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Do your kids want to start a coin collection? Or maybe you’re the driving force encouraging them to start collecting coins. Here, our longtime coin collectors share their favorite ways to get kids interested in coins. Plus, coin collecting lingo that kids will understand, coin facts that kids & new collectors will appreciate, and lots of other introductory-level coin stuff for kids and newbies alike.
Newbie coin collectors are often overwhelmed by the words and phrases they come across in their new hobby. These U.S. coin grade letters, numbers, and abbreviations are the most common ones you need to know when grading coins at home yourself.
You probably have some valuable pennies in your loose change! Here’s an awesome cheat sheet showing the rare pennies you should be looking for. These 43 pennies found in circulation are worth 1 dollar or more… each! I’ve collected pennies since I was a kid, and I’ve put together a list of the best places to find rare pennies worth money.
What are mint marks? Mintmarks are small letters stamped on U.S. coins that designate where the coin was made. Where a coin was minted affects its value. See which coins each U.S Mint facility made. And what a U.S. coin without a mintmark means. (Some are rare error coins. Others are not supposed to have a mint mark.)
The hobby of coin collecting is growing – with more and more people discovering how rewarding collecting coins is! I began collecting coins in the early 1990s – and I’m still finding new reasons to collect coins. I love that I can enjoy a hobby that costs very little and yet offers so much enjoyment. Here are my top 11 reasons why you should start collecting coins today!
Wondering how much coins weigh? Here’s the ultimate guide to weighing coins PLUS a list of the official U.S. coin weights for each denomination!
A long-time collector’s coin scale review to help you decide on the best coin scale for your needs. See how to weigh coins on a scale, how to calibrate a digital scale for weighing coins, the best coin scale that’s super affordable, and why you need to weigh coins in the first place!
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.
I recently found a great coin collecting starter set for young coin collectors. See why I like the US Mint’s Explore & Discover Kit and why it’s such a great gift for kids!
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!
A really fun idea is to assemble a Birth Year Coin Set or a Conception Year Coin Set. It’s a collection of coins that were struck during the year of one’s birth or the year of one’s conception. The idea is to pick out of pocket change an example of each coin you find that was struck the year you (or someone you love) was born — or conceived. This is a simple DIY project for all skill levels — whether you officially collect coins or not! Here are some clever ideas for making coin sets by year — including Birth Year Coin Sets and Conception Year Coin Sets.
