Where do you go if you want to mingle with others and talk about one of your favorite things: coins?
Well, short of going to the bank to talk with the tellers about currency, you can always join a coin club.
What if you’ve got a question about coins, and you don’t know who else to ask? Your best bet is to go to a local coin dealer or a coin show.
Can’t find one of those to meet your needs? Then your next bet is to contact one of the local coin clubs in your area.
Coin clubs are organized groups that meet semi-regularly to discuss the latest about coins, as well as to buy/sell/trade coins with one another.
Types Of Coin Clubs
There are many different types of coin clubs to choose from.
Some focus on certain types of coins, others welcome a diverse group of coin collectors.
Some coin clubs are large, encompassing dozens of coin collectors. Other groups are small, and may contain an intimate group of a few, perhaps a dozen, dedicated numismatists.
At any rate, a coin club allows people to meet with others who share an interest in the hobby and like to talk about the coins they collect.
Coin Club Policies Vary
So, when you become a member of a coin club, you may be wondering what you have to do to stay a member.
Each group has its own set of policies. Many coin clubs simply require you to pay monthly or annual dues to join. The amount of involvement is often then completely up to you. Other clubs may request that you attend certain meetings, events, or functions.
There are coin clubs which put on public coin fairs and events to promote the hobby. This may mean having to participate in setting up or running the event. This also means the chance to enjoy a day or weekend of fun — meeting new people and talking about the hobby you love.
Many coin clubs hire speakers to come by and give lectures on a certain aspect of the hobby. These lectures can be very educational to hobbyists and give coin collectors a chance to further their knowledge of their hobby.
Some coin clubs also hold events like these:
- coin-trading events
- buying and selling opportunities
- coin auctions
These types of events offer opportunities to expand your coin collection, unload coins you don’t want anymore, and look at new coins you perhaps can’t afford now but want to save money to buy later on.
Online Coin Clubs
These days, there are coin clubs which partly or entirely operate online. These coin clubs may not even hold physical meetings, but they do bring coin collectors together with online discussion boards, chat rooms, and member forums.
The best thing about online coin clubs is that they make it easier to join a coin club without having to adjust your busy schedule. Of course, it’s harder to get together with members of online clubs (because members may be spread all over the country — or the world!), but you still get the opportunity to talk with other collectors.
Plus, there are always chances to learn new things with the articles and informative content posted on coin club websites.
Tips For Contacting Coin Clubs
While a simple email with a question about your coin, sent to one of the leaders in the club might get a reply to your coin question. Chances are, your email will probably go unanswered.
Instead, you will have better luck getting your coin questions answered if you try to establish a relationship with at least one member of the group first.
That might mean simply asking about upcoming coin shows, asking about the club’s meeting dates, or requesting that information about the club be sent to you. Then, you’d want to follow-up with any questions you might have.
Keep in mind, for detailed answers to your questions about coins, you will need to attend one of their club meetings. I’ve heard that coin clubs are very welcoming to new and prospective members, so don’t sweat it.
How To Find Coin Clubs Near You
The American Numismatic Association (ANA) is one of the world’s most respected coin collecting clubs. Founded in 1891 and chartered by Congress, the ANA offers an enormous wealth of information and knowledge to novice and expert coin collectors alike. The ANA offers numerous resources to help you find and join coin collecting clubs.
Another way to find coin clubs near you is to go to Google and type in ‘coin club’ or ‘coin collecting club’ and your city name. This search should return results listing the various coin groups in your area.
Other ways to find a coin club in your area:
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century.
I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek.
I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!