Neil S. Berman - Coin Collecting For Dummies

Coin Collecting For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

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Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022934876

ISBN 978-1-119-86267-3 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-86268-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-86269-7 (ebk)

1 Cover

2 Title Page

3 Copyright

4 Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here

5 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 Getting Excited about Collecting Today Chapter 3: Arming Yourself with Knowledge Gaining Knowledge Before You Buy Affecting a Coin’s Value Deciding What to Collect Chapter 4: Storing Your Collection Correctly Holdering Them the Right Way Keeping Away from the Cleaning Products Keeping Them High and Dry Securing Your Stash: At Home and on the Road Insuring Your Investment

6 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 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 Recognizing the Hot and Cold Countries Understanding That Grading Standards Are Not All the Same Chapter 8: Exploring the Wild Side with Rare, Expensive, and Esoteric Coins Looking for the Best of the Best Recognizing Odd and Curious Money Investigating Tokens, Medals, and Miscellaneous Coins Collecting by Die Variety — the Spice of Life

7 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 Appreciating How Colonies and States Expressed Themselves Collecting Privately Issued Coins and Tokens Distinguishing Quasiofficial Colonial Coins Washingtoniana: America Goes Ape for Its First President Chapter 10: Copper and Nickel Coins: Made for the Masses Getting the Hang of Half Cents Living Large with Large Cents Seeking Out Small Cents Taking on Two-Cent Pieces Rounding Up the Three-Cent Nickel Firing Up for the Five Cents (or Nickels) Chapter 11: Silver Coins: Keeping Commerce Alive Thrilling Yourself with Three-Cent Silvers Hunting Down Half Dimes Digging in for Dimes Touring Around for 20-Cent Pieces Calling All Quarter Dollars Holding On to Half Dollars Digging Around for Dollars Chapter 12: Gold Coins: Concentrated Wealth $1 Gold Pieces $2.50 Gold Pieces $3 Gold Pieces $4 Gold Pieces $5 Gold Pieces $10 Gold Pieces $20 Gold Pieces 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 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

8 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 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,