4 Beginner Tips For Collecting Ancient Coins
When it comes to finding new collectable hobbies, most people tend to go for the obvious: baseball cards and stamps. However, there's an entire world of collectable items out there that is simply ripe for the picking: that of ancient coins. Many people tend to think of ancient coin collecting as a hobby for the extremely wealthy, but nothing can be further from the truth. While many ancient coins are quite expensive, there is plenty out there for the person on the budget who would still like to be involved with this hobby. Throughout the course of this article, you will learn about 4 beginner tips for collecting ancient coins.
Type Of Coin
The first question that you should ask yourself before you embark on the journey of collecting ancient coins is, "What type of coin should I collect?" Your collection can vary depending on numerous factors, including the type of material from which the coin is constructed (such as metal, wood, etc.), the time period from which the coin hails (for example, ancient Greece or the Rome of antiquity), under which ruler the coins were pressed, etc. It is recommended that you take a look at coins from different era and find out which ones are in your price range and which ones you find aesthetically appealing. There is generally a nice middle ground for every collector.
Cleaning Your Coins
These coins are often from antiquity, they tend to be quite worn and dirty. A typical novice question to ask about dirty coins is whether or not they should be cleaned. Most usually the answer to that question is no. Cleaning these coins is not simply a matter of running them under water and, in fact, doing so can damage these coins, irreversibly causing their value to plummet and their aesthetic integrity to greatly decrease. Whenever you wish to have your coins cleaned, you should consult with an expert on such matters. That way, you can ensure that your coins will be carefully cleaned and their integrity will be preserved.
Proper Storage
As with any collectable item, you should store the coins in a low humidity environment. Humidity can produce undesirable effects in the item. Cracks and wear and tear can easily occur to ancient coins if they are placed in an environment that is not adequately dry. Bronze coins and many forms of wood are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. Many people choose to keep their ancient coins in something called a coin flip. A coin flip is a plastic sleeve in which one side contains the coin and the other side contains an area for you to slip in a piece of paper, which will contain a brief description of the coin in question.
Learning More About Ancient Coins
Beyond this brief guide, there are other, more thorough sources of which you should know about regarding the collectability of ancient coins. For example, Doug Smith and Warren Etsy have both invested an ample amount of time researching and describing numerous ancient coins and their guides are readily available online. Warren Sayles has also authored 4 volumes completely dedicated to the art and hobby of collecting ancient coins.There are also numerous online forums and communities that you can peruse in order to learn more about the hobby and trade with other coin collectors.
Ancient coin collecting may seem like a difficult hobby to get into. However, there are plenty of resources available at your fingertips as well as a kind community that will happily answer any questions you have. For more information, contact a member of the coin collecting community, such as Harlan J. Berk, LTD.