Coin collecting, for kids, is one of the best hobbies for them to get involved with.
Coin collecting teaches children about social and political history, introduces them to the design and sculpting arts, and provides them a chance to get in on the hobby that can last them a lifetime.
A lot of people think that coin collecting is an expensive hobby. The great thing about coin collecting, though, is it can be a pastime that you adjust based on the level of interest and available funds.
Here are 5 tips that will make coin collecting for kids easier, more fun, and cheaper…
5 Tips On Coin Collecting For Kids
Check out these 5 tips and methods that will make coin collecting easy, cheap, and fun for young coin collectors:
Tip #1:
Perhaps one of the best ways to the make coin collecting easy, cheap, and fun is to collect coins directly from circulation.
You’ll be able to collect coins strictly for their face value and acquire coins without having to go to a coin dealer or order the coins from an online retailer.
Collecting coins from circulation requires a keen eye because many of the coins you may need for your coin collection may be hard to find. But diligence does pay off! Many old and even scarce coins have been found in circulation during recent years — but it’ll take patience!
Tip #2:
Buy coin folders to safely store the coins and to keep them organized.
Most coin folders cost less than $5 each and can be bought at nearly any major bookstore, as well as online. Coin folders are particularly good for young coin collectors because they are durable, allow for easy insertion and removal of coins, and bring a sense of order to the coin collection.
Tip #3:
Make sure the young coin collector has a decent magnifying glass.
While a 10X magnifying glass is usually best for most coin collectors, it may be wise to start a child off with a 3X to 5X magnifying glass; after all, the details most children will be interested in seeing (mintmarks, designers’ initials, and minor design details) can be well seen with a 3X to 5X.
Graduating to the use of a 10X magnifying glass is a good idea as the child becomes more interested in grading coins, checking for minor errors and varieties, and other aspects of coin collecting that require a higher-powered magnifying glass.
Tip #4:
Provide the young coin collector good resources!
Coin collecting for kids is made all the more educational when children have well-respected (and interesting) resources to use.
The internet if full of safe and entertaining venues for children interested in coin collecting. One of the best is the United States Mint’s H.I.P. Pocket Change web site.
A Guide Book Of United States Coins is one of the best book resources for coin collectors of all ages because it provides a wide breadth of information ranging from coin values to the history of each coin; hundreds of color photos are also included.
Tip #5:
Get involved with your young coin collector!
Nothing means more to a kid than to have a loving family member along for the ride. Sharing the hobby of and love for coin collecting with a child is one of the best ways to make the pastime fun and entertaining for the child — and to forge a stronger relationship with that child, too!
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!
