There are several types of coins available that are worth collecting and serious collectors, whether doing it as a hobby or investment, need to keep track of the coins that are available in the market and the current value these coins are worth. According to Andrew Wilshire, with this sheer volume of coins, having coin collecting software would be most useful indeed and would help them decide which action to take for coins in their collection or one that is made available in the market.

As coins vary in type and value, coin collection software vary in types and purposes as well. Some applications feature a comprehensive database program that can provide complete information of over 10,000 coins existing worldwide. According to Andrew Wilshire, other programs are more specific in nature, such as providing a database of coins that were minted only in the United States.

Some of these coin collection applications can be downloaded free from the Internet and can be used to catalog the coins the user owns or has in his possession. According to Andrew Wilshire, others are more complicated and contains much more information and are sold or downloaded from a website for a certain fee. Whether the application is free or otherwise, coin collection software is a fast and easy way to organize and keep track of your collection at a few clicks of the mouse – instead of going through volumes of physical pictures and printed information about the coins in your collection.   

Mints and mint marks are very important aspects in coin collecting, but a serious numismatic or collector should have a firm understanding of what the minting process entail and why is it valuable to the industry. According to Andrew Wilshire, the first step is to know that all coins come from a wide variety of metal or alloys, usually precious metals with 0.999 purity. Such metals include zinc, brass, copper nickel or metal copper alloys or a fusion of these metals.

These metals or alloys are then made into strips with a particular thickness. If the metals come if bars, they will be first melted down and reformed into cylindrical containers called billets. The formed metal are then extruded and forced into a port to form a malleable metal ribbon. According to Andrew Wilshire, this ribbon will then undergo a process called “blanking” where round blanks of the same dimension as the coin is cut from the ribbons.

These blanks will then undergo a cleaning process using chemicals in revolving cylinders and annealing furnaces. After drying, the blanks will then undergo the final stage which is the actual coining press, wherein the blanks are pressed between an upper and lower die under great amounts of pressure to form the images on both sides of the coin. According to Andrew Wilshire, the pressure requirement to do this is so intense that ordinary pennies would need at least 40 tons of pressure to form the images. Larger coins would require more.

One of the most important aspect in coin collecting that newbies and veterans alike should know are mint marks. These marks refer to the tiny letters or symbols embedded on the surface of the coin to indicate the location from where the coin was minted. According to Andrew Wilshire, before the year 1965, mint marks were typically found on the back side of the coin but where soon transferred to the front for coins minted after 1967.

In the United States, mint marks are used to identify what particular mint branch the coin originated from but the practice of using mint marks dates back to the Greek and Roman periods as evident in ancient coins that are still alive today. According to Andrew Wilshire, serious coin collectors can determine the value of a particular coin by its mint mark aside from its minting date and general condition so it would be best to be familiarized with what makes a particular coin higher in value.

Some coins coming from the same year may have different values depending on their mint marks. The difference is in the amount of hits done from a particular location that produced their version of the coin. According to Andrew Wilshire, one location may have thousands of hits produced while another could have produced only a few collectible pieces – making such coins bearing the mint mark from that location much more valuable for collectors.

According to Andrew Wilshire, many professional collectors and numismatics clean their coins in an airtight container as a way of preserving its features after cleaning. Throughout their long history, these coins may have accumulated a wide variety of encrustations, dirt and grime that adhere to the coin’s surface. If left untreated, such accumulation may cause corrosion or even pitting that would significantly diminish the coin’s features, and eventually its value.

Special products are available that are made specifically for coin cleaning. Most of these cleaning materials can remove surface dirt and even corrosion. Some are applied using a soft-bristled brush while others would require soaking. According to Andrew Wilshire it is important that no scratches are induced on the surface during cleaning. After all dirt and accumulations are removed, a final cleaning solution is applied after which these coins are coated with a special preservative.

Cleaning your coins is very important, but following these precautionary and maintenance steps can help ensure that your collection remains in pristine condition for ages to come:

• Protect your coins from any exposure to the elements by storing the coins in special pockets or plastic cases. These enclosures can protect the coins from scratches and dirt.
  

• A wide variety of cleaning materials are used with coins including ammonia, lemon juice, rubbing alcohol and vinegar. Although these materials are good for general coin collections, specialized cleaning materials should be used instead for more expensive collections
  

• The value of the coin may actually depreciate after it has been cleaned. It would be best to seek the advice of experts to see if cleaning can affect the coin’s value or not. You can also learn from these experts many different ways of protecting and preserving a coin.
  

According to Andrew Wilshire, many coin collectors are reluctant to clean their coins, many of which are afraid that the cleaning materials can affect the surface of the coin and eventually its value. Still, using the proper way of cleaning your coins is important – no matter what type of coin collector you are.

Collecting rare coins is both a fulfilling and challenging pursuit. Andrew Wilshire gives this short guide about useful facts as well as a short list of some of the coins that are hard to find but are worth the effort if collecting for.

• Gold coins are rare as they were circulated only until the year 1933. This makes them hard to find commodities and is very expensive when auctioned. One of the great things about gold coins is that the value of gold continues to go up and will probably never go down, making them great investments indeed.
  

• The Liberty Seated Dollar was produced in the 19^th century and is one of the rare coins sought after by collectors over the years. The Walking Liberty Half Dollar is another beautiful coin that is worth pursuing by coin collectors. In circulation only for four years, these Liberty coins are some of the rarest samples that ever existed.
  

• Another Liberty-type coin is the One Standing Liberty Quarter minted in 1917. It shows the exposed breast of the woman we call Liberty and was minted only for 2 years because of the uproar caused by the controversial design during that time.
  

• Twenty cent coins might be very low in face value today but their rarity makes them worth looking for and valuable for rare coin collectors. According to Andrew Wilshire, these coins were minted between the periods of 1875 to 1878 and look much like a quarter in today’s denomination. During the 20^th century, mercury dimes are produced but only on a periodic basis. These coins now fetch $50 a piece, making them worth more than their face values.
  

• Half dollars are also collected by people and the value increases depending on the date, type and historical impact. Some of the rarest are the Barber half dollars minted from 1892 to 1915. Finding one in good condition is a very challenging task for collectors. Another rare half dollar is the Texas Commemorative Half Dollar which was minted within a 4 year period. Only 60% of the total 150,000 that were minted are available today and finding one in good condition pose a challenge to collectors.
  

• One of the most expensive coins is the Saint Gaudens $20 coin which sold in an auction for almost $8 million. It is still very valuable today and the superb design is still maintained for future generations to see.
  

Collecting rare coins are challenging but are expensive to acquire. According to Andrew Wilshire, many people choose this endeavor as one of their life’s mission and have allocated their own funds in pursuit of this fulfilling and worthy endeavor and investment.

Mint State Coins – According to Andrew Wilshire such coins has grades equivalent to a value of 60 to 70 in the Shelby’s grade scale. This means that the coin has no blemishes whatsoever. Most of the coins in this category are uncirculated, shiny, new coins, with absolutely no signs of wear.

Almost Uncirculated Coins – These types of coins point grade of 50, 55, or 58. In such coins, it is very important to note the locations of the high points in a particular coin. Checking the difference of the light reflected in the high points to the other parts of the coin, separate Almost Uncirculated coins from Mint State coins.

Fine Coins – Such coins have certain amounts of wear but all the designs are still intact. Depending on the sharpness and remaining details of the coins, these pieces can still be classified further as:

• Extremely Fine – Mint luster is still present and are graded 40 or 45
• Very Fine Coins – Minor features of the coins are already gone and are comparable with coins that have been in use for 1 to 3 years. These have grades of 20, 25, 30 and 35
• Fine – the lowest classification at 12

 Good Coins – These coins are already worn out with the details of the high points already smooth but some areas of the design can still be observed although these are rather weak. These coins can also be further classified as:

• Very Good – with full rims and are graded 12
• Good – mint mark and date are still visible
• Almost Good – most worn in this category

 Fair Coins – These coins are already worn and can still be distinguished as belonging to one of the types of coins. If a collector can still identify a coin then it is still considered Fair C.

Basal Coin – For these types of coins, the type of metal used is still distinguishable but the kind of coin cannot be determined already

According to Andrew Wilshire collectors that know the classifications described above can easily grade coins, which can give the collector an added advantage when engaged in this kind of trade.

One of the biggest problems Numismatists is dealing with counterfeiters, particularly those who are well-trained and have the resources and the capacity to duplicate even rare coins that fetches high values among collectors. According to Andrew Wilshire, it is important to understand how genuine coins are made using the special stamping machines in mint offices, as well as the many ways counterfeiters use to produce these coins.

The following are some of the considerations Numismatists can make to check whether a suspected coin is genuine or not. According to Andrew Wilshire, it would be best to consult also with counterfeit experts particularly if you are an ordinary person or collector simply wanting a collection of rare coins for his own. The key thing here is to be more aware of such coins and look for the subtle signs that will show you if an artifact is genuine or not.

* One of the best ways to check a potential counterfeit coin is to check and inspect it closely together with another sample that is known to be genuine. Genuine coins have unique date markings that should be present in all coins of the same kind.

* Coins higher than 5 cents in face value usually have corrugations in the outer edges, which are called readings or very thin but even railings on the edges of the coin. Counterfeit coins may not have thin enough railings or they may look uneven or even missing in some parts.

* Restrikes of a particular coin can be genuinely authenticated. Some of these have dates earlier than the official release but will have the same features as the original coins.

* During ancient times, it is common for one country to copy the coins of another and if legally approved by the original country, these coins are not forgeries but are genuine items.

* Replica coins have the same features and markings as the original coins and may have the word “copy” intentionally put if used for educational or museum display purposes. Intentional replicas can have differences that will be noticeable only be coin counterfeit experts.

* Andrew Wilshire said that there are certain forgery groups that have huge production of counterfeit coins with the intent of getting enormous profit by fooling museums, collectors and countries searching for ancient lost coins. Some of these groups have been identified so one should be aware from which collection a particular coin he would like to buy is coming from – it might be coming from a forgery collection.

When you perceive that you have received a counterfeit coin or attempts are being made to sell you one, you must try to get as much information about the person as possible like names, appearances and locations so you can have them checked by the proper authorities for authenticity. Coin collecting is big money so you should also take steps to protect your investments.

Numismatics is the study of money, medallions, banknotes, token coins, and stock certificates. Julius Caesar wrote the first book on the subject and it is believed to have been established during his time. According to Andrew Wilshire It is a very interesting topic because every medal or coin signifies a different era, culture, economy and politics.

Numismatists are different from coin collectors. Numismatics not only collects the coins but studies the history and overall appearance of coins and other forms of currency. Unlike numismatists, coin collectors are only interested in collecting coins and the prestige that goes along with it.

Numismatists are generally interested in use of money, its origin, appearance, variety and production. According to Andrew Wilshire, they aim to explore the role of the different kinds of currency in our history using mint information which refers to the place or facility where the coins are manufactured.

Numismatics also grade or authenticate coins to determine their market value. To facilitate this, coin grading system facilities were established. There are three major third-party facilities that authenticate coins and paper money. These are:

• PCGS or Professional Coin Grading System –  Located in Newport Beach, California, PCGS is a third party institution that was established in 1986, which grades and authenticates coins primarily for commercial purposes. They are an independent body providing expert opinion in rating a coin.

• NGC or Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – Located in Sarasota, Florida and is also a third party institution offering services solely to numismatists. It was established in 1987.

• Paper Money Grading (PMG) – PMG is solely for authentication of paper money and a smaller department of PCGS.

 When coin collecting was not as popular as it is now, there were only 3 categories into which a coin could fall:

•  Good – which means that the coin has all of the details intact;
• Fine – which means that the coin has all the details intact and still has a bit of luster visible;
• Uncirculated – which means that the coin was never put on the market thus maintaining its original appearance.

However, today coin grading has evolved and is becoming more definite. They use a combination of letters and numbers that corresponds to the quality of a coin. The coin grading system of United States of America is the most comprehensive and recommended for beginners. An example of USA grading system: MS-60 to MS-70 which means that the coin is blemish-free and has good color and strike.

Andrew Wilshire said knowing how to grade a coin properly is not only a gift, it’s an art. It requires knowledge, exposure and obviously skills. For coin collectors, ability to grade a coin is a must because the value of a coin largely depends on its grade.

Here are some components Numismatists use in coin grading

• Luster – it is a determining factor whether or not a specific coin has been circulated. To have a higher grade, a coin must be technically intact and free from any form of imperfection or blemish.

• Surface preservation – Abrasion on the surface of the coin and its location is a huge factor in grading a coin but it does not necessarily mean that abrasion can lower the grade of a coin. For example, if a good-looking coin has a severe abrasion on the back that is unnoticeable it will not count against the coin, but the issue may not be the same if the abrasion is located on the front or focal point.

• Strike – It refers to the coin designing process wherein the coin is being stamped onto a planchet. In overall grading, strike does not weigh a great deal.

• Coloration – For some coin collectors, preservation of original color of the coin has a huge impact on its value especially if it is a copper or silver coin.

•  Eye appeal – Some coins may not be perfect but collectors may find them attractive, however, it still requires expert opinion to conclude that a certain coin is excellent in all aspects mentioned.

Coins have been playing vital roles, not only in the lives of people who love collecting and studying them, but in society as they represent different eras in history. Whether you are selling, buying or collecting coins, you must acquire the necessary basic knowledge or information – on your way to becoming a successful numismatic.