What Are Factors That Affect The Value Of Coins?

When one is just starting in coin collecting, often the first question is: “What is the value of the coin?: and the answer is that the coin will cost as much as you are willing to pay for it and the amount can vary considerably. For instance, a coin dealer’s offer can be much less than a coin collector that certainly wants your coin badly to add in his collection.

The following are factors that can influence the true value of a coin.

1. Grade or condition of the coin. Your coin will be worth or valued more when it is in good condition. When in a perfect or unblemished mint condition, an “uncirculated” coin will be worth many times more than a similar coin that has been in circulation.

2. The rarity of a coin is the principal basis for a coins value. Generally, the rarer that a coin is found to be, the higher it is priced. Do keep in mind that rarity has very little influence on the coins age. Chinese coins are a thousand years old normally sell for about ten dollars since there are so many of them; while a “1913 Liberty Head Nickel” can sell for up to or over a million dollars because only five specimens are known to be in existence.

3. Bullion value. A coin's precious metal content can determine its value. A platinum, silver or gold coin will not, in general sell for less than the coins value when melted.

4. Demand. There are coins that are greatly in demand; sought after by many collectors, and if that a particular coin is in great demand the price will be even higher. Even comparatively plentiful coins can mandate higher value when they are popular with coin collectors.
For instance, “1916 D dimes” are much more abundant than the “1798 dimes” yet in spite of this, “1916 D dimes” sell for so much more because there are many more individuals collecting 20th century dimes than 1700 dimes.

Here’s how you can determine the approximate value of your coin:

1. Properly, accurately, and correctly recognize and classify your coin, and know the to place value on that coin. You can do this successfully by examining your coin in a catalogue or online with the “coin price guide”; this will give you an idea of the going rate and price of your particular coin and you can determine the approximate value of your coin.
Everyday coin values are changing; so you need to use a “coin price guide” that is updated on a daily basis to obtain the current coin value. Look at online sites that offer step by step guidance on how to recognize your coin the proper way.

2. Grade your coin based on your thorough observation and examination of its current condition.

3. Consult coin catalogues for a list of retail prices in or estimates of your coins retail value. “A Guide Book of United States Coins”, popularly known as "The Red Book" to coin dealers and collectors, provides information on retail coin prices for US coins and is available in libraries, coin shops and bookstores. “The Standard Catalog of World Coins” (in volumes) is a guide commonly used by coin dealers and collectors as well, to provide information on world coins and is available in many public libraries.

You can also check current coin prices by basing it on the actual dealer coin price found in magazines and newspapers or online auctions such as Yahoo, Coin World, eBay or Teletrade.
Always keep in mind that you are not collecting coins primarily for money; you collect for enjoyment and self gratification, and profit is to be last consideration. The plain fact that a certain coin does not have a large monetary value, does not necessarily suggest that it is no longer interesting or fascinating or that it must not be included in your collection.
Each coin will have a certain interest in itself, regardless of the condition that it is in and regardless of its monetary value. There will always be a certain characteristic that will draw you to that particular coin; so when it does, then you should have it in your collection.

Ancient Coins as Collections

Collecting coins is so much fun! It is both a hobby and a source of income for many. One type of coin that you may want to consider collecting is ancient coins. Many collectors hesitate to buy ancient coins to collect because they can be terribly expensive. What is most important is the uniqueness of these coins and the benefits they provide their collectors.

Here are some tips that should be considered when buying ancient coins:

1. Conduct a research of ancient coins. It is important that a collector is aware of what coins are considered ancient. It does not require a collector to go to a library since many websites on the Internet can provide all the information needed to become well-informed about ancient coins.

2. There is a wide variety of ancient coins available for collectors. A collector can choose from different eras and civilizations. He can choose from a Chinese civilization, ancient Rome, Greek, Persian, etc. It is preferable for a collector to focus on a specific group or era when collecting coins.

3. Once a selection has been made, a collector may then focus on the buying of these coins. To start select coins that are least expensive –set a price range such as $20. Once the collection grows, he may then want to start buying the more expensive coins.

4. A collector may also try searching for ancient coins at auction houses or online auctions where ancient coins are available. Always be aware of possible fraud no matter which venue you are using and take extra care in buying coins at online auctions.

5. It is also suggested that the collector make a list of the ancient coins that he would like to buy. He can list them according to his order of preference which will make his search for ancient coins an easier task. Included on his list should be the amount he is willing to spend on a certain type of coin. The list will be helpful whether online or at an auction house, enabling him to manage his budget easily.

6. It is important to have a separate holder for his ancient coin collection or his other collections. Separate holders will help the collector organize and preserve his coins. Ancient coins are generally more expensive than other collectible coins so it is necessary for a collector to know the proper care for them.

Ancient coins should not intimidate coin collectors. They are an exciting way to enjoy the hobby of collecting coins. Not only do they provide fun but they serve as a source of knowledge for many coin collectors.