Coin collecting

Neil S. Berman

Book - 2022

Berman introduces readers to numismatics-- also known as coin collecting. His comprehensive yet easy-to-follow guide takes you through buying, selling, grading, valuing, handling, and storing coins. Readers will learn to how choose a coin-collection focus, evaluate corns based on their age and condition, and even navigate coin auction houses. -- adapted from back cover

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Subjects
Genres
handbooks
Handbooks and manuals
Guides et manuels
Published
Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, Inc [2022]
Language
English
Main Author
Neil S. Berman (author)
Edition
3rd edition
Item Description
Includes index.
"Learning made easy" -- Cover.
"Start your collection correctly ; learn about ancient coins, U.S. coins, world coins ; develop a buying strategy" -- Cover.
Physical Description
xiii, 349 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
ISBN
9781119862673
  • Introduction
  • About This Book
  • Foolish Assumptions
  • Icons Used in This Book
  • Beyond the Book
  • Where to Go from Here
  • Part 1. Making Heads and Tails Out of Coin Collecting
  • Chapter 1. Welcome to the World of Coin Collecting
  • On Your Mark, Get Set, Go: Starting Your Coin Collection
  • Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Moe: Deciding Which Coins to Collect
  • I Pledge Allegiance: Turning Your Attention to U.S. Coins
  • I'll Take That One, and That One, and That One: Buying Coins
  • Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow: Selling Your Coins
  • Chapter 2. Understanding Numismatics
  • Admitting Your Numismatism
  • Discovering How Cool Coin Collecting Can Be
  • Collecting versus Accumulating
  • Collecting Various Types of Coins
  • Gold and silver coins
  • Commemorative coins
  • BU Rolls
  • Silver certificates
  • Getting Excited about Collecting Today
  • 50 State Quarters
  • Sacagawea dollar
  • New commemorative issues
  • Error coins
  • Chapter 3. Arming Yourself with Knowledge
  • Gaining Knowledge Before You Buy
  • Understanding the parts and purpose of a coin
  • Putting the book before the coin
  • Mix and mingle
  • Affecting a Coin's Value
  • Age: Good for wine, good for coins?
  • Condition: Pumping them up
  • Demand: Demanding high dollar
  • Rarity: Hunting for treasures
  • Supply: Giving them what they want
  • Deciding What to Collect
  • Staying focused
  • Thinking long-term
  • Chapter 4. Storing Your Collection Correctly
  • Holdering Them the Right Way
  • Keeping Away from the Cleaning Products
  • Removing dirt
  • Handle with kid gloves
  • Wash your hands before touching
  • Ask before removing a coin from a holder
  • Watch out for the holder
  • Handle a coin by the edges
  • Keep your mouth shut
  • Hold a coin over a soft surface
  • Keeping Them High and Dry
  • Keepin' 'em dry
  • Using a desiccant
  • Securing Your Stash: At Home and on the Road
  • Deciding between a home safe and a safe-deposit box
  • Carrying coins in your car
  • Carrying coins on a plane
  • How comforting is your inn?
  • Dealing with a robbery
  • Insuring Your Investment
  • Part 2. Ancient to Present Day: Choosing Coins for Your Collection
  • Chapter 5. Showing Their True Age: Ancient Coins
  • Ancient Coins - of Gods and Men
  • Deciding Which Ancient Coins to Collect
  • Ancient Greek coins
  • Ancient Roman coins
  • Biblical coins
  • Byzantine coins
  • Understanding How Age Affects Value
  • It's All Greek to Me!
  • Knowing Where You Can Get 'Em
  • Chapter 6. Making a Safe Bet with U.S. Coins
  • Discovering a Finely Tuned Market
  • Understanding Why U.S. Coins Are So Popular
  • Recognizing Desirable Coin Characteristics: Liquidity, Liquidity, Liquidity
  • Chapter 7. Globetrotting with World Coins
  • A Few Hints for Beginners
  • Collecting by country
  • Collecting by denomination
  • Collecting crowns
  • Collecting by date
  • Collecting topically
  • Recognizing the Hot and Cold Countries
  • Understanding That Grading Standards Are Not All the Same
  • Obsession with quality is okay - to a point
  • Extremely Fine is not Extremely Fine is not Extremely Fine
  • Chapter 8. Exploring the Wild Side with Rare, Expensive, and Esoteric Coins
  • Looking for the Best of the Best
  • Collecting Finest Known coins
  • Checking Condition Census
  • Recognizing Odd and Curious Money
  • Investigating Tokens, Medals, and Miscellaneous Coins
  • Hard Times tokens
  • Good For tokens
  • Civil War tokens
  • Washington medals
  • Collecting by Die Variety - the Spice of Life
  • Part 3. Focusing on U.S. Coins
  • Chapter 9. Colonial Coins: America's Ancients
  • Recognizing a Colonial Coin
  • Locating Foreign Coins Used in the American Colonies
  • French coins
  • Irish coins
  • British coins
  • Spanish coins
  • London elephant tokens
  • Appreciating How Colonies and States Expressed Themselves
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • Connecticut
  • Vermont
  • New York
  • Virginia
  • Collecting Privately Issued Coins and Tokens
  • Mott token
  • Brasher doubloon
  • Higley coppers
  • Distinguishing Quasiofficial Colonial Coins
  • Continental dollars
  • Fugio cents
  • Nova Constellatio coppers
  • Washingtoniana: America Goes Ape for Its First President
  • Unity States cent
  • 1791 Washington large eagle cent
  • 1793 ship halfpenny
  • 1795 grate halfpenny
  • Liberty and Security penny
  • Chapter 10. Copper and Nickel Coins: Made for the Masses
  • Getting the Hang of Half Cents
  • Major types of U.S. half cents
  • Collecting U.S. half cents
  • Living Large with Large Cents
  • Major types of U.S. large cents
  • Collecting U.S. large cents
  • Seeking Out Small Cents
  • Major types of U.S. small cents
  • Collecting U.S. small cents
  • Taking on Two-Cent Pieces
  • Rounding Up the Three-Cent Nickel
  • Firing Up for the Five Cents (or Nickels)
  • Major types of U.S. five-cent pieces
  • Collecting U.S. five-cent pieces
  • Chapter 11. Silver Coins: Keeping Commerce Alive
  • Thrilling Yourself with Three-Cent Silvers
  • Major types of U.S. three-cent silvers
  • Collecting U.S. three-cent silvers
  • Hunting Down Half Dimes
  • Major types of U.S. half dimes
  • Collecting U.S. half dimes
  • Digging in for Dimes
  • Major types of U.S. dimes
  • Collecting U.S. dimes
  • Touring Around for 20-Cent Pieces
  • Calling All Quarter Dollars
  • Major types of U.S. quarter dollars
  • Collecting U.S. quarter dollars
  • Holding On to Half Dollars
  • Major types of U.S. half dollars
  • Collecting U.S. half dollars
  • Digging Around for Dollars
  • Major types of U.S. dollars
  • Collecting U.S. dollars
  • Chapter 12. Gold Coins: Concentrated Wealth
  • $1 Gold Pieces
  • Liberty-head gold dollar (1849-54)
  • Indian-princess gold dollar (1854-89)
  • $2.50 Gold Pieces
  • Turban Head $2.50 gold piece (1796-1807)
  • Capped Bust $2.50 gold piece (1808-34)
  • Classic Head $2.50 gold piece (1834-39)
  • Liberty-head $2.50 gold piece (1840-1907)
  • Indian-head $2.50 gold piece (1908-29)
  • $3 Gold Pieces
  • $4 Gold Pieces
  • $5 Gold Pieces
  • Turban Head $5 gold piece (1795-1807)
  • Capped Bust $5 gold piece (1807-34)
  • Classic Head $5 gold piece (1834-38)
  • Liberty-head $5 gold piece (1839-1908)
  • Indian-head $5 gold piece (1908-29)
  • $10 Gold Pieces
  • Turban Head $10 gold piece (1795-1804)
  • Liberty-head $10 gold piece (1838-1907)
  • Indian-head $10 gold piece (1907-33)
  • $20 Gold Pieces
  • Liberty-head $20 gold piece (1849-1907)
  • Saint-Gaudens $20 gold piece (1907-33)
  • Chapter 13. Commemoratives: Raising Money with Money
  • Commemorate This!
  • The Early Years (1892-1934): Commemoratives Under Control
  • The Age of Abuse (1934-54): Commemoratives Out of Control
  • Modern Commemoratives (1982-present): Money Coins
  • Circulating Commemoratives
  • 50 State Quarters
  • Tips for Collecting Commemoratives
  • Chapter 14. Advancing to Oddball Coins
  • Understanding Pattern Coins
  • Collecting Pioneer or Private Gold
  • Finding Confederate Coins
  • Appreciating Proof Coins
  • Recognizing Hawaiian Coins
  • Identifying Error Coins
  • Part 4. Buying and Selling Coins the Safe Way
  • Chapter 15. Wheeling and Dealers
  • Finding a Good Coin Dealer
  • Localizing Your Efforts
  • Going to the Nationals
  • Going Global
  • Evaluating the global pros
  • Weighing the global cons
  • Surfing the Net for a Deal
  • Chapter 16. Grading and Authenticity, Rarity, and the Establishment of Value
  • Factors That Affect Grade
  • Eye Appeal
  • Circulated vs. Uncirculated Coins
  • Precision Grading
  • Consistency of Grading
  • Proofs, Patterns, and Specimens
  • Overgrading and Overpricing
  • Grading Guarantees
  • Authenticity and Originality
  • Rarity and the Establishment of Value
  • Market Demand and Survival Rate
  • Chapter 17. Foiling the Fakes
  • Resisting Temptation
  • Becoming Your Own Expert
  • Finding Out about Repaired, Restored, and Recolored Coins
  • Cleaned coins
  • Curated coins
  • Dipped coins
  • Scrubbed coins
  • Erasered coins
  • Whizzed coins
  • Repaired coins
  • Recolored coins
  • Getting Duped
  • Scams
  • Misrepresentation
  • Overgrading
  • Undergrading
  • Cheap offers
  • Caveating Your Emptor
  • Saving the Day: Return Privileges and Guarantees
  • No return privilege
  • Return privileges
  • Guarantees
  • Slamming the Scammers
  • Chapter 18. Grading with the Pros
  • The Grading Process
  • Submitting coins to be graded
  • Grading
  • Encapsulation
  • Shipping
  • Numismatic Guarantee Company (NGC)
  • Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS)
  • Certified Acceptance Corporation (CAC)
  • The Other Guys
  • Restoration and Conservation
  • Toning
  • Spots
  • Metal
  • Means to an end
  • Chapter 19. Selling Your Coins Yourself
  • Knowing What to Expect
  • Deciding Whether to Sell Coins Yourself
  • Getting Ready to Sell Your Collection
  • Knowing what you have
  • Understanding that looks are everything
  • Getting the grading done beforehand
  • Pricing properly
  • Knowing Where to Sell Your Coins
  • Coin dealers
  • Coin shows
  • Direct marketing via publications or online services
  • Mastering the Art of Selling
  • Be assertive
  • Talk 'em up
  • Appeal to a need
  • Convey a sense of urgency
  • Stick to your pricing
  • Sell from the bottom
  • Remain patient
  • Keeping Good Records
  • Donating the Rest
  • Chapter 20. Going Once, Going Twice: Buying at Auction
  • Flying Like Bees to Honey
  • Seeking a rare flower
  • Getting stung
  • Preparing to Buy
  • Obtaining the catalog
  • Reading the terms and conditions of sale
  • Registering to bid
  • Studying the catalog
  • Choosing your battles
  • Setting your limits
  • Bidding
  • Reserving Yourself
  • Hauling Yourself to Online Auctions
  • Getting Internet versions of auction catalogs
  • Using eBay
  • Chapter 21. The Coin Auction Arena
  • Consignment Journey
  • If you are a seller
  • If you are a buyer
  • Heritage Auctions: "The Titan"
  • Top Performing Auction Houses
  • GreatCollections Coin Auctions
  • Legend Rare Coin Auctions
  • Stack's Bowers Galleries
  • Lyn Knight Auctions
  • Goldberg Auctions
  • Kagin's
  • David Lawrence Auctions
  • Chapter 22. Coin Investments, Taxes, and the Law
  • Investing in Coins in Theory
  • Dealing with Taxes
  • Sales taxes
  • Income taxes
  • Part 5. The Part of Tens
  • Chapter 23. The Ten Most Valuable U.S. Coins
  • 1933 Double Eagle ($18,872,250) PCGS MS65
  • 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar ($10,016,875)
  • 1787 Brasher Doubloon EB on Wing ($9,360,000)
  • 1822 $5 ($8,400,000) PCGS AU50
  • 1804 Bust Dollar ($7,680,000) PCGS PF68
  • 1787 Brasher Doubloon EB on Breast ($7,395,000)
  • 1861 $20 Paquet Reverse ($7,200,000)
  • 1794 $1 (Lord St Oswald) ($6,600,000) PCGS MS66+
  • 723 AD Umayyad Gold Dinar (£3,720,000-$6,029,400)
  • 1804 $10 Proof Eagle (5,280,000) PCGS PF65+ DCAM
  • Chapter 24. Ten Favorite U.S. Coin Designs
  • 1792 Silver Center Cent
  • 1849 Double Eagle
  • 1907 Ultra-High Relief Double Eagle
  • 1822 Half Eagle
  • 1785 Immune Columbia Constelatio in Gold
  • 1776 Continental Dollar
  • 1793 Wreath Cent
  • 1809-36 Capped Bust Half Dollar, Second Style
  • 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar
  • 1808 Quarter Eagle
  • Chapter 25. Ten Ways to Get Your Kids Involved in Coin Collecting
  • Show Them Some of Your Favorite Coins
  • Show Them a Book That Illustrates the Coins You Own
  • Show Them Interesting Coin Websites
  • Start Them on Collecting the 50 State Quarters or the Presidential $1 Coins
  • Use Coins in a School Project
  • Take Them to a Museum
  • Take Them to a Coin Dealer
  • Take Them to a Coin Show
  • Take Them to a Coin Auction
  • Take Them to a U.S. Mint
  • Glossary
  • Index