Advice on handling coins - FAQ

Touching

Never placed your fingers on the surface of a coin. Hold the coin between your thumb and forefinger at the rim of the coin. You can not see fingerprints on a mirror surface at once but after a while the coin gets corroded. The fingerprint can not be removed and the coin condition is no longer Proof or Mint State or even worse. 

Polishing

Never polish a coin. A polished coin is not interesting for many collectors as a collecting object. Some very old and scarce coins may become polished, but always ask a specialist before polishing a coin. You can easily wipe a coin, but be aware that even the finest cloth make small tiny scrathes on the surface of a coin.

Cleaning

It is better to leave a coin uncleaned instead of ruinning it with various cleaning preparations. Cleaning preparations should be used with care and be sure of using the right cleaner for the right metal. It is alright to use ordinary sope and lukewarm water but be sure to dry the coin afterwoods. In order to clean a coin make contact to the nearest coin dealer and look up advice and products. 

Storage

Always keep the coins apart from each other. Place them in small envelopes or paperbags. Some even use small boxes and shelves to keep them from each other. Be aware of plastic covering ! Coins will be exposed for a chemical process and often it result in a green slimy layer. It is possible to remove the layer, but often coins stored in plastic for a longer periode look rather dull and the slimy layer is very hard to remove.

Make a plan for your collection

Buy books about the specific coins you want to collect before you buy the coins. Make a plan on what to collect and the minimum coin condition you want in your collection. You can either be a coin collector or a numismatist. A real numismatis read about the coin before buying it, to make sure his knowledge is 100 %. The history about the coin is as important as the coin itself.

What is worth collection

Ruined, bend,  damaged and pierced coins are often not worth collecting unless the are very rare. Worn out coins should also be very rare in order to collect them too. Eventhough the coins are damaged, some collectors find them interesting and actually collect these speciments. Be aware that paying higher prices for these types of coins is wrong unless they are very rare.

Make demands

The coin condition is decisive for the value of the coin. Be aware of the minimum condition of coins you want. Start in the low condition area unless you have lots of money. High conditions cost a lot of money. In order to contribuete and learn about the coin grading system - use the grading system on top of this site.

Weather and climate

Always store the coins in a dry place at constant temperature. Humidity and polution helps corroding your coins with is not a good thing. Especially zinc often gets corroded.

Buying at auctions

Go throught the auction catalog with care then you know the opportunities and can make a propper choice among the coins. Make a bid on the coins you PLANNED to bid on. Always be aware of the value of the actual coin. The prices on the coins at the auctions are often lower than catalog prices. Be aware that the price of a coin is depending on how many buyers bidding at the auction. Do not get carried away, remember to pay taxes and auction fees. Often bidders are surprices of the fees and the price of the coin exceeds the catalog price fare out.

Theft and insurance

Store the coins under lock and in an insurence safely methode. It is recommended to use a small safe for the coins which represente great value. Perhaps a box in the local bank is more preffered. Be aware that insurence companies often charge you higher payment in order to cover your collection. Make a complete list of the collection in order to prove to the insurence company that you are the owner of a coin collection. The insurence price is depending on the value of your collection.

top of page