There were four types of Proof sets through the 1990s, and two are ideal for beginning collectors, the relatively low-mintage and inexpensive green packaged non-silver and black packaged silver sets. The first thing is to be able to identify the four types of sets: The Green Packaged Proof Set (1994-98) features five coins, cent, nickel, […]
Estimating value of ancient coins
In 2020, I published in Coin Update a two-part series on identifying (Part 1) and slabbing (Part 2) ancient coins. If you are interested in collecting these historical marvels, you should read those articles as the basis of your new hobby interest. You also might want to bone up on “junk” ancient coins — fragments, […]
Update on coin swap outs
Five years ago, you could still find on eBay and other platforms original Double Mint sets with brilliant toning. You could snare equally colorful coins in Tidy House and American Savings holders. Genuine bankrolls often display rainbow coins on both ends. Those days may be over. I wrote about “The Great Coin Swap” in 2018, […]
Caesar coins every hobbyist should own
Gaius Julius Caesar, one of history’s most celebrated generals and politicians, was stabbed 23 times in a plot to save the Republic from his authoritarian rule. His detractors feared he would rule for life and elevate his status to that of a god. Those fears were exacerbated when his portrait appeared on coins, including this […]
Auction basics: Know service terms before placing a bid
Sheena Wallace of Stagecoach Auctions, one of my long-time favorite auctioneers, asked me a fundamental question in a recent discussion about issues in online coin auctions, wondering whether new hobbyists really understood bidding basics. I wrote about this in 2012, and recommended these practices, some of which are still valid today: 1. Always read the […]
Bans and scams plaguing online coin auctions
Scams and other complications have caused some of my favorite HiBid coin auctioneers to ban certain bidders or require bank transfers to ensure payment. Here’s an example from Stagecoach Auctions: You’ll notice in the “bidding notice” at the bottom of the photo above is that the auction is not accepting new bidders from outside the […]
Use the Red Book as a study guide
I am 71, and the Red Book is older than I am. I was born in 1952, and here is a photo of that edition: I have purchased Red Books, otherwise known as A Guide Book of United States Coins, since my boyhood as a collector. I have several older editions even now in my […]
The beauty and challenge of collecting “Ike” dollars
During my decades of collecting, I often sought and bought Eisenhower dollars, commonly called “Ikes,” and struck from 1971 through 1978 in a variety of compositions and finishes. “I Like Ike” was the famous 1952 slogan for then-presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower. I was born in 1952 and still like Ikes. There are all manner […]
Recommendation on PCI green label coins
It pains me to make this recommendation on trying to cross over older green label PCI coins to NGC and PCGS. I have never had any luck with NGC concerning PCI coins, including American Silver Eagles. I don’t understand how their graders can label some of these robust rainbows as artificial. Suffice to say, I […]
Numismatic restraint
When it comes to online bidding, restraint is essential and encompasses so many things, from reading service terms to identifying flaws in coins. Platforms are programmed to encourage bids at any cost — no, check that — at your cost. You might search for and then locate a long-sought-after Morgan dollar for your collection, placing […]
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