pocket change - The Fun Times Guide to U.S. Coins

The Joys Of Being A Penny Collector

Some people go head over heels for Bust halves while others sing praises for Buffalo nickels. But, I? What coin is it that I love most? It’s the penny – more specifically, the Lincoln cent. Why did I become a penny collector? What is it about the little copper coin bearing the bust of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, that has lured me to collect these coins for most of my life? Well, there was one prevailing factor – pennies comprised about 80% of the coins in my piggy bank back … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun With Coins, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: budget coin collecting, coin dealers, coin folders, coin sets, Lincoln cents, pennies, pocket change

What’s A Business Strike Coin?

If you have spent any time perusing coin listings on coin dealers’ websites or checking out online coin collecting forums, you have probably come across the term business strike. But what’s a business strike coin, and how does one differ from other types of coins, such as proof coins? Business strike coins are intended for the purpose of circulating in the channels of commerce, or, in other words, daily exchanges of money at the grocery store, the bank, and the mall. So, the coins you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Collecting 101, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: Lincoln cents, pocket change

Lincoln Wheat Cents: Values Of Key Dates

If there is one coin I have loved since I was kid, it is the Lincoln penny. This versatile little coin has been struck by the United States Mint since 1909, and over the years has become one of the most popular coins in the whole world. The values of many Lincoln cents far exceed their face value, making them highly demanded by both collectors and investors. Like many coin collectors, I especially pursue Lincoln wheat cents, which have two stalks of wheat on the reverse side of the coin … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: Lincoln cents, pennies, pocket change, rare coins, wheat pennies

What’s The Lifespan Of A Coin? Find Out How Long Coins Last

Have you wondered what the lifespan of a coin is? When I started collecting coins at the age of 11, that was one of the first things I wondered – how long does a coin last before it is too worn to use? Not long after I started collecting coins in the early 1990s, my question was answered when I heard about a report that was conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). This study concerned the average lifespan of coins and, more specifically, how much the United States … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Collecting 101, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: dollar coins, pennies, pocket change

What’s the Value of Wheat Pennies? Find Out How Much Yours are Worth!

“What’s the value of my wheat pennies?” – that’s the main question I keep getting here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins, and I’m glad this is so, because Lincoln cents have long been my specialty. In fact, that’s the first coin I ever collected and the coin that I to this day still focus my coin collecting efforts on. When I was a new coin collector I, too, used to wonder what the value of wheat pennies was, simply because they’re obsolete coins that by the very nature of their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: Lincoln cents, pocket change, wheat pennies

Short Sets – The Short Cut to Completing Coin Sets on a Budget

There is perhaps nothing more frustrating to a coin collector than wanting to complete an entire date-and-mintmark run of coins and not being able to afford the goal. For example, collecting the entire series of Lincoln cents, to date, could cost a typical coin collector more than $2,000 when taking into account the cost of rare dates, such as the 1909-S V.D.B., 1909-S, 1914-D, and 1931-S. Add in the 1922 plain cent – a rare variety customarily included in many Lincoln sets – and the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun With Coins, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: 1943 coins, budget coin collecting, coin sets, Lincoln cents, pocket change

The Value Of Sharing My Coin Collection With The People I Love

As most pastimes go, it’s always better to share coin collecting with the ones you love than to go about it solo. I have learned this as I have grown into the hobby I have loved since my boyhood and now enjoy as a young man. Now in my early 30s, I find immense value in sharing my coin collection and my passion for numismatics with the people in my life who are most important to me. Mixing Coins And Romance Can Be A Beautiful Thing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun With Coins, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: kids collecting coins, Lincoln cents, pocket change

4 Things To Remember When Coin Collecting

In my nearly 20 years of coin collecting, I’ve learned many things about this amazing pastime. Never clean your coins. Don’t drop your coins. Keep your coins in the best holders you can afford. Be a good steward, for your coins will be in the hands of future generations. But there are some other principles I’ve learned to always keep in mind about this hobby which have helped me to enjoy this ages-old pastime even more. I’d love to share these thoughts with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Collecting 101, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: budget coin collecting, pocket change

Fun With Coins In My Pocket Change Jar

For a long time, I’ve been wanting to do a relatively simply experiment with my pocket change – sort out the coins in a jar that I have and see how many tcoins I could find from each decade, mint, etc. So, just a while ago, I did. The results will interest you! For the record, I live near a major city in the Southeast United States, and there is considerable tourist traffic. So, you may expect to see some mixture when it comes to mintmarks. Also, this is change that I have received … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun With Coins, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: pocket change

7 Coin Sets You Can Complete For Under $10

Coin collecting on a budget probably hasn't been more important in years than it has been in recent times.With the economy still on the rocks, many people don't want to give up their hobbies but still must find a way to cut back.Thankfully, enjoying the hobby of coin collecting doesn't have to be expensive.In fact, here are 7 ideas for coin sets you can complete for under $10. … [Read more...]