Collecting old coins is like holding a piece of history right in your hand. It is common to find affordable ancient Roman coins that are 1600 years old, and many are even 2000 years old or more. Imagine that the ancient Roman denarius in your collection might once have bought admission to the gladiator fights in the Coliseum or chariot races at the Circus Maximum. The best thing about collecting old coins is that, unlike other antiquities, ancient coins are remarkably affordable. Because so many ancient coins have been discovered, and more are being unearthed every day, it is possible to buy millennia-old coins for only a few dollars apiece. For less than the cost of a movie ticket, you could own a link to olden times.

Things You Should Look For While Buying Old Coins

Unless you are looking to spend some serious money on your collection, the old coins that you buy will probably not be extremely valuable as an investment. However, that should not undermine the thrill of being able to own a genuine aged coin on a shoestring budget. There are numerous places, both online and off, that sell inexpensive old coins. The important thing to look for when buying these ancient coins is that the coin is identifiable. It is disappointing to buy an aged coin, only to realize that there is no way of telling what it actually is. The best way to ensure that an ancient coin is identifiable is to be certain that the writing and inscriptions on it are legible.

Buying Uncleaned Lots of Old Coins

Of course, there is another bargain option when buying ancient coins, and that is to buy a lot of uncleaned coins. These are old coins that have been unearthed in archaeologically rich areas like Italy or Greece, but have not had the dirt and buildup of the centuries cleaned from them. Uncleaned lots of elderly coins are exciting because you never know if the coins will be so worn that there is nothing left but a smooth piece of metal, or whether you will uncover a genuine rare coin. You should be aware, however, that the likelihood of finding a high-value gold or silver coin among uncleaned lots is extremely slim. Furthermore, the reason why uncleaned lots are sold to begin with is that cleaning old coins is a difficult endeavor in the best of circumstances. Removing large amounts of dirt and debris from ancient coins carries the risk of spoiling the coin.

How to Store Old Coins

Elderly coins, like elderly people, require tender handling. It is important to remember that one of the vital factors regarding the value of an old-time coin is the patina, or the sheen that builds up on the surface of a coin over time. The last thing you want to do is to polish an ancient silver coin so that it is bright and shining! When dealing with old coins, you should only hold them by the edges, since the oil on your hands can ruin the patina. Do not attempt to clean old coins on your own without learning a lot about the proper techniques. Only a veteran should attempt to clean a potentially valuable aged coin.

When storing old coins, always use acid-free materials; any other kind of storage could damage the coin. You’ll need a safe place to keep your ancient coins. Some options include mylar flips, acid-free plastic sheets that go into three-ring binders, and even special collector’s cases, if you want a particularly elegant look for your collection.

Charles Roman

Coins and Coin Collecting http://www.coinsandcoincollecting.com/ : your guide to getting the very best from your coin collection.

As you begin to clean ancient coins, experiment to find methods that work best for you. It will probably take a while to get the process right. The first coins that you clean should be coins that you dont mind ruining. This is part of the learning process.

When cleaning an ancient coin, patience is the key. Work as gently as you can. You goal is to remove dirt and encrustation without damaging the surface of the coin, or the coins patina (a thin, greenish film of corrosion that can build up on oxidized areas of a coin).

There are a variety of tools that you can use to clean a coin. They range from liquid soaks, to tools that you can make at home, to manufacturers brushes of various sizes, to brass tools. When it comes to protecting your coin during cleaning, plastic and wooden tools are best. When a metal tool must be used, use brass, because it is a soft metal. Something to remember about metal tools: never use a metal that is harder than your coin. For example, never apply a steel tool directly to the surface of a coin.

Dental tools, toothpicks, tooth brushes, and straight pins make good tools for cleaning coins. A trip to a hobby store can score you a set of brass tools. Strips of brass can be found at metal supply and hardware stores. You can shave and file these into points and edges that can bed used to get into those tight areas between designs and inscriptions.

When you are ready to work, set up a clean and spacious work area with good lighting. Have on hand a supply of water for rinsing. Before cleaning a coin, submerge it in liquid to soften the encrustation on its surface. In some cases, you may find that soaking alone cleans a coin. Wiping it with a soft rag after you remove it from the soak may be all that you need to restore some of the coins original beauty. Distilled water, lemon juice, calgon water softener, vinegar, baking soda, and olive oil are surprisingly useful. These methods can remove dirt slowly, and you may have to soak a coin anywhere from a few hours, to a few weeks. To remove olive oil residue from a coin, soak it in Tri-Sodium Phosphate, TSP can be found at paint shops, and home repair stores. Other metal degreasers can be used, but remember to test new substances out on your least valuable coins before applying them to your most valuable coins.

After you have soaked and rinsed your coin in fresh water, gently work with your brushes and small detail tools to clear remaining dirt and encrustation from the surface. If some spots are not lifting, repeat your soaking techniques. If these problem areas still persist, do not try to force them off with a tool. It is better to leave a coin as it is, than to damage it by force.

After you have cleaned your coins, you may want to apply a coin sealer, or a wax polish to preserve the job that youve done. Check the usage labels on these products to make sure that they are compatible with your coins. Look for these supplies in numismatic supply stores, internet stores, or mail order catalogs.

There is no arguing that coin collecting is one of the biggest and most expensive hobbies in the world. The price tags of some old coins would turn your hair grey. In this article were going to review the 10 most rare coins in existence. Wait until you see what some of these are going for.

Starting at number 10, there are the “proof gold” coins. Today the mint strikes millions of these coins every year and sells them to collectors from all over the world. However in the 19th century the mint struck only a few thousand of these each year and only a handful of proof gold coins. These are very rare and very expensive and sell very well in good and bad market times.

At number 9 we have early US gold coins struck between 1795 and 1834. These were minted in denominations of $2.50 $5 and $10. Today these coins are very rare in any condition and super rare in mint condition.

Coming in at number 8 we have the Liberty Seated Dollars. These coins are said to be the most beautiful ever made and one of the rarest of the 19th century coins. Both circulation strikes and proofs are very rare.

Hitting the chart at number 7 we have a very odd coin that was minted between 1875 and 1878. These were twenty cent pieces. Unfortunately the coin looked too much like a quarter to catch on with the public and there was no real commercial need for the denomination. Today they are highly prized collectors items. These coins today are very rare in top condition.

Number 6 on the coin hit parade are the Barber half dollars. These were minted between 1892 and 1915. They are one of the coin markets most important issues. They are collected by both “date” and “type” collectors and are the rarest of the 20th century silver type issues. These are very rare coins and to find one in gem condition is a once in a lifetime occurrence.

Midway up the chart at number 5 is the 1917 Type One Standing Liberty Quarter. This coin was made for only 2 years. The exposed breast of Miss Liberty caused such a commotion that they had to radically change the design midway through 1917. Since the 1916 is a 5 figure rarity (in the 10s of thousands of dollars) this coin is essentially a one year issue.

At number 4 are the Mercury Dimes. Even though this dime was minted between 1916 and 1945 proofs were made only between 1936 and 1942. Mercury dimes minted between 1940 and 1945 are actually reasonably priced and sell for about $50 a piece. The proofs are a little more expensive.

Just 2 spots from the top at number 3 is the Walking Liberty half dollar. This is also one of the worlds most beautiful coins and extremely popular with coin buyers. These coins are very hard to find in mint condition. All five of the issues between 1941 and 1945 have made the all time rare coins price list.

Falling just short of number 1 at number 2 is the Texas Commemorative Half Dollar. This is actually the number 1 commemorative coin on the all time rare coins price list. Between 1934 and 1938 about 150,000 of these coins were minted. Only about 60 to 80% of those have survived to this day and only 50% of those grade MS65 or better. So this is indeed not only an extremely rare coin but actually considered scarce.

Finally coming in at number 1 is the Saint Gaudens. This $20 piece is probably the worlds most well known coin. It is one of the most beautiful coin designs in history. This is one of the few coins that didnt drop in price during the 1980-1982 bear market.

In a future article we’ll cover how coin collectors go about getting rare coins and where they can be found both on and off line.