As an avid coin collector since 1992, I’ve been through my share of coin loupe magnifiers, and I want to share with you what the best magnifying glass for coins is — and why you really need one.
Grading Coins
Before anyone can say how much a specific coin is worth, its grade must be determined first. Knowing a coin's grade makes it easy to find the coin's value, gives you an idea of what you can expect to pay for coins at a coin dealer, and helps you avoid getting ripped off when shopping for coins. When you grade a coin, you are actually paying more attention to how much wear a coin has rather than how it looks overall -- because wear is the key factor in deciding a coin's grade. Here's how to determine the grade for practically every denomination of U.S. coin yourself -- and where to get professional coin appraisals to find the grade & value of your coins.
What Are Full Steps Nickels & How Much Are They Worth? (Everything You Need To Know About Full Steps Details On Jefferson Nickels!)
Jefferson nickels with Full Steps details are relatively scarce — and they’re quite valuable! See exactly what Full Steps nickels are, how much they’re worth, whether they’re rare or not, how to find Full Steps Jefferson nickels for cheap, and tips for collecting them.
Get A Job In Coins! Here’s How I Was Able To Find A Job In The Coin Industry… And You Can, Too
Want to get a job in the coin industry? I can help you! I’m a longtime coin collector and I’ve led a numismatic career with LOTS of fun numismatic jobs since 2006. I’m going to help you start your coin job search with the goal of finding U.S. Mint jobs and other numismatic jobs — where you can put your love of coins to work on a full- or part-time basis. Start here to find a job working with coins!
What’s The Difference Between Being A Numismatist & A Coin Collector?
Wondering about the difference between being a numismatist and a coin collector? A coin collector is somebody who gathers coins with the intention of completing sets of coins. A numismatist is a person who studies coins and money from a historic, social, or artistic sense. See other differences and why many people are both!
What Are First Strike Coins?
Curious about the value of First Strike coins? Are they even worth buying? Here’s an expert analysis on whether First Strike coins are a good investment.
How Much Is My Coin Worth? Here’s How To Find Coin Values
Coin values depend on a number of factors. Here’s how to find out how much a specific coin is worth. Plus tools to help you find the value of ALL your coins
Coin Registry Sets 101: A Coin Expert’s Tips For Compiling A Unique Collection Of Coins That Have Been Certified By The PCGS Registry And/Or The NGC Registry
Coin grading companies give collectors the opportunity to create coin registry sets. Learn about these high-grade coin sets and how to build a registry set.
Getting A Coin Appraisal: Tips For Finding The Value Of Your Coins
Getting a coin appraisal will tell you the value of your coins. Just keep in mind that coin values are based on a lot of different factors. Here’s what you need to know.
Mint State vs Super Grade Coins: How To Determine If You Have A Mint State Coin Or A Super Grade Coin
Grading a mint state coin can be difficult in a world with so many possible grades for a mint state coin. This guide should help you in better assigning a grade to your uncirculated coin.
Coin Grading Basics – To Help You Find The Value Of Your Coin
If you can understand coin grading, then you can begin to figure out coin values much more easily than you may be able to now. Basically, coin grading is a determination of coin’s value based on how much or how little wear it has. Here’s how to grade your coins.
What Are Slabbed Coins? Hint: They’re Highly Sought After, Often Expensive, And Frequently Rare Coins
Slabbed coins are often expensive, high-grade, and frequently rare. They represent a ‘safe buy’.
Rare Coin Values – How To Tell If Your Coin Is Valuable
What’s my coin worth? While it may seem like a fairly easy question, it takes a really good evaluation of the coin by a professional coin dealer to determine your coin’s value accurately. You see, when determining the value of a coin, the appraiser must consider not only the date and denomination of the coin, but also what condition it is in, what the value of the metal is, the relative scarcity of the coin, and other issues.
Grading Silver Dollars: How To Determine The Grade Of A Silver Dollar
There are 3 types of silver dollars covered here: the Eisenhower silver dollar, the Peace silver dollar, and the Morgan silver dollar. Here’s how to obtain exact grades for your circulated silver dollars…
Grading Half Dollars: How To Determine The Grade Of A Half Dollar
There are 4 types of half dollar coins covered here: Barber half dollars, Franklin half dollars, Kennedy half dollars, and Walking Liberty half dollars (also known as American eagle silver half dollars). Here’s how to obtain exact grades for your circulated half dollar coins….
Grading Quarters: How To Determine The Grade Of A Quarter
There are 3 types of quarters covered here: the Washington quarter, the standing Liberty quarter, and the Barber quarter. Here’s how to obtain exact grades for your circulated quarters…
Grading Dimes: How To Determine The Grade Of A Dime
There are 3 types of dimes covered here: the Barber dime, the Mercury dime, and the Roosevelt dime. Here’s how to obtain exact grades for your circulated dimes…
Grading Nickels: How To Determine The Grade Of A Nickel
Here’s how to determine the exact grade for your circulated nickels. There are 3 types of nickels covered here: Jefferson nickels, Liberty head — V nickels — and buffalo nickels.
Grading Pennies: How To Determine The Grade Of A Penny
Interested in finding the grade of your penny? Here’s how you can determine the exact grades for your circulated small cents — pennies.
Coin Grading: How To Determine The Grade Of The Coins In Your Collection
Most coin collectors want to be able to look at their coins in order to determine at least an approximate grade — which will then yield important information about the coin’s worth.
I might as well tell you now that you’re not going to be able to do this if you’re just beginning to collect coins. Being able to grade a coin accurately comes from a lot of experience.
Here’s an overview of how coins are graded…
Professional Coin Grading: How To Find Someone To Grade Your Coins
Coin grade is only ONE of a number of factors that must be determined in order to find the true value of your coin. Here’s how the professionals grade coins… and how to find the grade of your coin. Then, you’ll have a better idea of your coin’s value.
