tqc2002 Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Hi everybody I'm new and I've just wondered what country should be a good start? coins that I can collect without any difficelties and the price of the coins would be fare ( not expencive ) just want to start and don't know where to begin thanks TQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie582 Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I think that you should just do what most people have done, and be eclectic in your aquisitions. Just get any coin that takes your fancy and you'll find that, sooner or later, you'll veer to one sort or country. Lots of collectors go for one size of coin (crown or dollar size) across countries, Numismatists tend to research one particular issue or set of coins as the field is so wide, but you'll soon find a preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Pick a country with lots of history, that has beautiful and unique coin designs that are not all cookie cutter and unimaginative designs. Countries like Spain, Portugal, Hungary have lots of history, neat coin designs and denominations and it is possible to get fairly early coins at a realistic price. I have Hungarian silver denars that are dated deep into the 16th century that I paid less than $10 for, my earliest is a 1508. Spain has neat AE blancas that dated into the reign of King FelipeII, or Phillip II whom was a contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I and foe of hers, where you can get nice collectable examples for less than €10 if you look hard enough, or arrange a trade with one of our friends in Iberia. I also like Polish coins, you can go deep into the 15th century with a budget on Polish coins too, from the Polish Lithuanian commonwealth you can get grosz denominated silver coins dated into the 16th century for about €10-15. They have neat renaissance portraits of their monarchs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxseries Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 You can always start collect coins of your own native country or even countries that you have good friends in or even your parents hertiage, if they are from other countries. The good thing about coin collecting is, you can always collect any kinds of coins even if you don't have a reason for. Unfortunately though, many world coin prices are starting to increase in value, either because there is an increase of people with mad funds or there are just more collectors being aware of such, but then, they can never find all of rarities that remain hidden. It's always good to actually get a catalogue perhaps a Krause as it shows a wide variety of world coins. It doesn't have to be brand new, you can either borrow a copy from the library if your local library has one, else you should be able to purchase a second hand copy relatively cheap. You can see more examples at http://www.omnicoin.com or http://www.worldcoingallery.com Again it's your choice but you can always start out with your local change - never know what you can find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeonB Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I second gxseries's suggestion. You could get started with coins from your own country; they're usually easiest to get your hands on. Then you can branch out into other countries that you have some sort of friend or family ties to. When I decided I wanted to collect coins, my mom pulled down an old owl-shaped piggy bank from the top of the dining-room secretary and gave me the old change she had pulled out of circulation on the job before she quit to stay home with us kids. Thus I started with a (surprisingly complete) collection of wheat pennies, a solid assortment of buffalo nickels, and even a 1935 Mercury dime, though it was in poor condition. Then when we toured Europe, I got into European (especially French) coinage. And then I snatched up modern foreign coins that people (mostly Mom & Dad) brought back from overseas travel. Of course I also prowled coin shops, but at my age, you don't have the $$$ to make a lot of amazing acquisitions. And then I started to get into other things, and kicked the collection to the curb until recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElleKitty Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 You don't even have to limit yourself to one country. By choosing something that interests you, such as cats or trains or pretty ladies on banknotes, you could find yourself with a thematic collection spanning the globe. However, I agree with the gentlemen above. Start with a lot of world coins, which can usually be purchased inexpensively by the pound. These lots are available on eBay, but be careful as most are just ripoffs. Then, enjoy spending time going through these coins, finding the countries and the topics minted on the coins. Sooner or later you'll discover a preference for some of them. Then you can branch out in that direction specifically. Normally, World coin collectors go through several phases. For several years you may enjoy one type of coin, and then wake up one day and realise something else has caught your fancy. That's the thing I love best about this hobby. The only rules are the ones you make for yourself. Enjoy! Kitty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeonB Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Say, now that you mention it, how do you tell the ripoffs from the good deals on eBay? Do you have any pointers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElleKitty Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Use common sense? If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Always check a seller's feedback. Make sure it's unique, and isn't just a circle of friends posting positive feedback to jump up the score. Look at the auctions, especially the negative ones. Read the terms of the seller. Sometimes there are things hidden inside the text that can bite you after the auction is over. Research before you buy. If you know what it is that you're supposed to be looking at, it's easier to tell the fakes and bad deals apart from the good ones. Avoid impulse buys. If you can find a coin once on ebay, you can generally find it there again. And I also generally avoid buying from China. Not all sellers from China are bad, but there are plenty that are. Many of the fakes and reproductions come from that country, plus the shipping fees are usually ridiculously high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 1989 Posted November 20, 2007 Report Share Posted November 20, 2007 As some have said best to start with your home country. If not may I suggest the UK, although certain monarchs can be pricey (Anne, James I & II) others are reasonably priced and there are quite a few to get hold of (George V & VI, Elizabeth II pre-decimal, for example). Farthings, Sixpences, Penny's & Half Penny's are best to go for, might be best to avoid Half Crowns & Florins if you are only looking for low priced coins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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