes before it gets too full. I comes with 20 sleeves and you can buy refill packs of 10 sleeves.
If you want to try and fill a binder for each of your coin types, I would highly recommend Dansco albums.
Also, grab a copy of the 2017 Red Book. It's the standard coin guide for American coins. Also available on iBooks.
Rule #1:
NEVER talk about Silver Club.
You've probably already told some friends, and siblings/parent will also blab. Odds are high your house is gonna get ransacked the next time the family is out of town. If you can change the combo to the gun safe, do it right now. If anyone needs their gun out of there, you can open it for them without them seeing the combination, until you can get a high-rated anti-burglary safe that you can bolt down. If you can't change the combo on the gun safe, then, like anewmolt says, don't store it all in one spot. Don't hide it anywhere obvious, like your sock drawer or in your bedroom closet or in a bookcase.
And tell NO ONE where you hid it. The only way two people can keep a secret is if one is dead and the other got to him before he could tweet or post on Facebook.
Take a detailed inventory, as skakid suggests. Even old silver bars can sometimes be worth more than melt value if they're Engelhard, for example.
Now for some fun stuff.
Take all the old coins, and "eyeball" their grade yourself here: http://www.pcgs.com/photograde
Just find your coin, and scroll through the photos while using a magnifying glass on your coin, until you find the grade that's worse than yours. Also, for US coins, you can buy the Blue Book, which gives you detailed criteria. $15, $10 for Kindle.
You can search prices at PCGS or here: http://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/us/ to give you a ballpark figure.
For US coins, 1964 and earlier are 90% silver, but metal content is ONLY ONE SMALL THING TO CONSIDER. Many coins have substantially more numismatic (aka coin collector) value than the simple value of the metal in them.
Get yourself a copy of the Red Book --
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794845061/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510673503&sr=8-1&keywords=red+book+coins+2018
The Red Book will tell you if your coins are unusual, rare, or simply common "junk" silver.
The hair pattern on the 1921 coin is almost immaculate, so you could probably get a few bucks for that one. You should consult The Official Red Book for more information.
The Whitman Red Book, a price guide to US Coins.
Yes, wear will diminish their value greatly when compared to a mint state piece! But its not really something to worry about because unlike damage, its pretty easy to account for wear.
On the Standing Liberty quarters, there is a minor design difference that can tell you the difference between a 1916 and a 1917 type 1 and even a dateless 1916 is worth quite a bit, although I'm not the expert to tell you which one you have. Its most likely 1917 and worth about melt, but just FYI if you want to dig deeper...
Your 1857 flying eagle cent is corroded and is indeed damaged and isn't worth a whole lot except as a placeholder in a type collection.
Your quarter eagle is very nice and is 90% gold (although I assume you already know this!) I'm no expert when it comes to US gold so I'll let someone else chime in with regards to the value and grade.
If you don't already have a copy, I'd suggest picking up a copy of The Red Book as it will help you with valuations and will tell you which coins are rare and which ones are just worth melt. If you don't want to order from Amazon, I know my local Barnes and Noble and Hobby Lobby keep them in stock.
As for organizing and storing them, there are three major options:
The cheapest, easiest and most fail-proof way is to get cardboard 2x2s and put your coins in that. You put your coin in between the cardboard so its showing through the mylar window and staple the sides. You can pick them up from many online vendors and most coin shops have them for cheap. My local Hobby Lobby also sells these, but they are much more expensive than buying online or through a dealer, but if you don't want to buy online (or wait for shipping) and you don't have a coin dealer near you, it would work. The key is that you want to avoid PVC which will put a green slime on your coins within a few months to a few years time and will irreparably damage them. This isn't as much of an issue anymore, but a couple decades back it was the norm to sell and store coins in soft, vinyl flips which contained PVC. Today this isn't as much of an issue, but it is something to keep an eye out for and especially when dealing with an old collection.
The second possibility is through albums. The most common type are those Whitman Blue Folders, these can cause coins to discolor and maybe even damage them long-term, not to mention the possibility of damaging a high-grade coin putting it in the album. Instead, I would use something like Dansco Albums which have little mylar inserts which let you see both sides of the coin, doesn't require you to press hard and is very safe for long term storage.
The third and most expensive option is slabbing through a third party grader such as NGC or PCGS. Most coins should not be slabbed because it is expensive (about $30 per coin!) and coins that have been cleaned, coins that are corroded or damaged will be rejected and you will be out $30. However, some high-grade or commonly counterfeited coins benefit from slabbing if you decide to sell because buyers know that the coin is genuine and has not been altered.
There are 2 keys when it comes to storage of coins:
Are they U.S. coins? The main price guide to U.S. coins is called the Red Book - the values aren't exact, but they will give you a rough idea of what the coins are worth. To find out exactly how much you could actually sell the coins for, you can search through Sold Listings on eBay - eBay is the main online marketplace for buying and selling coins, and if you want to sell you'll get better prices there than going to a coin dealer. Finally, feel free to post pictures of the coins in this subreddit and people will be happy to help out in telling you how much they're worth.
Slabbing firms don't typically authenticate ancients, just fyi.
Maybe check out this book for inspiration.
Personally, I don't think anyone can tell you what you should collect. I mean, I can tell you what I would spend a couple of G on, but chances are it will be different for you.
You more into Greek than Roman? What about ancient coins fascinates you?
First, I am very sorry for your loss. This is never a great way to receive coins.
In terms of valuing it, I would take it very slow. It looks like your Dad was passionate about this hobby, and he had a fairly large collection. You would honor him by learning all you can about them.
You will need to start by separating them by denomination. It looks like there are a lot of coins in those cigar boxes, so you want to do this as orderly as possible.
Once you have them grouped, start checking for any key dates. You can use the PCGS price guide to identify those. I wouldn't rely on their prices, however, as they are known to be very inflated.
https://www.pcgs.com/prices
You can also get yourself a copy of the redbook...
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794847021/
You will also need to learn how to estimate each coin's grade. This can be difficult if you don't have experience doing it. PCGS has a Photograde app that you can download, and use to compare your coins to pictures of other examples in every grade. That will help.
Any higher grade coins, or key dates will end up being the most valuable.
In terms of tracking, you should look into using Numista. Enter each coin in as you evaluate them. This way you will end up with a complete record of everything, and a running total for estimated value.
https://en.numista.com/index.php
Hope that helps!
this is one of those cases where the more effort you put in, the more money you get out. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would make you an offer just based on what you posted (i would take a gamble). the price would be pretty low and if you sold it, the person would make a lot of profit. what i recommend to everyone in your situation is to build an excel database and document every coin in the collection. From there, buy a "red book" for ~$10. just that alone will protect you quite a bit from unscrupulous dealers. from there, you can take pictures of the more high dollar coins and we all can help you determine a more exact price. the rest, a dealer will offer you a low price for, because there isnt a lot of profit margin.
Start by finding this
Red Book
Get a red book! Here’s a link to it on amazon!
https://www.amazon.com/2019-Official-United-States-Coins/dp/0794845711?keywords=red+book+coins&qid=1538231178&sr=8-1&ref=mp_s_a_1_1
I'm glad you found your way over here! The Athena/Owl Tetradrachm is a one of the most universally desirable ancients. If I can suggest a book - (not a hard read) - 100 Greatest Ancient Coins it's a nice big coffee-table-type book with great photography and light history about the coins and the times they came from. This coin type is #10 in the book.
Welcome to the hobby!
I'd start out by telling friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, etc. that you are collecting coins and to look out for unusual stuff for you.
While there is plenty of info online, the "bible" for US coin collectors is the "Red Book" that is updated every year with price info. I think it provides a lot of info for a little over $11.
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794847021/
For coin roll hunting I'd be on the lookout for silver and the new "W" mintmark quarter.
Keep an eye out for the return slots of Coinstar machines.
Maybe keep a log, spreadsheet, notebook of your collection?
Have fun!
For those of you not on a mobile device:
http://www.amazon.com/Official-Red-Book-United-States/dp/0794836771
The Redbook is pretty good for coins but it doesn't really have an in-depth academic approach to the history of each coin although I know that they also make individual guides for certain coins like silver dollars.
First off, condolences on your grandfather's passing, and I hope you find this project a fun undertaking in his memory.
Fortunately almost all coins will tell you their country of origin, year of production, and denomination, either in a language you can understand or in a foreign one, and that info is key to identifying and classifying what you have.
For the US coins, you can probably find a copy of Yeoman's Red Book at the library or a local used or new book store, which is a fantastic resource for all American coins. Don't pay too much attention to the prices listed, as they tend to reflect absolute highs rather than going market values. However, all the other info is legit, so even having access to an older edition is a very good resource for learning about that segment of your collection.
For non-US coins, I'd direct you to Numista, which is a user-built database of information on coins from all over the world.
And, of course, you can use this sub as a resource for stuff that doesn't quite fit in the "coins" category (like bullion) or stuff you can't figure out. I'm constantly amazed at the depth and breadth of the collective knowledge of the contributors in here.
Personally, I would start organizing by country and prioritize coins that you can read, as those would probably be a lot easier to start with.
As you go through the collection, keep in mind that non-savvy collectors often fall prey to various marketing efforts for coins that may not be very valuable -- e.g., colorized or otherwise adorned versions of, well, regular coins, but that are sold for a premium.
Fun project -- we'll help you figure it out!
It shouldn’t take much money. I’d start by grabbing Red book and blue book. I’d say blue book would be better for you, unless you plan on buying more coins.
2019 Official Red Book of United States Coins - Spiral Bound https://www.amazon.com/dp/0794845711/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dkz-Bb81A1982
A Handbook of United States Coins Blue Book 2019 (The Official Blue Book of United States Coins) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0794846491/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Lkz-BbQFGHZ9R
Blue book will give you an idea of what coin dealers should offer value wise if you want to sell. Red book is closer to what dealers would charge for coins. These are just guides though, and prices can take wild swings, but they should give a decent idea on values, how to guess the grade for ungraded, and some errors to look out for.
Sorry for your loss, but hopefully his collection brings you some happiness.
Also, I am in Fairfax, Va, so if you wanted to talk about coins, or anything really, feel free to hit me up.
Go to http://www.coinflation.com/coins/silver_coin_calculator.html they have a calculator that will tell you how the silver is worth. A silver quarter is worth about 3 dollars, a dime is worth about 1.20. All of this is dependent on the spot price of silver. Unless you have a key date coin or an error you'd probably get about melt for them. IMO keep them until the value of silver goes up or keep them for your own collection. You may want to cross post in /r/silver too. If you want to sell there's a subreddit for selling silver as well. Hope this helps. Very neat inheritance.
Also, get a red book https://www.amazon.com/2019-Official-United-States-Coins/dp/0794845711/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522357135&sr=8-1&keywords=coin+red+book+2019 it'll cost you about 4 silver quarters. It'll show you what are the key dates and a few major errors to look.
As for storage just get some paper coin rollers, you can get them at your local bank for free usually.
I didn't have the ISBN's handy for all of these it was easier to find Amazon links and a link to Rick Snow's site for the Indian books. These are the books on my bookshelf which aren't the common ones: (Some are hard to find.)
In addition to Sear and Van Meter lesser known books on coins:
Encyclopedia of Roman Imperial Coins II ERIC II
and the equivalent of coin porn 100 greatest
I'll start with your last question. The coins were left to my brother and myself. He wants to cash out his half entirely. I'd personally love to hold on to many of the coins - although I will have to liquidate some. The idea is that we want a decent appraisal, so that we can divide the collection without just liquidating it all. It's kind of a sin to break up the half dollars though, the only ones missing are a 1794 and stuff past the 1940s. And most of them are in AU or better condition.
Most of the coins went to PCGS for your reason #2, there's a fairly big jump in value depending on the grade. The idea was that getting them slabbed would definitely increase the value more than the grading fees. Somehow I don't think a "PCGS Genuine - AU Cleaning" holder does that. In most cases, anyway- there were a few items that do fall into your category #1.
I've already picked up blue and red books. Is this the photograde that you recommend?
Newer collector here also:
Buy yourself the official red book
It has tons of useful information and will teach you a lot about US coins and how to collect.
A lot of it depends on how you want to collect. A fun, easy way to start is to put together date sets (one coin from each mint for each year) for modern coins from your change. You can get folders like this one to hold those coins and they'll help direct you.
You can also collect Type sets, with one version of each coin used in a country over a specific time period. Assuming you're from the US, a popular and not-too-difficult type set is the 20th Century type set, which introduces older coins that have different designs and ones made from silver.
Or you can just collect coins that are nice to look at, either ones with a beautiful design or that are in a pristine state. This might be more expensive but is no less satisfying.
Regardless, Apmex is a very popular site for coins both modern and old, and there's always eBay, although be sure to know what the price of the piece you want is (check sold listings) to avoid overpaying for anything. In that vein, a great resource for collecting US coins is the Red Book which is part price guide and part history book, with great pictures of all US coins from the Colonial era to modern times.
Hope this helps, and happy hunting!
Pricing Morgans is a knowledge-based art. For starters, LOOK AT THE COIN! Of course, for a newbie it's comforting to have the certified slab. But I've seen some over-priced higher-grade coins that are downright ugly. And some beautiful coins might be under-priced because they are technically down-graded (dings, nicks, scratches).
It's very helpful to have several Price Guides. For retail prices, get a 2017 Red Book -- which has lots of great info. There's also a Morgan Red Book. Lots of other Morgan books too.
You'll also want to know dealer pricing -- the Greysheets. Monthly subscriptions are pricey; instead, get the $45 single-issue 7-Pack ("The Works"). Prices rarely change quickly, so the single-issue works well for many months.
Also look at "Sold" listings of online auction sites (ebay, Heritage, etc.). There's a learning curve... well-worth the time & effort.
Lastly, initially set a per-coin budget... say, $100 - $200. After awhile, you know which coins are worth more.
It's a great hobby. Enjoy the hunt!
I made a mistake, it's 1942-1945 nickels that are silver. 1941 nickels are not silver. Even some 1942 nickels are not silver, the way to tell is if they have the mintmark on top of the building, [like this] (http://images.pcgs.com/CoinFacts/4180_37655255_2200.jpg). Also look for the 1950-D nickel, those are worth a few dollars. If you find any 1983 P or D quarters that are uncirculated, they could be worth about $30-$50, ones that are almost uncirculated maybe a couple bucks. Regular circulated 1983 quarters are just worth 25 cents.
A good idea would be to pick up a [Red Book] (https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794845037). There is already one in your first picture, but it's from the 1990s so useless except as a curiosity to compare coin values to today. Keep in mind though that Red Book values are basically what you would pay at a coin shop, not what you would get at a coin shop if you were to sell. So you always have to consider you might only get 90% of that listed value for example. If you sell at /r/coins4sale or ebay, you will get more likely. In order to get a value from the Red Book, you have to grade the coins. A good way to do that is [Photo Grade] (https://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/), a free website where you compare your coin to an example of a certain grade.
I recommend cotton gloves. Latex can have powders and such that you do not want to get on the coins. Most hobby stores have them, and they are pretty cheap on Amazon as well. If you are going to take photos, you can download the PCGS Photograde app and compare your pictures to the graded examples to get an idea of the condition. I also recommend this book.
this is the only one I'm familiar with, not just Alexander though. https://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Ancient-Coins-Harlan-Berk/dp/0794822622 .
You want a "Cherry Pickers's Guide".
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008S3BUDM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_LS5VDbJ9Y3XKH
Or something similar
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1440235708/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_UU5VDbFHRACFW
A Guide Book of United States Coins, known as "The Red Book," is the gold standard for general coin reference books on US coins. That will give you a place to start.
Edit: I just re-read your post and noticed the title and text are asking two different questions. For storage, I recommend 2x2 Saflips. Just type that into Amazon.
Alternatively, if you buy proof and mint sets, you'll get the coins you're looking for already packaged. Albums can scratch coins when you insert the protective slide (oh, the irony) and aren't recommended. Look for holders that are acid-free and PVC-free. Avoid soft plastics.
Go back to Grandma's and make sure she doesn't have an 1893-S Morgan (or arm yourself with a Red book and do a quick lookup of all her coins.) It could be the difference between having some silver worth melt value and having a coin that you could trade for a nice used car!
Oh - and for the other types, the Redbook or Numismedia will also be reasonable guides for what to look for. Varieties, too, can be important - the 1955 double die Lincoln cent, for instance, or the 3 legged Buffalo nickel. The major varieties are in the Redbook, but you may want to consult the Cherrypicker's Guide or sites such as this one for more obscure varieties.
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. Regardless of whether you’re a novice or an expert, the term numismatist still applies.
The important thing is to not overwhelm yourself and try to be an expert on everything. Learning how to research and educate yourself is probably the most important lesson to learn in the beginning. I would also recommend figuring out what you’re interested in collecting and focus on learning about that. Once you’ve done that, break it down further into manageable chunks, just like you’re doing with the Seated Liberty type.
I tend to focus on a single denomination at a time. I started with small cents, learning everything I could about varieties, grading, etc. When I want to switch it up, I choose a different denomination and start the process again. So if you’re interested in building a Seated Liberty type set, continue doing what you have been, focusing specifically on learning as much as you can about the type before the show.
If you don’t already have them, here are a few books I highly recommend picking up:
Official Red Book of United States Coins
Photograde
Grading Coins by Photographs
Cherrypickers’ Guide - Vol. I
Cherrypickers’ Guide - Vol. II
These aren’t meant to be read cover to cover, but I reference them constantly.
If you’re interested in focusing on Morgan’s at some point, I would also recommend this book:
The VAM Keys
Finally, when you’re considering a purchase, I go to eBay and filter by Completed and Sold auctions to get a sense of what kind of deal I’m getting. The market fluctuates frequently and although the Red Book is a very valuable reference guide, seeing what similar coins have sold for recently is a much more accurate representation of what a fair price is at that point.
Well I'm not sure what the current going rate is for any of those particular coins is off the top of my head, however just because they've been cleaned doesn't necessarily destroy the value, it just dramatically decreases it. Basically it's the circulation that determines value, so say you have five examples of a coin and one of them has been cleaned, it's still worth a lot of money because only five of them exist. When you have say 5 million examples in existence, it changes things a bit. So really it's almost on a case to case basis.
The toned coin you had is actually a 'feature' which is often looked for in coins, I have quite a few toned coins in my collection which are downright gorgeous and come with a premium simply because of the uniqueness of the tone. I have large collection of Carson City Morgan Dollars, a few of which are toned, that I paid a bit extra for because i decided I must have them.
I would honestly just leave them as they are, any future cleanings will most likely do more damage than good. Save them for your grandkids. I mean they are still neat coins to have, they just won't be worth as much.
Shit man, I've been collecting for a years (and have stuff from my grandfather) and I destroyed some pretty expensive stuff as a kid not knowing any better, I think pretty much everyone does that at some point. If something is dirty it seems pretty natural to spiff it up.
I highly suggest picking up a copy of the redbook, it's super handy and I can look through it for hours. It will help you grade things and give you some numbers to work with as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794842151
I have been using this book, Cherrypickers' Guide, and have found it to be a good resource.
http://www.amazon.com/Cherrypickers-Varieties-United-States-Volume/dp/0794822851
Nice score! I recommend this book to anyone interested in finding error coins and die varieties in your pocket change. It's fun and people find them more often than you'd think.
If you are in to paper money, grab this one. Older versions are cheaper. Also, any of the Krause catalogs are gold in my eyes. I'd also really like the "Catalogue of German War Tokens" but it is out of print. That book is specifically for German "notgeld" which are really cool. For a few years coins were struck in some 600 cities because of a huge shortage during the war. You'll find these notgeld coins in pick boxes and for really cheap for a cool piece of history.
I hear you. Striking it rich with pocket change. Helped me out a lot in the beginning. I love being able to sift through my change looking for something mare than face value.
Awesome you are keeping to collection going! I wish I had some of my granddads collection. The family wanted to sell it, so it got sold. So I started my own collection for the family to sell when I pass on.
Looks like you have quite a journey ahead of you, r/coins is great for identifying, showing off and steering you in the right direction on places to learn more.
Here are some links if you want, the PCGS site is great.
https://www.pcgs.com/grades
And a Redbook is always helpful, and any other good book on coins.
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794845061/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1509639315&sr=8-3&keywords=red+book&dpID=51vv8FmczFL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
"Photograde Coin Grading Guide" is one I really like for grading. It's practically free used except for shipping.
https://www.amazon.com/Photograde-Official-Photographic-Grading-United/dp/0307993612/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1509639444&sr=8-2&keywords=Photograde+Coin+Grading+Guide
And most of all have fun!
Blue Book or Red Book
Not really what you have in mind but this is what I might do with it.
~The key dates get really spendy btw~
or you could buy a Red Book (~$10) and flip through it until you see something that is in your price range
For US Coins I would definitely recommend starting with The Red Book: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794842151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406866173&sr=8-1&keywords=red+book+coins
And for US Currency, the Friedberg book: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-United-States-Fourth-Edition/dp/0794842305/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406866215&sr=8-1&keywords=friedberg+currency
If they a packaged US mint products you can pretty easily look up prices on eBay sold auctions.
For everything else you can get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Grading-Counterfeit-Detection/dp/0375720502/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495145544&sr=8-1&keywords=pcgs+grading
or one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Standards-American-Numismatic-Association/dp/0794838243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495145572&sr=8-1&keywords=ana+grading+standards
You can use those books to start evaluating their condition, then you can use eBay or even a Whitman Publishing US Coins Red Book to get relative values.
these make it really convenient, and make great gifts for the holidays
Nah sorry I'm only into silver. If you are looking us coins only pickup one of those coin books like this one.
https://www.amazon.com/2019-Official-United-States-Coins/dp/0794845711
Whitman Red Book is gonna be one of your best friends. eBay sold listings or greysheets are gonna be you best bet for up to date value/pricing.
I would honestly just decide how much money you want to spend and find a LCS (local coin shop) and go pick out something you like. Decide if you wanna buy just one coin or maybe a few for cheaper. Make sure to pick a coin up and really examine it closely, don't just decide by looking at it in the case. Also don't just pay the listed price, see if you can talk the dealer down a bit (sold listings/greysheets can help with this), just don't make an insulting offer.
These things you will not be afforded buying a coin online. And the experience is part of the education process. That fact that you've already studied puts you ahead of most and you'll just keep learning as you go.
What do you mean? How is this different from other doubling?
it looks just like the one in this book : http://www.amazon.com/Strike-It-Rich-Pocket-Change/dp/1440235708
and isn't Ken Potter a respected authority on the subject?
I found this cheap on amazon but does it include modern coins? I didnt really find an answer
A Guide Book of United States Coins 2020 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0794847021/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oz7VDbXS29WYZ
Collect what you like. There are many ways to do that affordably. It is helpful to have some kind of collection goal to guide and focus you [ex., get an example of every dollar coin from Morgans to moderns, or build a type set of coins minted in 1892, etc.]
The Red Book is a MUST have for any collector, and is especially helpful for new ones. If you don't have one yet, I would invest in one now.
Try the Cherry Pickers Guide
You should get a copy of the Red Book (A Guide Book of United States Coins, by R.S. Yeoman), which has grading standards for VF, EF and other grades for each series of US Coins. A more advanced version is the ANA Grading Guide.
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Standards-American-Numismatic-Association/dp/0794838243
I've had luck with estate auctions, especially with silver. Other than that, if you don't have a good coin dealer near you, get an up-to-date red book, find the coins you like, and get on eBay. There's a lot of crap on there, but you can find some really good deals too.
Seriously...I would buy a Redbook and Strike it Rich with Pocket Change and start looking at values. The Redbook gives high values for graded and slabbed coins. You can expect a little less, but it will give you a ball park that can be further compared to completed e-bay auctions.
You should buy a http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794842151 and check the prices. I dunno why no one has suggested that. It's not about grade at first. If you have a coin that could be worth something. Dig further.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0794841805?pc_redir=1411127300&robot_redir=1 this is the book I always have on hand when I roll hunt to look for key dates.
photograde as others said, and also take a look at the grading standards book if you want a better description of it https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0794838243
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0794847021/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
IF you haven't got this yet start with this book. I have just recently started too. yes silver you want 1970 halves and older. quarters are 1964 and older. 1943 and 1944 copper and steel pennies. 1964 dimes and older. Nickels are ...1945 and older ... there may be ones to the 60's as well I really dont know about much other than halves and I really dont a great deal yet.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0794836771/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
Well first of all, the numismatic value of any of your individual coins will depend not only on the scarcity of it's date & mintmark, but also on the quality of it's condition. Here's an online guide that I frequently use to assist me in making that evaluation: US Coin Photo Grade Coin Grading Guide
Once you've determined the quality/condition of the individual coin, you are better informed to determine its value based on the scarcity of the date/mintmark.
And as an alternative to the previous website, I also compare to the values listed at USA Coin Book
And if you might develop an interest in maintaining/continuing your father's collection as a hobby/investment, I would recommend picking up a current edition of Guide Book of United States Coins -- Either the "Red" book or the "Blue" book... The Red one provides much more historical information & pictures, and the prices are what you might expect to PAY to a dealer if you wanted to buy a coin ("retail" price) The Blue Book has more abbreviated information, and the values listed are more what you might expect to get from a dealer if you wanted to sell your coin.
Of course these are just guides to help you determine an approximate value... The actual auction prices on eBay can vary significantly... I myself have obtained a few "bargains" and at other times have seen other coins sell for 2~3 times more than I thought they were worth...
So welcome to the hobby! I hope that you find it relaxing, interesting & rewarding! Don't forget, it's not just about hoarding a large stash of coins... You can always sell your more common duplicates to help fund & acquire the more difficult specimens in your collection.
I highly recommend this book. It really helped me learn the basics.
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-United-States-Paper-Fourth/dp/0794842305/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462550859&sr=8-1&keywords=united+states+paper+money
I have the one before that one. Not sure how old they are but mine also was the #1 seller when I picked it up.
For US coins, I'd recommend the Whitman Red Book.
People will ALWAYS exploit you for your lack of knowledge in any subject. Educate yourself on coins and their values, the best thing new collectors can do is to buy the red book . It is a price guide of US coins, every coin that the United States has officially made is in there along with montage numbers and it’s value in several different conditions. You don’t have to buy the 2019 you can get one that is a couple of years old for a lot cheaper. Buy it and actually read the beginning, it gives a good run down of American coins and tips on how to get started.
That being said a 56D is one of the most common wheat pennies out there. Unless it has an unusual mint error it should never go for thousands of dollars even in BU condition that’s been graded by the PCGS.
Getting one of these books will help
Sounds like you're looking for the CherryPicker's Guide:
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https://www.amazon.com/Cherrypickers-Varieties-Official-Whitman-Guidebook-ebook/dp/B008S3BUDM/ref=sr_1_2
"Penny" is a British term that continued to be used out of habit, even after the U.S. developed their own one-cent coin. It is the same way that people still refer to native Americans as "Indians," even 500 years after we realized they weren't. Ironically, one of my favorite coins that I collect is called the Indian head cent. I'll admit that I even say "penny" sometimes out of habit, but the statement I made is still an undisputed fact.
Source: I collect coins, and primarily focus on variations of the U.S. one-cent coin. I have The Official Red Book guide to Lincoln cents, which goes into great detail about the history of these coins. It even begins the first chapter with "Tradition of the 'Penny'," which explains the transition from the "penny" to the "one-cent" coin. I would highly recommend this book, even for non-collectors. I also have, and would recommend, A Guide Book of United States Coins: The Official Red Book, which has a new edition each year (to update current market values), and covers every U.S. coin. These books have loads of interesting history, as well as high quality images of each coin, including all of the error coins.
I'm sure you meant well by doing a 2 second Google search to challenge my years of reading and collecting, but I think you misinterpreted my comment. All I intended to do was share my knowledge.
You can buy a red book if you don't have one already - https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794845061/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498506416&sr=8-2&keywords=red+book
Well as a noob collector, I might be able to help! Advice is more if you live in the US.
1a) if you live in an area where you have lots of land, its not a bad idea, otherwise its not needed unless that's your thing.
That's about it, may have gone overboard into detail lol, but hopefully you find something here useful. Happy hunting :)
Glad to help.
Strike it rich with pocket change is also a great book if you're getting into errors and varieties.
https://www.amazon.com/Strike-Rich-Pocket-Change-Error/dp/1440235708/
I don't know where you got that Amazon link but the URL appears to contain an affiliate ID so reddit's spam filter flagged it.
I agree that the Krause catalogs are pretty useful, up to a point. You can find them at the library or buy them new or used on eBay or Amazon. They don't change much from year to year so buying cheaper ones that are a couple of years old is usually fine.
Here's a non-spam link to Krause on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/2014-Standard-Catalog-World-Coins/dp/1440235678/
Check out these two sites, they are the #1 and #2 coing "grading" sites. They will help you find a "certified dealer" in your area...throw your zip code into the search and it'll bring back results:
http://www.ngccoin.com/services/dealer-listing.aspx
http://www.pcgs.com/Dealers/Default.aspx?ss=provident%20precious%20metals
After you find a few dealers in the area, google them and/or use the BBB or angies list to find which is the most reputable in your area.
Or if you give us your general location, we might be able to point you in the right direction as well.
After you find a dealer you can think you can trust: bring a small sampling of what you have into for an appraisal. If you have any albums, coins in little cardboard squares or a few handful of coins take a few of each.
Bring it to the dealer and ask for an appraisal and see what they tell you/how they treat you ( I wouldn't say any details about your family member or his larger collection). If they find rare stuff, they will make an offer: tell them you'll think about it and go home and you probably have much more rare stuff in there...
Do some research on eBay "sold" listings to find general market prices on pieces or you can follow-up with us and we can help you out. Some other resources to help you determine what you have:
http://www.coinflation.com/silver_coin_values.html
Purchase a "RedBook":
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Book-United-States-Coins/dp/0794842151
Something somewhat related coins with errors you can find in your pocket change... some are pretty unnoticeable and can be worth a few dollars, while in general the more noticeable ones, if you are lucky enough to find in circulation, can be worth hundreds or thousands. If you're interested this book has a lot of the ones worth more than 25 cents listed in book (or pdf you may be able to find online)
http://www.amazon.com/Strike-It-Rich-Pocket-Change/dp/1440235708
Congrats on getting into the hobby! I'm not sure that either of these is of any significant value, so if they were in my pocket I'd probably save the money and not grade them.
If you haven't already, get yourself a copy of The Red Book to help you better understand the value of coins you might be interested in, and what to look for when evaluating a specific coin.
I'd also spend a little time on youtube learning about luster (particularly cartwheel luster) so you can better spot coins that have been cleaned...before learning it the hard way like I did!
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Here are your smile-ified links:
Cherry Pickers Guide
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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot
Totally! A great book is called cherrypicker’s guide vol 2 it is full of useful errors. Finding an FS-101 for the 1976-D Bicentennial Quarter would be awesome!
This. To be specific, this is the Red Book /u/e30kgk is speaking of (links are for .co.uk)-
Current Edition of Yeoman and Bressett
Yeoman and Bressett 2016 pre-order
If you're pricing pick up at a copy of the Red Book ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0794842151?cache=bb7517826f2f08657a1e990bc33ef16c&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1406981440&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1) they have coins priced on their condition. Remember most people won't pay the full amount their listed at unless their graded by Ngc or PCGS. However you can look on eBay at closed auctions to see what people are paying for them. Then list your coins for sale with good pictures and say 'you grade them' on any coin not graded by PCGS.
When I started over a year ago, I bought the Red Book and the Blue Book and the ASE guide.
But it sounds like you want the Red Book. It's a general price guide to US coins.