Guide to Coin Collecting

People usually start collecting coins as a hobby. Others may begin a collection due to historical interests rather than artistic ones. Some individuals collect coins solely for investment purposes, such as gold coins or silver.

Whatever the reason that led you to start collecting rare coins, you are in the right place. Read our tips and find your way in this fantastic world.

The easiest way to start a coin collection is with the euro collection of euro coins. They are beautiful coins representing European states and quite easy to find.

The most common specimens can be found directly in the change from your purchases. It's always exciting to check your coins and find just the coin you needed to complete the collection of a particular euro country.

Other coins, including rare euro coins, can be found at affordable prices in numismatic auctions and can be acquired without much effort.

The same goes for lira coins. These are often found at home because they were left by parents or grandparents, perhaps in some tin can or old piggy bank. Finding some old lira coins in the attic is another way to start collecting them.

Whether you have found coins in the attic or you are collecting circulating coins from various euro countries, you need to do your research.

This is because you need to learn everything you can about the coins you own. This way, you will be able to assess for yourself which coins are good, which are fake, which are too worn and thus worthless, which are common, and which are rare. To learn how to tell if a euro coin is fake, read this page: How to Recognize Fake Euro Coins.

All this information is important when you need to estimate the value of your numismatic collection. To self-evaluate and price your coins, you can consult our ebooks “Quantovale“ which come with tables listing the prices of every coin from every year.

Indeed, even among the ubiquitous “euros,” there are hidden little treasures sought after by collectors.

Perhaps you are passionate about a certain historical period or maybe a particular country. Maybe you like some distinctive designs or engravings, or perhaps you are a fan of rare metals like gold or silver.

There are countless possibilities, but whatever your path, you need to understand what you like and what fascinates you. This way, you will be able to manage your budget better, investing only in the pieces that truly interest you.

In the world of coins, there are many opportunities but also many traps that are best avoided.

For example, it is important to acquire coins only through secure buying and selling services, especially at the beginning. Many inexperienced individuals may underestimate their coins, while on the other hand, many tricksters may overestimate the value of minting errors. The issue of counterfeit coins can also be easily eliminated.

How? By relying on an intermediary that guarantees the quality and authenticity of the coins through expert checks on every lot for sale. The best one we always trust is described on this page: where to sell and buy rare coins securely.

There are some simple tips we can give you that will help you protect and preserve your precious coins from damage.

You wouldn't want to waste the time you spent acquiring a rare coin, after studies, research, and of course after an investment of money, only to see it fall or get damaged because you are handling it the wrong way, right?

In short, keeping your coins in perfect condition and well organized is a must for any numismatist.

How to Handle Coins

The front and back of the coins should never be touched by fingers. In fact, when you hold a coin, you should place it between your index finger and thumb and hold it by the edge.

You can also use simple and inexpensive cotton gloves that you will only use to handle the coins in your collection. This way, in addition to avoiding scratches or greater damage, you will also protect the coin from dirty or greasy hands.

Never (almost) Clean Coins

If you are not experienced in cleaning coins, it is probably best to leave them as they are.

A rushed or improperly executed cleaning can irreparably damage a rare coin. Remember that cleaning the reliefs of the designs on the coin even with an abrasive cloth and unsuitable soap can cause harm. In particular, you can wear down the edges of the reliefs to the point of affecting the grade of quality of the coin and thus its value.

Do you absolutely need to clean a coin, perhaps because it was in the ground and you found it with a metal detector? Then you can follow the tips and techniques we have described here: how to clean coins.

Starting to collect coins is certainly a fun, exciting, and thrilling practice.

By beginning with current or modern coins, you can understand what excites you the most. Then, progressively, you can move on to collecting older coins. You could even reach ancient coins such as Roman coins or Greek coins. This way, you will continually increase the historical and investment value of your coin collection.

Other Useful Resources for Coin Collecting

To understand how coin collecting started, you can read the article on numismatics.

Before starting your new hobby of coin collecting, you should definitely get accustomed to the vocabulary and numismatic terms that you will encounter from now on. You can read our Numismatic Glossary.